HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026/03/31 - Regular PacketBoard of Mason County Commissioners
Draft Meeting Agenda
Commission Chambers
411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584
March 31, 2026
9:00 a.m.
March 31.2
Commission meetings are live streamed at http://www.masonwebtv.com/
Regular Commission business meetings will be held in-person and via Zoom.
Please click the Zoom meeting link posted on the Mason County homepage and use the “raise hand” feature to be recognized
by the Chair to provide comment and testimony. Public comment and testimony can be provided in-person, via e-mail at
msmith@masoncountywa.gov; mail in to the Commissioners’ Office at 411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584; or call (360) 427-
9670 ext. 419. If you need to listen to the Commission meeting via telephone, please provide your telephone number to the
Commissioners’ Office no later than 4:00 p.m. the Friday before the meeting.
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Correspondence and Organizational Business
4.1 Correspondence
4.2 On-Site Sewage Advisory Committee (OSAC) Vacancies News Release
4.3 Flags of Our Founding Fathers Presentation
4.4 Mason County & Shelton CTE Job Shadow Program: Student Reports & Certificate Presentation
5. Open Forum for Citizen Input
Please see above options to provide public comment; 3 minutes per person, 15-minute time limit.
6. Adoption of Agenda
Items appearing on the agenda after “Item 10. Public Hearings” may be acted upon before 9:15 a.m.
7. Approval of Minutes – March 16 and 23, 2026, Briefing Minutes and March 17, 2026, Regular Minutes
8. Approval of Action Agenda
Items listed under “Action Agenda” may be enacted by one motion unless a Commissioner or citizen requests an item be
removed from the Action Agenda and considered a separate item.
8.1 Approval of Warrants and Treasurer Electronic Remittances
Claims Clearing Fund Warrant # 8119741-8120007 $1,515,637.19
Direct Deposit Fund Warrant # 124663-125070 $ 986,923.67
Salary Clearing Fund Warrant # 7009571-7009597 $ 627,379.38
8.2 Approval of the temporary take-home vehicle assignment for Richard Dickinson effective April 1, 2026,
through December 31, 2026.
8.3 Approval of the donation application for the installation of four benches at Foothills Park from the Friends of
Foothills Dog Park.
8.4 Approval to set a Public Hearing for Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 9:15 a.m. to consider the withdrawal of
Squaxin Island Tribe territory from the South Mason Fire District.
8.5 Approval to appoint Avary Rollins to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA)
advisory board for a two-year term expiring March 31, 2028.
8.6 Approval to accept the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner and formally acknowledge the vacation of
the right of way as petitioned by operation of law pursuant to the Session Laws of 1889-1890, subject to the
March 31, 2026 | Page 2 of 2
conditions contained in the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Recommendations of the Hearing
Examiner for Road Vacation No. 426.
8.7 Approval for Public Works to issue a water leak credit for customer #308132 in the amount of $982.40, plus
applicable late fees, based on verification that the leak has been repaired.
8.8 Approval for Public Works to declare the paint equipment as surplus, approve the sale to the City of Shelton,
or, if the City of Shelton declines, authorize Public Works to surplus the equipment through other allowable
methods under Mason County Code Chapter 3.40, including public sale, auction, or other appropriate means.
8.9 Approval of the Resolution selecting the Shelton-Mason County Journal as the official County newspaper for
publishing certain legal publications.
8.10 Approval for the County Administrator to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Public Defense services.
9. Other Business (Department Heads and Elected Officials)
10. 9:15 a.m. Public Hearings and Items Set for a Certain Time
Please see above options to provide public testimony; 10 minutes per person.
10.1 Public Hearing to consider approving and executing a Franchise Agreement with Forged Fiber 37, LLC
allowing the company to construct, operate, and maintain their fiber optic telecommunication system within
Mason County rights-of-way. Staff: Mike Collins
11. Board’s Calendar and Reports
12. Adjournment
MASON COUNTY
TO: Board of Mason County Commissioners
Reviewed
FROM: Kariann Rutledge Ext. 380
DEPARTMENT: Support Services Action Agenda
DATE: March 31, 2026 No. 4.1
ITEM: Correspondence
4.1.1 Received Notice of Liquor License Application from PATCHES LLC, LILLIWAUP
STORE LLC, FAITH IN ACTION WEST SOUND.
4.1.2 Received Notice of Special Occasion License Applications from THE MCREAVY
HOUSE MUSEUM OF HOOD CANAL and SUMMIT PACIFIC MEDICAL
FOUNDATION.
4.1.3 Received Letter from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding February
19, 2026 BOC Meeting Summary and Extension of Time Request.
4.1.4 Received Correspondence regarding Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees
from Hillary Fazzari, Shirley & Larry Fazarri, Lisa Marie Gray, Kylie McQuarrie,
Sean Thomas Nickerson, Elizabeth Ostendorf, Mary Prophit, Jen Rinehart, Lisa A
Schuster, John Tafejian, Kathleen Kelly, Nim Nimmer, Luis F. Camacho Plascencia,
Rachel Raadt, and Susan Ackerman.
Attachments: Originals on file with the Clerk of the Board.
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
DATE: 3/11/2026
NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LAresponse@lcb.wa.gov
TO: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RE: New License Application
UBI: 6060435280010001
License: 447874 - 2M
Trade Name: PATCHES ART CAFE
Loc Addr: 24180 N US HIGHWAY
101 STE C
HOODSPORT WA 98548-9482
Mail Addr: PO BOX 1086
HOODSPORT WA 98548-1086
Phone No.: 770-377-7290
Privileges Applied For:
Snack Bar
Endorsement Applied For:
APPLICANTS:
PATCHES LLC
Mason Bonner, 03/28/1994
Madelyn A Sandoz (Spouse), 05/24/1994
Madelyn A Sandoz, 05/24/1994
Mason Bonner (Spouse), 03/28/1994
As required by RCW 66.24.010(8), the Liquor and Cannabis Board is notifying you
that the above has applied for a liquor license. You have 20 days from the date of
this notice to provide input on this application. If we do not receive this notice back
within 20 days, we will assume you have no objection to the issuance of the license.
If you need additional time to respond, you must submit a written request for an
extension of up to 20 days, with the reason(s) you need more time.
Received 03.11.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
If you need information on SSN, contact our CHRI desk at (360) 664-
1724.
YES NO
1.Do you approve of the applicant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.Do you approve of the location? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you disapprove, per RCW 66.24.010(8) you MUST attach a letter to the Board detailing the
reason(s) for the
objection and providing facts upon which your objection(s) is based.
DATE SIGNATURE OF MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COMISSIONER,
TRIBAL CHAIRPERSON OR DESIGNEE
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
DATE: 3/17/2026
NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LAresponse@lcb.wa.gov
TO: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RE: New License Application
UBI: 6060906290010001
License: 448405 - 2M
Trade Name: LILLIWAUP STORE
Loc Addr: 28621 N US HIGHWAY
101
LILLIWAUP WA 98555-9724
Mail Addr: 28621 N US HIGHWAY 101
LILLIWAUP WA 98555-9724
Phone No.: 360-877-0001
Privileges Applied For:
Grocery Store - Beer/Wine
Endorsement Applied For:
APPLICANTS:
LILLIWAUP STORE LLC
CHRISTOPHER lLIEBERG, 08/14/1972
CHRISTOPHER LIEBERG, 08/14/1972
As required by RCW 66.24.010(8), the Liquor and Cannabis Board is notifying you
that the above has applied for a liquor license. You have 20 days from the date of
this notice to provide input on this application. If we do not receive this notice back
within 20 days, we will assume you have no objection to the issuance of the license.
If you need additional time to respond, you must submit a written request for an
extension of up to 20 days, with the reason(s) you need more time.
Received 03.18.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
If you need information on SSN, contact our CHRI desk at (360) 664-
1724.
YES NO
1.Do you approve of the applicant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.Do you approve of the location? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you disapprove, per RCW 66.24.010(8) you MUST attach a letter to the Board detailing the
reason(s) for the
objection and providing facts upon which your objection(s) is based.
DATE SIGNATURE OF MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COMISSIONER,
TRIBAL CHAIRPERSON OR DESIGNEE
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
DATE: 3/18/2026
NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LAresponse@lcb.wa.gov
TO: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RE: Change of Governing People
UBI: 6023259210010002
License: 421337 - 2K
Trade Name: THE HUB CENTER FOR
SENIORS
Loc Addr: 111 NE OLD BELFAIR HWY
BELFAIR WA 98528-9634
Mail Addr: PO BOX 2697
BELFAIR WA 98528
Phone No.: 360-275-0535
Privileges Applied For:
Senior Center
Endorsement Applied For:
APPLICANTS:
FAITH IN ACTION WEST SOUND
DIANE HARTLEY, 12/02/1956
MICHAEL WALSH, 02/16/1963
MARK DORMANN, 03/03/1964
STEVE HARTLEY, 12/08/1944
KATHY WALSH, 07/15/1964
STEPHANIE DORMANN, 11/01/1970
As required by RCW 66.24.010(8), the Liquor and Cannabis Board is notifying you
that the above has applied for a liquor license. You have 20 days from the date of
this notice to provide input on this application. If we do not receive this notice back
within 20 days, we will assume you have no objection to the issuance of the license.
If you need additional time to respond, you must submit a written request for an
extension of up to 20 days, with the reason(s) you need more time.
Received 03.18.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. 43075
Olympia, WA 98504-3075
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website:
www.lcb.wa.gov
If you need information on SSN, contact our CHRI desk at (360) 664-
1724.
YES NO
1.Do you approve of the applicant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.Do you approve of the location? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you disapprove, per RCW 66.24.010(8) you MUST attach a letter to the Board detailing the
reason(s) for the
objection and providing facts upon which your objection(s) is based.
DATE SIGNATURE OF MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COMISSIONER,
TRIBAL CHAIRPERSON OR DESIGNEE
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website: www.lcb.wa.gov
NOTICE OF SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LARESPONSE@LCB.WA.GOV
March 11, 2026
To: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Organization Name: THE MCREAVY HOUSE MUSEUM OF HOOD CANAL
Organization Address: 500 SE COLE ROAD, SHELTON, WA 98548
Contact Name: JAYNI KAMIN
Contact DOB: 1/6/1957
Contact Phone:
Special Occasion #: 448469
Event Date(s)/Time: 5/30/2026 – 5/30/2026; 6-10PM
Event Location(s):
ROBINHOOD REVIVAL - 6790 E SR 106, UNION, WA 98592
A SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE ALLOWS THE ORGANIZATION TO:
__Sell beer for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell wine for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell spirits by the individual serving for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell beer, wine and spirits in unopened bottles or packages in limited
quantities for off premise consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
You have 20 days from the date of this notice to provide input regarding this application. If we do not receive a response wi thin
20 days, we will assume you have no objections to the issuance of the license. If you need additional time to respond, you mu st
submit a written request with your reason(s) for an extension of up to 20 days.
1. Do you approve of the applicant? YES____ NO____ 2. Do you approve of the event location? YES____ NO____
If you have indicated disapproval of the applicant, location, or both, please submit a statement of all facts on which your objection(s)
are based.
________________ _______________________________________________________________
Date Signature of Mayor, City Manager, County Commissioner or Designee
Received 03.11.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website: www.lcb.wa.gov
NOTICE OF SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LARESPONSE@LCB.WA.GOV
March 11, 2026
To: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Organization Name: THE MCREAVY HOUSE MUSEUM OF HOOD CANAL
Organization Address: 500 SE COLE RD, SHELTON, WA 98584
Contact Name: JAYNI KAMIN
Contact DOB: 1/6/1957
Contact Phone: 3602396790
Special Occasion #: 448566
Event Date(s)/Time: 6/27/2026 – 6/27/2026; 6-10PM
Event Location(s):
ROBIN HOOD VILLAGE & RESORT - 6790 E SR 106, UNION, WA 98592
A SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE ALLOWS THE ORGANIZATION TO:
__Sell beer for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell wine for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell spirits by the individual serving for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell beer, wine and spirits in unopened bottles or packages in limited
quantities for off premise consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
You have 20 days from the date of this notice to provide input regarding this application. If we do not receive a response wi thin
20 days, we will assume you have no objections to the issuance of the license. If you need additional time to respond, you mu st
submit a written request with your reason(s) for an extension of up to 20 days.
1. Do you approve of the applicant? YES____ NO____ 2. Do you approve of the event location? YES____ NO____
If you have indicated disapproval of the applicant, location, or both, please submit a statement of all facts on which your objection(s)
are based.
________________ _______________________________________________________________
Date Signature of Mayor, City Manager, County Commissioner or Designee
Received 03.11.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
Licensing Division: Alcohol Unit
1025 Union Ave SE, P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098
Customer Service: (360) 664-1600
Fax: (360) 753-2710 Website: www.lcb.wa.gov
NOTICE OF SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE APPLICATION
RETURN THIS NOTICE TO: LARESPONSE@LCB.WA.GOV
March 12, 2026
To: MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Organization Name: SUMMIT PACIFIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION
Organization Address: 600 E MAIN ST, ELMA, WA, USA, 98541-9560
Contact Name: JENELLE CANFIELD
Contact DOB: 10/19/1980
Contact Phone: 360-495-5734
Special Occasion #: 036516
Event Date(s)/Time: 5/8/2026 – 5/8/2026; 7AM-6PM
Event Location(s):
SALISH CLIFFS GOLF CLUB - 91 WA-108, SHELTON, WA 98584-9998
A SPECIAL OCCASION LICENSE ALLOWS THE ORGANIZATION TO:
__Sell beer for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell wine for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell spirits by the individual serving for consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
__Sell beer, wine and spirits in unopened bottles or packages in limited
quantities for off premise consumption at the above specified date, time, and location.
You have 20 days from the date of this notice to provide input regarding this application. If we do not receive a response wi thin
20 days, we will assume you have no objections to the issuance of the license. If you need additional time to respond, you mu st
submit a written request with your reason(s) for an extension of up to 20 days.
1. Do you approve of the applicant? YES____ NO____ 2. Do you approve of the event location? YES____ NO____
If you have indicated disapproval of the applicant, location, or both, please submit a statement of all facts on which your objection(s)
are based.
________________ _______________________________________________________________
Date Signature of Mayor, City Manager, County Commissioner or Designee
Received 03.13.2026
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
LIQUOR & CANNABIS
Received 03.18.2026Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,FERC
From:Hillary Fazzari
To:bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; abennett@co.pacific.wa.us; Commish@graysharbor.us;
amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:Invoke RCW 27.12.190
Date:Thursday, March 19, 2026 1:36:11 PM
I am writing to you, as a resident of Chehalis, to ask you to protect the staff and
communities served by the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190,
by which, upon receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to
remove the current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island
library district library may be removed for just cause by the county
commissioners after a public hearing upon a written complaint stating the
ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time and place of
hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by
the joint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in
the same manner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county
library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget
shortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there
were no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators reversed
course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant
number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then
a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61
frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were never
considered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a
looming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial building
“refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from
current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,
2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to
ignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gave
TRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deem
necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greater
automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will come
in clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRL
administration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of a
deeply upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL as
wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of these community
centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without any
options given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public
messages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and union
members from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help in
order to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public has
begged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administration that
has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of the
communities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be
deprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to
their toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces for
patrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential social
services. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staff
was removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanless
storage building.
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a written
complaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and to
use all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in the
meantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they
serve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the
obligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Hillary Fazzari
From:shirley
To:bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; abennett@co.pacific.wa.us; Commish@graysharbor.us;
amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:preserve the TRL system
Date:Thursday, March 19, 2026 1:38:45 PM
To the Board of County Commissioners,
TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall after a Union contract
negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there were no budget concerns or
looming layoffs. However, at the end of January administrators reversed course,
announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant number
of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then a 50-
person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61 frontline
staff members. This was done without administrative and service center staff even being
considered for layoffs.
Even though the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a
looming budgetary crisis, they have continued to approve superficial building “refreshes,”
raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from current and
former library staff and trustees. Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision,
communities will see services decline.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities served
by the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, upon
receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove the
current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island
library district library may be removed for just cause by the county
commissioners after a public hearing upon a written complaint stating the
ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time and place of
hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by
the joint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in
the same manner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county
library.
A disastrous Board of Trustees meeting was held on February 25, 2026, when, after a 75-
minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to ignore hundreds of
community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gave TRL administration
carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deem necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greater
automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will come
in clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRL
administration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of a
deeply upset public. Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing
what the public has begged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while
retaining an administration that has landed our libraries in this current financial
quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, numerous individuals of the communities you
serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be deprived of their
library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to their toddlers, help
their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces for patrons of all ages
to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential social services. We’ve
already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staff was removed and
replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanless storage building.
I am asking you, as our County Commissioners, to prepare and issue a written
complaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and to
use all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in the
meantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they
serve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the
obligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Shirley E Fazzari and Larry W Fazzari (longtime residents of Chehalis, Washington)
From:Lisa Schuster
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:Protect Staff and Communities Served by the Timberland Regional Library
Date:Wednesday, March 18, 2026 7:21:03 PM
Hello, my name is Lisa A Schuster and I am a resident of Gig Harbor in Pierce County.
I am writing to ask you, in your role as Commissioner, to protect the staff and communitiesserved by the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which,upon receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to removethe current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library districtlibrary may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearingupon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice ofthe time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen daysbefore the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by thejoint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the samemanner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budgetshortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff therewere no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administratorsreversed course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required asignificant number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-personlayoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimumof 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were neverconsidered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of alooming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficialbuilding “refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionaryinput from current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted toignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gaveTRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deemnecessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greaterautomation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will comein clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRLadministration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of adeeply upset public. It showcased a complete disregard for the very people who make TRLas wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of thesecommunity centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without anyoptions given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public
messages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and unionmembers from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help inorder to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public hasbegged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administrationthat has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of thecommunities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will bedeprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read totheir toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces forpatrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential socialservices. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staffwas removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanlessstorage building.
Although I am not a resident of Mason County I am a Timberland Regional Librarycard holder. I benefit directly from their services as I am living with a chronic illnessthat makes it difficult for me to get out of the house. I use the card to accessmedia, primarily audiobooks through Libby, but I also benefit from the communityprograms offered because I can participate online and interact with individuals inthe community that I otherwise would not have access to due to the nature of mychronic illness. These types of programs will be directly impacted by the staffingcuts and my quality of life will suffer for it.
I am asking you, as in your capacity as County Commissioner, to prepare and issuea written complaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW27.12.190, and to use all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Librarysystem in the meantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public theyserve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means theobligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Lisa A Schuster
From:Kylie McQuarrie
To:tgwin@trl.org; bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; layers@co.pacific.wa.us; fwolfe@co.pacific.wa.us;
lolsen@co.pacific.wa.us; Commish@graysharbor.us; amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:Written complaint calling for Board member removal by five-county BOCC: Trustee Gwin
Date:Wednesday, March 11, 2026 7:52:04 PM
Dear County Commissioners and Trustee Gwin,
This is a written complaint that I am submitting to the county commissioners asking them to
follow through on the TRL Board of Trustee bylaw related to removing a Board member:
Per RCW 27.2.190, a Trustee may be removed for just cause by the joint action of the
Boards of County Commissioners of Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and
Thurston Counties. After county commissioners have received a written complaint
regarding a Trustee, a public hearing will be scheduled.
My argument is twofold:
· First, the Board of Trustees’ own bylaws state that the Board, not library
administration, is wholly responsible for library finances. At the most recent count, the
library’s deficit was up to an astonishing $5.1M. You, as the Board, are uniquely
responsible for failing to comprehend the scope library deficit and take appropriate
action, instead signing off on an administrative plan to miraculously make up the
deficit by the end of the year by laying off as many frontline employees as they like
without guardrails.
· Second, the result of your decisions at the February 25th Board meeting inherently
undercut the TRL’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Directions statement.
I have exactly no confidence in your Board’s ability to chart a path forward for library revenue
growth and respectfully request that the county commissioners take the action outlined above.
Speaking solely to Ms. GwinD for a moment: I understand that, legally, you cannot write an
individual or joint response to my email. However, since you have recently chosen to dismiss
public concerns—including collaborative suggestions for preserving our library system as
proposed by city councilmembers, county commissioners, and other public officials who have
more experience than both your Board and TRL admin does on how to operate a public
service without decimating property tax dollars—I hope you’re aware that the public no longer
considers your claim that you’re listening to us to be trustworthy.
As a taxpaying resident whose money has been lost to a $5.1M black hole that your Board
signed off on, please do me the basic courtesy of acknowledging that you have thoroughly
read my letter, and let me know when you are planning on addressing the concerns I have
raised here. Ideally, you would do the five-county community the courtesy of publicly
responding by this Sunday, which is the day a quarter or more of our 200 frontline workers
will receive notice that they will be fired thanks to your failure to appropriately oversee my tax
dollars.
The Board “[has] exclusive control of the finances of the library”
According to your own bylaws, the Board of Trustees, not library administration, is
responsible for this failure to oversee the budget and protect frontline staff. Per the “Library
Trustees—Organization—Bylaws—Powers and Duties” section of the bylaws, the Board—not
the library administration—"[has] exclusive control of the finances of the library.” You, not
TRL administration, are charged with “[submitting] annually to the legislative body a budget
containing estimates in detail of the amount of money necessary for the library for the ensuing
year.”
You clearly failed to accurately estimate the amount of money necessary for the library for the
ensuing year—a thing you as the Board are responsible for and not Paige, Cheryl, or Brenda.
You are ultimately legally responsible for the loss of up to $5.1M of library funds.
I reiterate that since you oversaw the direct misuse of funds and dangerously inaccurate budget
without attempting to chart a path to revenue growth—a gross misuse of power that our
frontline employees and therefore communities are now literally paying the price for, on top of
our own lost tax dollars—I trust that you have enough integrity to publicly acknowledge these
errors and make even the smallest showing of good faith by telling me you’ve received my
message, have thought through a response, and are planning on publicly addressing these
issues.
Please find my questions regarding your ability to uphold the library’s mission, vision, values,
and strategic directions statement below.
Mission: We connect our diverse community to ideas, experiences, and each other.
On February 25th, you signed off on Ms. Heywood’s plan to remove frontline staff without
considering the cuts to service center and administrative employees your Board has asked Ms.
Heywood to pursue for six years. Please explain how eliminating frontline staff in an attempt
to make up a $5.1M budget shortfall upholds the mission of connecting community members.
Vision: Experience the world of ideas through TRL […] Our welcoming spaces, diverse
collections, vibrant partnerships and engaged patrons reflect our commitment to
creating an equitable future. We are a trusted community resource.
Moving libraries to a staffless EAH model inherently undercuts the idea of creating
welcoming spaces. Indeed, requiring patrons to apply for a electronic fob to access libraries is
inherently uninviting, especially since it excludes key population segments (unhoused patrons,
unaccompanied minors, temporary visitors to the city, and nonresidents) from what should be
a public building.
The IMMS software system your Board approved a $500,000 spend on in 2023 automates the
process of “weeding,” meaning discarding, books based on circulation numbers. Library staff
are currently required to weed books that IMMS flags as not circulating enough and are not
allowed to use their own best judgment when it comes to removing books from circulation. I
have seen bins full of undamaged, recently purchased books being removed from circulation
because they weren’t checked out as much as “popular” books—and since we live in a
predominantly white area, this inherently means diverse books circulate less often and are
pulled out of the stacks at a higher rate. Please explain how moving circulation and weeding
out of staff members’ hands and into that of an untested algorithmic system currently used by
just three other library systems in the United States supports the library’s vision of a “diverse
collection.”
It’s fair to say that, especially after the February Board meetings, this Board and its
administration has essentially and entirely undercut the idea that the library is a “trusted
community resource.” Indeed, putting the fact of trust aside, the firing of at least a quarter of
all frontline library staff effectively ensures the library is no longer a community resource at
all.
Values: Equitable access and intellectual freedom for all; Collaborative partnerships;
Supporting diverse communities, perspectives, and ideas; Responsible use of public
resources; Embracing change to build a resilient future.
It seems redundant at this point to explain how your Board has completely and entirely
undercut the values you were meant to uphold, but as a quick recap:
· Turning rural branches into staffless or solo-staffed buildings inherently puts these
communities at a disadvantage compared to urban branches. Your choices removed
rural access to vital resources that Thurston County residents are easily able to access.
· Ms. Heywood’s administration has a long, documented history of destroying
collaborative community partnerships. This is a fact your Board has called out in the
past: in your 2023 Executive Director Performance Review, you directed Ms.
Heywood to stop “needlessly antagonizing communities” by painting over a beloved
local mural. Ms. Heywood’s response to this complaint was not an apology but a
defense of the new paint she added to the building.
· Minority communities suffer more than the majority when library cutbacks occur,
especially those focused in rural areas. Diverse communities are therefore
disproportionately impacted by your Board’s choices.
· Your inability to follow through on the value of “responsible use of public
resources” doesn’t need to be restated at this point. However, the fact that the North
Mason branch “refresh” is proceeding as planned with expenses being added to its
budget the very week frontline staff are expecting layoff notices is the most recent slap
in the face to the public that begged you to stop devastating communities and
temporarily pause these unnecessary, unwanted refreshes just a few weeks ago.
· The best way to prepare communities to embrace change and build a resilient future
is giving them the resources they need to succeed. Removing frontline employees and
access to public buildings is a great way to do the opposite of build resilience.
Strategic directions
Empower people to adapt and thrive in the digital age.
This directive includes:
1. [Providing] assistance to improve digital literacy across generations.
2. [Supporting] opportunities that open doors for learning or employment.
3. [Being] a low-barrier access point to technology, including charging, printing, and
Wi-Fi.
In re #1: Firing frontline staff effectively removes the assistance needed to provide digital
literacy across generations. Every week, elderly citizens visit their rural library branch to get
active, hands-on help printing out Social Security documents, accessing their emails, and
resetting phone passwords. Multiple patrons told you this directly during the Board meetings
on the 10th and 25th, but you ignored their concerns and instead made choices that ensure TRL
has failed to fulfill this essential strategic direction.
In re #2: Firing frontline staff without even considering reducing administrative salaries or
cutting behind-the-scenes staff like marketers and social media managers adversely and
inequitably impacts rural branches, effectively closing doors that could lead to learning and
employment.
In re #3: Reducing hours, moving to EAH-only branches, or allowing branches to be staffed
by one person only—meaning there are fewer people to assist disabled and senior citizens with
issues like charging, printing, and Wi-Fi—raises the barrier of entry to all three of these
objectives.
Share our story.
This directive includes:
1. [Improving] communication and outreach to increase awareness of existing
services, particularly among non-users
2. Meaningfully [engaging] with BIPOC and Tribal communities
3. [Creating] strategies for ongoing conversations and open channels of
communication that support continuous learning and improvement.
In re #1: Without frontline staff to support increased usage, there is no way to increase
awareness of existing services to non-users. By reducing services and staff, you have
effectively kneecapped any future efforts for a levy lift—why would taxpayers vote to
increase funding for a service they can no longer access because of your choices?
In re #2: I would love to know if this all-white Board has meaningfully engaged with BIPOC
and Tribal communities regarding imminent branch closures and staff layoffs. I would
encourage county commissioners to engage with Tribal leaders and ask whether they agree
with this course of action and have the resources they need to continue accessing the library
based on the Board’s directions.
In re #3: To be honest, I’m not sure what this directive means. It’s vague and unhelpful.
Support school-age youth.
This directive includes:
1. [Creating] appealing spaces for kids, tweens, and teens to gather, socialize, and
access resources and technology they need to succeed.
2. [Providing] engaging programming and library resources that kids, tweens, and
teens want.
3. [Developing] deeper connections with local schools and education providers,
including homeschools.
As previously mentioned, unaccompanied minors are not allowed to access EAH libraries.
Additionally, library refreshes have prioritized adding playground equipment to children’s
areas in libraries, such as a large slide in Tumwater and strange, wobbly balance-exercise
furniture in downtown Olympia that result in injury nearly every time I try to bring my seven-
year-old to the library. This space is frankly antithetical to ensuring kids have the resources
and technology they need to succeed, though it’s quite good at encouraging lengthy games of
tag between the sparse shelves as harried parents try to chase their kids down and remove
them from the library.
In fact, resources have actively been removed from the library—we used to enjoy visiting for
hours on weekends to play free, age-appropriate, learning-based board games. Those were
removed during the Olympia refresh with no explanation. Tablets with educational games
were also removed, as well as other hands-on, engaging toys that my kid loved learning from.
Conclusion
Under Mr. Mittge’s Board, the Timberland Regional Library’s stated mission, vision, values,
and strategic directions have been more than just undercut. They’ve been trampled on,
disregarded, and fully undermined to the extent that our library system will functionally cease
to exist once staff members are cut and branches closed beginning with the layoff notices to be
sent out this Sunday.
I would far prefer the Board reverse its dangerous, disastrous decision to allow Ms. Heywood
to take all measures necessary to bring the budget under control, but given the Board’s
complete lack of disrespect for public opinion, mismanagement of library funds, and inability
to do anything other than what they are instructed to do by Ms. Heywood’s administration, I
have no confidence in them to do the right thing. Therefore, I call on the BOCCs to act on this
written complaint and convene a hearing to remove Ms. Gwin from the Board of Trustees as it
currently stands.
Thank you, and Ms. Gwin, I hope to hear a public statement from your administration
addressing the concerns I raised above as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Kylie McQuarrie
From:Sean Nickerson
To:Commish@graysharbor.us; McKenzie Smith; bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us;
abennett@co.pacific.wa.us
Cc:librarydirector@trl.org; TRLBoardofTrustees@trl.org
Subject:Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees
Date:Tuesday, March 17, 2026 6:47:31 PM
Hello, my name is Sean Thomas Nickerson and I am a resident of Lewis County.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities servedby the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, uponreceiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove thecurrent TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library districtlibrary may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearingupon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice ofthe time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen daysbefore the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by thejoint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the samemanner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budgetshortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff therewere no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administratorsreversed course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required asignificant number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-personlayoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimumof 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were neverconsidered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of alooming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficialbuilding “refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionaryinput from current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted toignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gaveTRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deemnecessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greaterautomation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will comein clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRLadministration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of adeeply upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL aswonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of these communitycenters.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without anyoptions given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many publicmessages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and unionmembers from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help inorder to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public hasbegged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administrationthat has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of thecommunities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will bedeprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read totheir toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces forpatrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential socialservices. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staffwas removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanlessstorage building.
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a writtencomplaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and touse all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in themeantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public theyserve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means theobligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
TRL slashes budget, plans layoffs - The Daily
World
none
Despite public outcry, trustees vote to cut staff to help
alleviate budget shortfall
Respectfully,
Sean Thomas Nickerson
From:nein frankenstein
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:Please act now to remove the current Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees
Date:Thursday, March 19, 2026 8:39:47 AM
Hello, my name is Elizabeth Ostendorf and I am a resident of Olympia, WA.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities servedby the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, uponreceiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove thecurrent TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library districtlibrary may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearingupon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice ofthe time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen daysbefore the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by thejoint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the samemanner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budgetshortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff therewere no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administratorsreversed course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required asignificant number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-personlayoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimumof 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were neverconsidered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of alooming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficialbuilding “refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionaryinput from current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted toignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gaveTRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deemnecessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greaterautomation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will comein clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRLadministration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of adeeply upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL aswonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of these communitycenters.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without anyoptions given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public
messages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and unionmembers from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help inorder to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public hasbegged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administrationthat has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of thecommunities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will bedeprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read totheir toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces forpatrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential socialservices. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staffwas removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanlessstorage building.
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a writtencomplaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and touse all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in themeantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public theyserve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means theobligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Elizabeth Ostendorf
Resident,
Olympia, WA
From:Mary Prophit
To:TRLBoardofTrustees@trl.org
Cc:news@chronline.com; bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; bocc@co.thurston.wa.us; McKenzie Smith;
abennett@co.pacific.wa.us; commish@co.grays-harbor.wa.us; editor@chinookobserver.com;
michael.wagar@soundpublishing.com
Subject:TRL Board of Trustees and Admin behavior at the last regular board meeting
Date:Wednesday, March 11, 2026 10:47:46 PM
To the TRL Board of Trustees as well as members of the TRL Admin team who also are on
this group email address (does ANYONE think it is convenient that Cheryl and Brenda get
to see everything members of the public write to the Trustees as soon as it’s written?)
Seems like a conflict of interest to me and I am sure most members of the public do not
know that Brenda and Cheryl get to see every complaint.
I am writing today to express my disappointment in your behavior at the last monthly
regular meeting of the TRL Board of Trustees (February 25, 2026).
Brian started the meeting reading a statement that sounded like it was written by Brenda
Lane. As he was reading it, I thought: ‘well…. They are going on the defensive knowing
that the public is very upset with the “sudden” budget shortfall’.
The conflicting messages from Cheryl who out of one side of her mouth says this has
been coming for years and on the other side, reports as recently as December that the
budget is fine, while asking for and receiving big raises for administrative staff…. How
tone deaf and in my mind morally corrupt to give raises to the people at the top and a
month later announce that the people at the bottom will be losing their jobs. You all are
mean.
Then when Mary Beth stated that she wanted to be clear that she supports Cheryl
100%... well that made it clear to me that she isn’t receptive at all to what anyone has to
say. Even when proof is to the contrary, she will take Cheryl’s side no matter what. This
is one more sign that the Trustees have no intention of doing anything based on public
outcry.
The final display of lack of respect or consideration from the board and admin was that,
as members of the public were sharing their feelings, thoughts, and ideas, ALMOST ALL
OF YOU TURNED OFF YOUR CAMERAS IN THE ZOOM!!! I had my laptop on gallery view
and one by one, every member of the admin team and the trustees turn OFF THEIR
CAMERAS except for Rose, Hal and Brian. For the rest of you, do you know how rude and
insensitive it is to turn off your cameras while people are talking to you?? I hope to never
see that again. You could not all have needed a restroom break at the same time. Do
better.
I normally never complain without making suggestions for improvement but I’ve learned
from the last EIGHT TIMES I have written to you not to expect any change on your part.
Hopefully you won’t be so disrespectful to the public in future meetings.
With sadness for what TRL has become,
Mary Prophit
PS… all I have ever wanted was to bring great library service to the community. Nothing
less.
From:Jen Rinehart
To:amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us; McKenzie Smith; layers@co.pacific.wa.us; fwolfe@co.pacific.wa.us;
lolsen@co.pacific.wa.us; commish@graysharbor.us; bocc@lewiscountywa.gov
Subject:Fwd: Demand for Immediate Course Correction at Timberland Regional Library
Date:Saturday, March 14, 2026 7:50:55 PM
I wanted to ensure the commissioners who appoint the TRL trustees are aware of this
concern from a patron.
Jen Rinehart
Olympia Resident 25 years
Washington Lifelong Resident
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jen Rinehart <blondbikegirl@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Mar 14, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Subject: Demand for Immediate Course Correction at Timberland Regional Library
To: <trlboardoftrustees@trl.org>
Subject: Demand for Immediate Course Correction at Timberland Regional Library
Dear Members of the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees,
I am writing as a patron of the Timberland Regional Library system to express serious concern
about the direction the Board has chosen for our library system.
The decision to eliminate 61 frontline library workers — approximately 40% of the workforce
— will have profound consequences for library services across our communities. These are the
staff members who greet patrons, help children discover reading, assist people with
technology and job searches, and run the programs that make libraries the vibrant public
spaces they are meant to be.
What makes this decision especially troubling is the sequence of events leading up to it. The
system has reportedly been operating with a structural deficit for several years. Yet
administrative compensation reportedly increased significantly in December, including raises
of roughly $20,000 for top administrators, only weeks before the public was informed of a
major budget crisis.
That timeline raises serious questions about financial oversight and leadership accountability.
It also raises broader questions about spending priorities. If the library system has been
operating at a deficit for years, patrons are left wondering why major expenditures such as
recent branch remodels — including the Tumwater branch — were undertaken during a period
of financial instability. Many community members are asking the same question: why invest
in renovations if the system could not sustain the staffing necessary to operate its libraries?
As stewards of a public institution funded by taxpayers, the Board has a responsibility to
ensure that the response to this crisis protects both library services and the workers who make
those services possible.
I urge the Board to immediately change course by:
• Limiting layoffs to the voluntary separations that have already occurred
• Halting the administration’s planned layoffs of additional frontline staff
• Holding administrators accountable for the financial decisions that created this deficit
• Ceasing non-essential expenditures, including unnecessary building “refresh” projects
• Collaborating with community leaders, frontline workers, and financial experts to develop a
sustainable plan for the library system
• Requiring a detailed and transparent plan for stabilizing the library’s finances over the next
several years
Libraries are one of the few institutions that truly serve everyone in a community. Decisions
that remove nearly half of the frontline workforce will inevitably reduce services, limit
programming, and weaken public access to an essential resource.
The communities served by Timberland Regional Library deserve transparency,
accountability, and leadership that protects the long-term health of our libraries.
If the Board cannot provide that accountability, the public will inevitably begin asking
whether new leadership is needed to restore trust in this institution.
Sincerely,
Jen Rinehart
Olympia
From:Lisa Schuster
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:Protect Staff and Communities Served by the Timberland Regional Library
Date:Wednesday, March 18, 2026 7:21:03 PM
Hello, my name is Lisa A Schuster and I am a resident of Gig Harbor in Pierce County.
I am writing to ask you, in your role as Commissioner, to protect the staff and communitiesserved by the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which,upon receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to removethe current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library districtlibrary may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearingupon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice ofthe time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen daysbefore the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by thejoint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the samemanner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budgetshortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff therewere no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administratorsreversed course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required asignificant number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-personlayoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimumof 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were neverconsidered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of alooming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficialbuilding “refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionaryinput from current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted toignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gaveTRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deemnecessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greaterautomation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will comein clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRLadministration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of adeeply upset public. It showcased a complete disregard for the very people who make TRLas wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of thesecommunity centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without anyoptions given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public
messages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and unionmembers from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help inorder to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public hasbegged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administrationthat has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of thecommunities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will bedeprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read totheir toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces forpatrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential socialservices. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staffwas removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanlessstorage building.
Although I am not a resident of Mason County I am a Timberland Regional Librarycard holder. I benefit directly from their services as I am living with a chronic illnessthat makes it difficult for me to get out of the house. I use the card to accessmedia, primarily audiobooks through Libby, but I also benefit from the communityprograms offered because I can participate online and interact with individuals inthe community that I otherwise would not have access to due to the nature of mychronic illness. These types of programs will be directly impacted by the staffingcuts and my quality of life will suffer for it.
I am asking you, as in your capacity as County Commissioner, to prepare and issuea written complaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW27.12.190, and to use all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Librarysystem in the meantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public theyserve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means theobligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Lisa A Schuster
From:John Tafejian
To:bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; abennett@co.pacific.wa.us; Commish@graysharbor.us;
amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:Petition to preserve the Library System in the 5 counties.
Date:Wednesday, March 18, 2026 11:50:03 AM
I am writing to ask you, as a Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities served by
the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, upon
receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove the
current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island
library district library may be removed for just cause by the county
commissioners after a public hearing upon a written complaint stating the
ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time and place of
hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by
the joint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in
the same manner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county
library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget
shortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there
were no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators reversed
course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant
number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then
a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61
frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were never
considered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a
looming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial building
“refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from
current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,
2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to
ignore
Thanks for your consideration:
John Tafejian,
1929 Lakehurst Dr SE, Olympia,
Thurston County resident.
From:Kathleen Kelly
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:Complaint Against TRL Trustees
Date:Friday, March 20, 2026 11:17:32 AM
Hello, my name is Kathleen Kelly and I am a resident of Shelton, Mason County.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities
served by the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which,
upon receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove
the current TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island
library district library may be removed for just cause by the county
commissioners after a public hearing upon a written complaint stating the
ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time and place of
hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed
by the joint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties
involved in the same manner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee
of a county library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget
shortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff
there were no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators
reversed course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a
significant number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-
person layoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a
minimum of 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff
were never considered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a
looming budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial
building “refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary
input from current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25,
2026, when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to
ignore hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they
gave TRL administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they
deem necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating
greater automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes
will come in clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off
on TRL administration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the
face of a deeply upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who
make TRL as wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of
these community centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without any
options given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public
messages to the Board have included suggestions, and even city council and union
members from around the state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help
in order to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public has
begged them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administration
that has landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of the
communities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be
deprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to
their toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces
for patrons of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential
social services. We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle;
all staff was removed and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold,
humanless storage building.
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a written
complaint to remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and to
use all legal means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in the
meantime, including civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they
serve, properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the
obligation now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Kathleen Kelly
From:nim nimer
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:Protect Timberland Regional Libraries
Date:Friday, March 20, 2026 8:58:34 AM
Hello, my name is Nim Nimer and I am a resident of Albany.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities served by
the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, upon
receiving written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove the current
TRL Board of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library district
library may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearing
upon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the
time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by the joint
action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the same manner as
provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget
shortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there
were no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators reversed
course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant
number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then a
50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61 frontline
staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were never considered for
layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a looming
budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial building
“refreshes,” raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from
current and former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25, 2026,
when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to ignore
hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gave TRL
administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deem necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greater
automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will come in
clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRL
administration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of a
deeply upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL as
wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of these community
centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without any options
given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public messages to the
Board have included suggestions, and even city council and union members from around the
state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help in order to make layoffs the
absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public has begged
them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administration that has
landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of the
communities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be
deprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to their
toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces for patrons
of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential social services.
We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staff was removed
and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanless storage building.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they serve,
properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the obligation
now falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Nim Nimer
From:Luis Camacho
To:bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; layers@co.pacific.wa.us; fwolfe@co.pacific.wa.us;
lolsen@co.pacific.wa.us; commish@graysharbor.us; amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:TRL Board of Trustees Accountability
Date:Tuesday, March 24, 2026 8:42:39 AM
Dear Board of County Commissioners,
I am writing to urge you to hold your appointees at the TRL Board of Trustees accountable for
ongoing financial mismanagement, policy breaches, and a general disregard for the
community.
The TRL system is a vital resource for my family and many of our neighbors. As a single-
income household, we rely on the library’s events and resources—from borrowing stargazing
and fishing kits to finding children's books—to provide quality experiences for our children
and stay connected as a family. For many in our community, especially those in rural areas
with limited resources, these services are essential.
I ask that you take corrective action to ensure the TRL Board of Trustees meets the high
standards expected of public appointees. Please evaluate whether these individuals embody
your values and the community's needs, and call for their removal if they continue to fail in
these responsibilities.
Sincerely,
Luis F. Camacho Plascencia, PE
(509) 312-0177
camaclui@gmail.com
From:Rachel Raadt
To:McKenzie Smith
Subject:TRL Board and Administrative Staff
Date:Sunday, March 22, 2026 8:06:05 PM
Hello, my name is Rachel Raadt and I am a resident of downtown Shelton in Mason County.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities served by
the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, upon receiving
written complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove the current TRL Board
of Trustees. Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library district
library may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearing upon
a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time
and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before the
hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by the joint action of
the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the same manner as provided
herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget
shortfall after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there
were no budget concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators reversed
course, announcing a sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant
number of frontline staff layoffs. At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then a
50-person layoff. On Sunday, March 15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61 frontline
staff members (oddly, administrative and service center staff were never considered for
layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a looming
budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial building “refreshes,”
raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from current and
former library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25, 2026,
when, after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to ignore
hundreds of community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gave TRL
administration carte blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deem necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greater
automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will come in
clear disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRL
administration’s mass layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of a deeply
upset public. It showcased a sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL as wonderful
as it is: the frontline library staff who are the beating heart of these community centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without any options
given to TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public messages to the
Board have included suggestions, and even city council and union members from around the
state have chimed in with suggestions and willingness to help in order to make layoffs the
absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public has begged
them not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administration that has
landed our libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of the
communities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be
deprived of their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to their
toddlers, help their children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces for patrons
of all ages to gather and learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential social services.
We’ve already seen this happen in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staff was removed
and replaced with automated checkout machines in a cold, humanless storage building.
One of the first places my family visited when we moved to the state in 2022 was the
Hoodsport library. We felt so welcomed by the staff there and that experience made us feel so
right in our choice to move here. Our patronage and experiences at the other libraries in the
region continued to concrete that feeling of "home".
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a written complaint to
remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and to use all legal means to
protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in the meantime, including civil
injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they serve,
properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the obligation now
falls to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Rachel Raadt
From:Sue Ackerman
To:bocc@lewiscountywa.gov; McKenzie Smith; abennett@co.pacific.wa.us; Commish@graysharbor.us;
amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us
Subject:Protect TRL from the TRL Board of Trustees
Date:Sunday, March 22, 2026 10:49:32 AM
Importance:High
“Whatever agencies for good may rise or fall in the future, it seems certain that the Free Library
is destined to stand and become a never-ceasing foundation of good to all the inhabitants.”
Andrew Carnegie, Founder, Carnegie Corporation of New York
Greetings,
As a new resident of Pacific County approaching my year anniversary of moving here, I wanted to let
you know that besides the natural beauty of the area it is the community of people who make this
area special. One such gem is found in the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) which was one of our
first stops in getting ourselves plugged in to the community. We came from an area that decimated its
libraries by making them basically a warehouse for computers with few books on the stacks and self-
serve for the meager number of books that were on site. We have seen the result of this drastic
financial decision with the impact on our community which became one of the reasons for us to
move to an area that value all of its citizens. Changing to a mostly or entirely self-serve model as the
TRL Board of Trustees proposes by laying off public facing librarians removes the community aspect
of the library as a hub for engagement and enlightenment. Andrew Carnegie funded 2,500 libraries
worldwide providing the gift of access to knowledge and education which expanded literacy in local
communities. Librarians continue to foster that gift.
I am writing to ask you, as my Commissioner, to protect the staff and communities served by the
Timberland Regional Library (TRL) by invoking RCW 27.12.190, by which, upon receiving written
complaint, County Commissioners may hold a hearing to remove the current TRL Board of Trustees.
Per this Code,
A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library district
library may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearing
upon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the
time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before
the hearing. A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by the joint action
of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the same manner as
provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.
As you may have seen in the news, TRL recently announced a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall
after a Union contract negotiation in which TRL administrators assured staff there were no budget
concerns or looming layoffs. At the end of January, administrators reversed course, announcing a
sudden, drastic budget crisis that immediately required a significant number of frontline staff layoffs.
At first, administrators announced a 30-person layoff, then a 50-person layoff. On Sunday, March
15th, they ultimately laid off a minimum of 61 frontline staff members (oddly, administrative and
service center staff were never considered for layoffs).
Both the Board and administration have admitted to a long-standing awareness of a looming
budgetary crisis. In light of this, their year-over-year approval of superficial building “refreshes,”
raises for administrative positions, and a failure to heed cautionary input from current and former
library staff and trustees is unconscionable.
This refusal to act culminated in a disastrous Board of Trustees meeting on February 25, 2026, when,
after a 75-minute closed-door executive session, the TRL Board voted to ignore hundreds of
community members’ deeply expressed concerns. Instead, they gave TRL administration carte
blanche to lay off as many frontline employees as they deem necessary.
These cuts will force at least three rural branches to a staffless model, necessitating greater
automation, more limited hours, and slashed programming. All of these changes will come in clear
disregard of the voting public’s wishes. The Board’s choice to sign off on TRL administration’s mass
layoff plan, free of any guardrails, was also a slap in the face of a deeply upset public. It showcased a
sterile disregard for the very people who make TRL as wonderful as it is: the frontline library staff who
are the beating heart of these community centers.
This call for layoffs is being forced through in an unjustly hurried manner without any options given to
TRL staff to find other solutions for the financial issues. Many public messages to the Board have
included suggestions, and even city council and union members from around the state have chimed
in with suggestions and willingness to help in order to make layoffs the absolute last option.
Nevertheless, the current Board appears to be comfortable doing what the public has begged them
not to do: sacrificing frontline employees while retaining an administration that has landed our
libraries in this current financial quagmire.
Now, as a result of the Board’s poor decision, the individuals and family members of the
communities you serve will lose their source of income, and wider communities will be deprived of
their library workers. These are the people who know them by name, read to their toddlers, help their
children access learning materials, provide welcoming spaces for patrons of all ages to gather and
learn, and aid senior citizens in navigating essential social services. We’ve already seen this happen
in branches such as the one in Naselle; all staff was removed and replaced with automated checkout
machines in a cold, humanless storage building.
I am asking you, as my County Commissioner, to prepare and issue a written complaint to
remove the Trustees in fifteen days pursuant to RCW 27.12.190, and to use all legal
means to protect and preserve the Timberland Library system in the meantime, including
civil injunctions.
The administration and Board have been derelict in their duty to listen to the public they serve,
properly steward tax dollars, and prioritize local communities, which means the obligation now falls
to you.
Please act now to help save our libraries.
Respectfully,
Susan Ackerman
Pacific County
Ocean Park (Surfside)
NEWS RELEASE
March 31st, 2026
MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ OFFICE
411 N 5TH ST, BLDG 1, SHELTON, WA 98584
TO: KMAS, KRXY, SHELTON-MASON COUNTY JOURNAL, THE OLYMPIAN,
SHELTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NORTH MASON CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, CITY OF SHELTON, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL, THE SUN
RE: Onsite Sewage Advisory Committee Vacancies
The Mason County Board of Health is seeking applicants for the On-site Sewage
Advisory Committee. The Committee provides recommendations to the Board regarding
onsite septic system permitting, policy , and regulations. Their meetings are hybrid,
occurring quarterly from 5:00-7:00 pm on the second Tuesday of the month. The
Committee has vacancies for Realtor, Shellfish Industry, and Septic Designer positions.
Please contact the Commissioners' Office or visit
https://www.cognitoforms.com/MasonCounty2/AdvisoryBoardApplication to apply.
For information or questions about the committee, call our office at 360-427-9670 ext.
400 or email danderson@masoncountywa.gov
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Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary!
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Board of Mason County Commissioners’ Briefing Minutes
Mason County Commission Chambers, 411 N 5th Street, Shelton, WA 98584
March 16, 2026 | Page 1 of 2
Week of March 16, 2026
Monday, March 16, 2026
9:00 A.M. Executive Session – RCW 42.30.110 (1)(i) Potential Litigation
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask met in executive session for potential litigation from
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tim Whitehead, Travis Adams, Nichole Wilston, Mike Collins, and Christopher
Pinkston were also in attendance.
9:30 A.M. Closed Session – RCW 42.30.140(4) Labor Discussion
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask met in closed session for labor negotiation from 9:30
a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Travis Adams, Kim Monroe, Christopher Pinkston, and Kayla Brinckmeyer were
also in attendance.
10:00 A.M. Executive Session – RCW 42.30.110(1)(c) Real Estate
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask met in executive session for real estate from 10:00
a.m. to 10:05 a.m. Travis Adams and Christopher Pinkston were also in attendance .
10:05 A.M. North Mason Chamber of Commerce – Kerry Myers
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Kerry provided an update on the North Mason Chamber of Commerce Lodging Tax award and shared
the collaboration with the Salmon Center for a Visitor Information Center (VIC).
10:15 A.M. Auditor – Steve Duenkel
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Steve shared precinct boundary changes with the addition of two new precincts due to recent
incorporations by the City of Shelton and population growth in Belfair. Approved to move forward.
10:30 A.M. Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging Interview
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Commissioners interviewed Avary Rollins for the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging
(LMTAAA) advisory council.
10:40 A.M. Public Health – David Windom
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Melissa Casey discussed the Treatment Sales Tax (TST) contract renewals with Northwest Resources
II Social Opportunity Services (SOS), Olympic Health & Recovery Services (OHRS) Jail Peer
medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD/Re-entry), and OHRS Co-Responder Program. Approved
to move forward.
• Ian Tracy provided an update on On-Site Sewage Advisory Committee (OSAC) membership.
Approved to move forward.
• David provided an update on Public Health funds.
10:50 A.M. Support Services – Travis Adams
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• John Taylor shared the Foothills Park & Friends of Foothills Dog Park donation applications for
benches and a 12’ x 16’ gazebo. Approved to move forward with the benches.
• John discussed the Shelton Skate Park contract with the City of Shelton and the Shelton School
District. Tabled.
• Kim Monroe shared the January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028, Teamsters Union Local No. 252
General Services Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Approved to move forward.
• Nichole Wilston announced that Mason County and the Washington Counties Risk Pool is hosting a
Verbal S.W.A.T. training on May 7, 2026, at Public Works.
Board of Mason County Commissioners’ Briefing Minutes
Mason County Commission Chambers, 411 N 5th Street, Shelton, WA 98584
March 16, 2026 | Page 2 of 2
• Jennifer Beierle shared the temporary take-home vehicle request for Richard Dickinson for April 1,
2026, through December 31, 2026. Approved to move forward.
• Jennifer provided the February 2026 financial report. Current Expense revenue $5,670,650 at 12%.
Treasurer Department receipts $2,936,606 at 9%. Current Expense expenditure $11,399,381 at 20%.
Six-year specific revenue streams: Community Development revenue $236,191; Detention and
Correction services $1,766; Current Expense property tax $225,736; Road Diversion property tax
$48,195; County Road property tax $243,337; Current Expense sales tax $1,696,397; Criminal Justice
tax $412,700; Rural Sales and Use tax $205,568; Homelessness Prevention filings $101,748; Lodging
tax $117,990; and Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) 1 and 2 $153,032 each. Total collected revenue
$1,696,396; revenue budgeted $9.6 million; and projected end of year revenue $10,652,528. Current
Expense cash $18,711,377. Special Fund cash $68,679,586. Motor Pool expenditure $259,282 at
13.34%. Special and Other funds revenue $6,275,917 at 10%. Special and Other funds expenditure
$7,843,345. Total County debt $14,511,586. Total debt capacity $203,161,663.
• Travis discussed the .09 Fund grant process. Tabled for further discussion.
• Travis shared the Indigent Defense caseload standard compliance resolution. Approved to move
forward.
• Travis discussed the potential Mason Lake campground purchase and the formation of a Metropolitan
Parks District (MPD). Tabled.
• Travis discussed the South Mason Fire District territory withdrawal and potential hearing schedule. A
Public Hearing would be set for Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Approved to move forward.
• Travis discussed the Code Enforcement group.
• Travis asked to set an Elected Official meeting for April 14, 2026, after the regular meeting.
• Kell Rowen discussed three open positions in Community Development. Another Planner position will
be vacated. Approved to post and fill the Planner position.
• Cmmr. Trask discussed the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) Board of Trustees and recommended
that one Commissioner from each of the five counties meet to discuss the budget and concurrence of
Dean Jewett to the Board.
• Cmmr. Trask discussed Caldervin Creek and Brad Carey’s comments to the Department of Ecology
past and continued damage issues.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
McKenzie Smith,
Clerk of the Board
BOARD OF MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Pat Tarzwell, Randy Neatherlin, Sharon Trask,
Chair Vice-Chair Commissioner
Board of Mason County Commissioners’ Briefing Minutes
Mason County Commission Chambers, 411 N 5th Street, Shelton, WA 98584
March 23, 2026 | Page 1 of 2
Week of March 23, 2026
Monday, March 23, 2026
9:00 A.M. Community Development – Kell Rowen
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Kell provided a history on and information on the alleged violations of the Mason County Shoreline
Master Program (SMP) at Caldervin Creek when the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) moved
a beaver dam at the headwaters in 2016 causing sediment problems. The Department of Ecology
(ECY) confirmed that there is insufficient evidence of a violation.
• Kell shared the amendments to Mason County Code (MCC) Chapter 17.05.034 – Granting of
Variances Authorized and requested to set a Public Hearing for Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 9:15 a.m.
Tabled.
9:10 A.M. Public Works – Mike Collins
Utilities & Waste Management
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Mike shared the Hearings Examiner recommendation for Road Vacation no. 426. Approved to move
forward.
• Richard Dickinson and Stephanie Buhrman shared the Water Leak Credit request from Donny
Gonzalaz and Isabella Chrisman in the amount of $982.40 plus any applicable late fee due to a washer
hookup valve failure. Approved to move forward.
• Mike requested to surplus the following paint equipment: 6x12 Cargo Mate trailer, push paint striper,
two spray guns with Lazerguide 2000, 12-inch hopper, and a line driver. Approved to move forward.
• Richard received a resignation from an operator and requested to advertise that position. Approved to
move forward.
10:40 A.M. Support Services – Travis Adams
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Travis shared the Flags of Our Founding Fathers project in collaboration with Sierra Pacific to
celebrate the 250th signing of the Declaration of Independence. Commissioners asked to have a
representative present this at the next regular meeting. Approved to move forward.
• Travis discussed the purchase of Mason Lake and the creation of a Metropolitan Parks District (MPD).
Commissioners declined the purchase of Mason Lake and the creation of a MPD.
• Commissioners discussed appointing Avary Rollins to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on
Aging (LMTAAA) advisory council. Approved to move forward.
10:00 A.M. Mason County Historical Museum – Elizabeth Arbaugh
Commissioners Neatherlin, Tarzwell, and Trask were in attendance.
• Elizabeth provided a presentation on how Lodging Tax funds are used at the Mason County Historical
Museum.
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
McKenzie Smith,
Clerk of the Board
Board of Mason County Commissioners’ Briefing Minutes
Mason County Commission Chambers, 411 N 5th Street, Shelton, WA 98584
March 23, 2026 | Page 2 of 2
BOARD OF MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Pat Tarzwell, Randy Neatherlin, Sharon Trask,
Chair Vice-Chair Commissioner
Board of Mason County Commissioners
Proceedings
Commission Chambers
411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584
March 17, 2026
1. Call to Order – The Chairperson called the regular meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Travis Adams led the flag salute.
3. Roll Call – Present: Commissioner District 1 – Randy Neatherlin; Commissioner District 2 –
Pat Tarzwell; Commissioner District 3 – Sharon Trask.
4. Correspondence and Organizational Business
4.1 Correspondence
4.1.1 Received Mason County Transit Authority Board Applications from Juli Tuson,
Patrick Obrien and Lyndsey Sapp.
4.1.2 Received Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees Application from Dr.
Deborah Nedelcove.
4.1.3 Received Letter from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding Spillway
Joint Spalling and Delamination Repair Plan, Cushman No. 1 Development,
Cushman Project.
4.1.4 Received Local Authority Renewal Notice from The Liquor & Cannabis Board.
4.1.5 Received Solid Waste Advisory Committee Application from Terri Prather.
4.1.6 Received Letter from Military Department Emergency Management Division
regarding Mason County’s Disaster Grant.
4.1.7 Received Notice of SEPA Issuance Comment Period Mitigated Determination of
Nonsignificance (MDNS) from CES Northwest Incorporated.
4.1.8 Received Notice of Special Occasion License Application from NORTH MASON
ROTARY CLUB and multiple from THE MCREAVY HOUSE MUSEUM OF
HOOD CANAL.
4.1.9 Received Notice of Liquor License Applications from BROTHERS OWLHOUSE
LLC and IL CANALE LLC.
4.2 Steve Bennet read the Spring Vegetation Management News Release.
4.3 Kevin Guijosa read the Solid Waste Free Dump Vouchers News Release.
4.4 Brian Mittge presented the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) 2025 Annual Report.
5. Open Forum for Citizen Input
Susan Kirchoff, Youth Connection, provided an update on the progress of the upcoming building
remodel, which will add 12 transitional housing units for youth ages 18-24. The importance of
early intervention was emphasized to prevent chronic homelessness and it was noted that 75% of
participants exit to stable housing. It was noted that many of the youth served come from foster
care or similar systems and require trust-based support. The planned services in the remodel will
include life skills, education and employment assistance, meals, showers and laundry. The
Commissioners were invited to attend a Mimosa Celebration Lunch at Little Creek Casino on
May 9, 2026.
Shelly Willis, Family Education and Support Services (FESS), thanked the Timberland Regional
Library, highlighted long-standing family support programs, and shared the importance of child
abuse prevention awareness symbolized by pinwheels. Community responsibility in supporting
safe and healthy childhoods was emphasized.
March 17, 2026 | Page 2 of 7
Jeff Carey, Island Lake, raised concerns about the County’s general fund, noting flat revenues but
increased spending resulting in a deficit. The Commissioners were urged to address budget
sustainability, citing lower early-year REET revenues and slower-than-projected housing growth
as potential future impacts on revenue.
Dean Jewett raised concerns about accountability for public funds tied to Community Lifeline,
emphasizing repayment requirements if conditions are not met. Concern was expressed over
canceled meetings with the Health Department to discuss concerns about homelessness impacts,
including questions about residency data and local service demands.
Ron Glowen spoke regarding the Timberland Regional Library Board vacancy and raised
concerns about the library’s budget deficit and staff layoffs. He urged the Commissioners to
address alleged financial mismanagement, ensure accountability, and protect local library
services.
6. Adoption of Agenda
Cmmr. Trask/Neatherlin moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as published. Motion
carried unanimously. Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
7. Approval of Minutes
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved and seconded to adopt the March 2 and 9, 2026, Briefing
Minutes and March 3, 2026, Regular Minutes as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
8. Approval of Action Agenda
8.1 Approval of Warrants and Treasurer Electronic Remittances
Claims Clearing Fund Warrant # 8112815-8113091 $ 759,159.08
Direct Deposit Fund Warrant # 124254-124662 $ 975,845.28
Salary Clearing Fund Warrant # 7009531-7009570 $1,289,283.87
Treasurer Electronic Remittance $ 462,655.49
8.2 Approval to purchase the Time & Attendance Module from Tyler Technologies out of the
Information Technology Fund, and approval of a budget amendment for the purchase.
8.3 Approval to execute the “Notification of Final Cost” of County Road Construction projects
completed in 2025 performed by county forces. (MCC No. 26-005)
8.4 Approval of the Interlocal Agreement between Thurston-Mason Behavioral Health Administrative
Service Organization (TMBH-ASO) and Mason County to allow TMBH-ASO to fund judicial
services provided by Mason County for individuals detained due to behavioral health disorders at
$817 per case not to exceed $175,000 for a period of January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.
(MCC No. 26-006)
8.5 Approval of the Resolution amending Resolution 2025-003 Changing the Compensation
Benchmark for the Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Salary. (Res. No. 2026-006)
8.6 Approval of the purchase of the upgraded body worn cameras through Brite up to the estimated
cost of $74,442.43 and approval of the potential one-for one match for the Small Rural Tribal
(SRT) Body Worn Camera Program grant in the amount of $13,198.72.
8.7 Approval of the following 2026 Mason County Heritage Grants: Harstine Island Community Club
in the amount of $4,000.00 (MCC No.26-007); Mason Forest Festival in the amount of $4,000.00
(MCC No. 26-008); Mason County Historical Society in the amount of $3,675.38 (MCC No. 26-
009); McReavy House Museum of Hood Canal in the amount of $288.31 (MCC No. 26-010);
Skokomish Grange No. 379 in the amount of $288.31 (MCC No. 26-011); and South Sound Fruit
Society in the amount of $3,748.00 (MCC No. 26-012).
March 17, 2026 | Page 3 of 7
8.8 Approval for the Chair to electronically sign the Annual Certification for Calendar Year 2025;
Certification of Expenditures for Traffic Law Enforcement – 2025; and Certification for
Expenditures for Fish Passage Barrier Removal – 2025 through the CRAB’s reporting system
(CARS).
8.9 Approval of the Private Line Occupancy Permit granting permission for the proposed septic
transport line to cross under North Shore Road for address 8101 NE North Shore Road, parcel
22217-50-00020 to parcel 22217-24-00080. (MCC No. 26-013)
8.10 Approval to appoint Terri Prather to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) for a three-
year term expiring March 17, 2029, to represent District 2/Citizen.
8.11 Approval of Amendment no. 3 in the amount of $102,500 to contract #K2620 with the Washington
State Conservation Commission for the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP), and approval of
the interlocal agreement Amendment no. 7 to contract #19-053 with ,Mason Conservation District
as the lead entity on the contract. (MCC No. 26-014)
8.12 Approval of appointing Layre Parkins to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging
(LMTAAA) advisory board for a two-year term expiring March 17, 2028.
8.13 Approval to appoint Wes Martin, Judy Scott, and Pamela Schlauderaff to the Mason Transit
Authority (MTA) Board for four-year terms expiring December 31, 2030.
8.14 Approval of Amendment no. 1 to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) contract with the
Economic Development Council (EDC) of Mason County for the purpose of reopening the original
contract for the Regional Economic Competitiveness Study Project and extending the agreement
term through April 30, 2026; reallocation of $17,483.79 in remaining ARPA funds to the
Governmental Operations and salaries and benefits for law and justice project; and a budget
amendment to Superior Court in the amount of $14,551 for the purpose of expending the remaining
Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) funds on eligible court remodel costs.
(MCC No. 26-015)
8.15 Approval of the revised precinct boundaries and new precincts.
8.16 Approval of the Treatment Sales Tax (TST) contracts with Northwest Resources II Social
Opportunity Services (SOS) for $201,380 (MCC No. 26-016); Olympic Health & Recovery
Services (OHRS) Jail Peer medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD/Re-entry) for $50,971
(MCC No. 26-017); and OHRS Co-Responder Program for $207,243 (MCC No. 26-018).
8.17 Approval of the Teamsters Union Local No. 252 and Mason County General Services Collective
Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028 (MCC No. 26-
019).
8.18 Approval of the Resolution stating compliance with the Supreme Court ruling on
standards for Indigent Defense caseloads. (Res. No. 2026-010)
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved and seconded to approve action item 8.1 through 8.18, with
the removal of items 8.13 and 8.15 for separate discussion and vote. Motion carried
unanimously. Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
Item 8.13
Cmmr. Neatherlin explained that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) sent out
notification to all elected officials to fill the vacant Mason Transit Authority (MTA) positions. The
BOCC looked at several factors and made the determination of who to appoint.
Ken VanBuskirk, Belfair, questioned why the BOCC didn’t interview all applicants who applied
for this board.
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved to approve Item 8.13 to appoint Wes Martin, Judy Scott, and
Pamela Schlauderaff to the Mason Transit Authority (MTA) Board for four-year terms
expiring December 31, 2030. Motion carried unanimously. Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye;
Trask-aye.
March 17, 2026 | Page 4 of 7
Item 8.15
Marie Stevenson provided an explanation regarding the need for the voting precinct changes due to
annexations and other factors which made this necessary.
Ken VanBuskirk, Belfair, stated that he watched the briefing yesterday and he didn’t understand
the reason why the changes were being made and if there were maps showing the precinct changes.
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved to approve Item 8.15 to approve the revised precinct
boundaries and creation of new precincts. Motion carried unanimously. Neatherlin-aye;
Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
9. Other Business (Department Heads and Elected Officials)
Steve Duenkel stated that citizens have expressed concerns about potential hacking and the
importance of regularly reviewing recorded documents for unauthorized changes. They also
raised the possibility of title and deed fraud, and it was noted that Mason County was among
the first in the state to offer notification services to alert residents of potential fraudulent
activity.
10. 9:15 a.m. Public Hearings and Items Set for a Certain Time
Please see above options to provide public testimony. These options are available only while COVID-19 OPMA
meeting restrictions are in place.
10.1 Public Hearing to consider rezoning two parcels, parcel no. 32007-11-90110 and 32007-11-
90112, totaling 2.63 acres, from Commercial Industrial (CI) to Neighborhood Residential
(NR) in the Shelton Urban Growth Area (UGA). Staff: Kell Rowen (Ordinance No. 2026-
009)
Kell Rowen provided an overview of the rezone project.
Public Comment:
There was no public testimony.
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved to approve the rezone of two parcels, parcel no.
32007-11-90110 and 32007-11-90112, totaling 2.63 acres, from Commercial
Industrial (CI) to Neighborhood Residential (NR) in the Shelton Urban Growth
Area (UGA). Motion carried unanimously. Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye;
Trask-aye.
10.2 Public Hearing to consider adopting the 5-Year Local Homeless Housing Plan (2025-2030).
Staff: Melissa Casey
Melissa Casey presented a continuation of the public hearing on adoption of the 5-year local
homeless housing plan. The plan was developed with community input, consultants, and
regional service providers, and aligns with state requirements. It is organized into strategy and
data components and is intended as a coordinated, community-driven roadmap. Staff clarified
the role of newly formed local planning and provider committees, which will guide
implementation and provide annual updates to the Department of Commerce, with the plan
functioning as a living document subject to ongoing adjustments.
March 17, 2026 | Page 5 of 7
Cmmr. Neatherlin asked what the result of not adopting the plan would be, and it was
explained that adoption of the 5-year homeless housing plan is a state requirement under
RCW. While specific penalties for non-approval were not clearly defined by the Department
of Commerce, staff noted potential risks to state funding and the county’s eligibility or
competitiveness for future funding. The plan’s adoption deadline was extended to March 31,
following an initial December target, to allow for public comment and review.
Staff explained that an outside consultant was hired to develop the plan after the Request for
Proposals (RFP) did not receive any responses from local agencies. The selected consultant
was identified by the Department of Commerce as an approved provider for developing the
plan.
Questions were raised regarding limited engagement with local business owners during the
development of the plan and whether only minimum requirements were met. Staff responded
that they were unsure why business owners were not directly engaged but noted that local
participation is encouraged through the newly formed local committee. Staff explained that
efforts were made to incorporate all available input received and that the plan was streamlined
and condensed where possible while still meeting required elements.
Public Comment:
Dean Jewett stated that consultants did not engage business owners or provide information to
encourage broader public participation. He expressed concern that the current plan is similar
to the previous five-year plan and questioned its effectiveness. He urged the County to
consider alternative approaches, examine strategies used in other communities, and develop
more effective solutions for addressing homelessness, including challenges related to service-
resistant individuals.
Bill Hyatt expressed concerns that the homeless housing plan is unrealistic and does not
adequately address mental health services. He emphasized mental health as a major issue
locally and nationally and suggested partnering with neighboring counties to expand services.
He argued that current approaches are ineffective, cited concerns about increasing
homelessness related to large events, and stated opposition to the plan’s adoption.
Jeff Carey stated the plan should have been presented as a single document rather than two,
expressed concern that local businesses were not involved in the plan’s development, and
emphasized that local committees should include both residents and business owners. He also
raised concerns that not all public comments were incorporated into the final document.
Eric Onisko stated that the homeless housing plan is one of the most complex issues he has
addressed, with significant potential cost implications. He identified mental illness and
addiction as primary contributing factors to homelessness. He indicated support for adopting
the plan, followed by further work on implementation strategies.
Susan Kirchoff, Youth Connection, noted that the five-year homeless housing plan is a state
requirement and emphasized homelessness as a persistent issue. She shared personal
experience with homelessness and stated that while mental health services are important,
individuals must choose to engage in treatment. She described long-term success stories from
sustained support services and raised concerns about clarity in plan oversight, committee
structure, and coordination of funding sources. She also highlighted rising homelessness
among older adults due to economic pressures and stated that the plan should be viewed as a
starting point for ongoing improvement.
March 17, 2026 | Page 6 of 7
Colleen Carmichael, Executive Director of New Horizon Communities, spoke in support of
the Mason County Local Homeless Housing Plan, citing research on permanent supportive
housing as an effective and cost-saving approach to reducing chronic homelessness. She
referenced studies showing improved outcomes in employment, reduced emergency and
criminal justice costs, and alignment with the County Comprehensive Plan. She compared
supportive housing approaches with prior strategies, referenced local homelessness and crime
data trends, and urged adoption of the plan as a data-driven approach to reduce homelessness
and related public costs.
Jaycie Osterberg-Brown, Associate Director of New Horizon Communities, spoke in favor of
the homeless housing plan, citing local housing challenges including low vacancy rates and
high rent burden among residents. She described their permanent supportive housing model
for veterans and reported positive outcomes, including program satisfaction, income stability,
and successful transitions to independent housing. She highlighted community partnerships
and stated the program has achieved functional zero for homeless veterans in Mason County,
urging approval of the plan.
Discussion:
Cmmr. Trask expressed concern about state mandates directing rural communities and noted
limited local resources for addressing mental health and substance use challenges. She
acknowledged and appreciated the work of local nonprofits. Cmmr. Trask would like to
revise portions of the plan but recognized it as a guiding document rather than a binding
directive.
Cmmr. Tarzwell reiterated prior comments that the document is a planning framework and
stated support for the plan, noting it is a required process the County must complete.
Cmmr. Neatherlin acknowledged the need to adopt a plan and agreed on the importance of
citizen involvement. Mental health is a significant issue and he expressed concern that
providing services without recipient participation or accountability could worsen the
underlying problems.
The Cmmrs. agreed to amend the Homelessness Operational Plan Objectives, Strategies,
Actions, and Performance Measures with the following:
• Add the following language: “No action by the plan commits the county to any
specific amount of funding outside of staffing Local Plan Committee.”
• Remove Objective 3 Prevent Episodes of Homelessness Whenever Possible.
• Include citizen appointments by the Commissioners to the Local Plan Committee.
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved to approve the 5-Year Local Homeless Housing
Plan (2025-2030) with the changes discussed. Motion carried unanimously.
Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
10.3 Public Hearing to consider renaming the Purdy Creek Bridge to the Senator Tim Sheldon
Bridge. Staff: Travis Adams (Resolution No. 2026-005)
Travis Adams provided an overview of a request to rename the Purdy Creek bridge, noting
the proposal was initiated by Cmmr. Neatherlin and supported by other commissioners. Staff
recommends passing a resolution to request that the Department of Transportation approve
the name change.
March 17, 2026 | Page 7 of 7
Public Comment:
Eric Onisko asked why the bridge would not simply be named the Tim Sheldon Bridge,
noting his service across multiple branches of government. Cmmr. Neatherlin responded that
the naming reflects Senator Sheldon’s role in securing the bridge project to address flooding
issues in the area.
Ken VanBuskirk expressed support for renaming the bridge and shared appreciation for Tim
Sheldon’s service to Mason County and Washington State. They also questioned why the
proposed name was limited to “Tim Sheldon Bridge” and noted Sheldon’s positive impact on
the community, including in Belfair.
Jeff Carey expressed support for renaming the bridge.
Cmmr. Trask/Tarzwell moved to approve requesting that the Department of
Transportation rename the Purdy Creek Bridge to the Senator Tim Sheldon
Bridge. Motion carried unanimously. Neatherlin-aye; Tarzwell-aye; Trask-aye.
11. Board’s Calendar and Reports – The Commissioners reported on meetings attended
the past week and announced their upcoming weekly meetings.
12. Adjournment – The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
ATTEST:
____________________________
McKenzie Smith, Clerk of the Board
Prepared by Cami Olson
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
_______________________________
Pat Tarzwell, Chair
_______________________________
Randy Neatherlin, Vice-Chair
________________________________
Sharon Trask, Commissioner
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.1
From: Kariann Rutledge Ext: 380
Department: Central Services Briefing: ☐
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): Click or tap here to enter text.Agenda Date(s): March 31, 2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(This is the responsibility of the requesting Department)
Item:
Approval of Warrants & Treasurer Electronic Remittances
Claims Clearing Fund Warrant #8119741-8120007 $ 1,515,637.19
Direct Deposit Fund Warrant #124663-125070 $ 986,923.67
Salary Clearing Fund Warrant #7009571-7009597 $ 627,379.38
Background/Executive Summary:
The Board approved Resolution no. 80-00 Payment of Claims Against County: Procedure Authorizing
Warrant Issue and Release Prior to Board Claim Approval. Mason County Code 3.32.060(a) requires that
the Board enter into the minutes of the County Commissioners the approval of claims listing warrant
numbers.
Claims Clearing YTD total $ 17,247,138.33
Direct Deposit YTD total $ 5,957,705.66
Salary Clearing YTD total $ 5,810,848.48
Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
See above.
Public Outreach:
N/A
Requested Action:
Approval of the aforementioned Claims Clearing Fund, Direct Deposit Fund, Salary Clearing Fund, and
Treasurer Electronic Remittance warrants.
Attachment(s):
Originals on file with Financial Services and the Treasurer’s Office; copies on file with the Clerk of the
Board
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.2
From: Jennifer Beierle Ext: 532
Department: Support Services Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 16, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31, 2026
Internal Review: ☒ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item:
Temporary Take-Home Vehicle Assignment for Richard Dickinson, Deputy Director Public Works -
Utilities & Waste Management
Background/Executive Summary:
Take-home vehicles are only to be assigned to positions that meet the IRS requirements for qualified
nonpersonal use vehicles as identified in Publication 5137, or that qualify under the Emergency Response,
Specialized Equipment, or Economic Benefit provisions outlined by the IRS and Mason County
Personnel Policy, Chapter 13 (Vehicle Use Policy).
The Water & Wastewater Manager position is currently unfilled, resulting in increased operational
demands on Utilities staff. Providing Richard Dickinson with a temporary take-home vehicle will
improve efficiency by allowing timely access to the County’s four utility sites. The assigned vehicle
qualifies as a nonpersonal-use vehicle under IRS Publication 5137.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
No additional cost or budget impact
Public Outreach:
N/A
Requested Action:
Approval of a temporary vehicle assignment for Richard Dickinson effective April 1, 2026, through
December 31, 2026.
Attachment(s):
Take-Home Vehicle Request Form
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners
From: Cassidy Perkins for John Taylor Ext. 535
Department: Parks & Trails Briefing: ☐
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): 03/16/2026 Agenda Date: 03/31/2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☒ Legal ☐ Information Technology ☐ Other
(This is the responsibility of the requesting Department)
Below for Clerk of the Board’s Use Only:
Item Number: __________
Approved: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Tabled ☐ No Action Taken
Ordinance/Resolution No. __________ Contract No. __________ County Code: __________
Item: Mason County Parks and Trails – Foothills Park & Friends of Foothills Dog Park Donation
Applications
Background/Executive Summary:
William Long has submitted 2 donation applications for Foothills County Park. The 1st one involves 4
benches in which he would like to request permission for volunteers to install. The 2nd would be for a
12x16ft gazebo to also be installed in which they would be donating the funds for a professional to install.
Details to be found in the donation applications attached.
Budget Impact: None
Requested Action: Approval to accept the attached donation application requests and services for the
installation of the benches ONLY.
Attachments: Donation applications
Item 8.3
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To : Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.4
From: Travis Adams Ext: Click or tap here to enter text.
Department: Support Services Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): 3/16/2026 Agenda Date(s): 3/31/2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item: Notice of Public Hearing- South Mason Fire District Territory Withdrawal
Background/Executive Summary:
South Mason Fire District (SMFD) has voted on the withdrawal of Squaxin Island Tribe territory.
Commissioners must hold a separate public hearing to affirm the findings by SMFD per
RCW 57.28.060-.080. Attached is the Notice of Public Hearing set for 10/28/2025.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
N/A
Public Outreach:
Public hearing to be held on 4/28/2026 in regards to this matter
Requested Action:
Board approve the setting of public hearing date in regards to this matter
Attachment(s):
SMF Findings of fact and conclusions
Notice of Public Hearing SMFD
NOTICE OF HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Mason County Commissioners will hold
a public hearing in Mason County Building I, Commission Chambers, 411 North Fifth Street, Shelton,
WA 98584 on Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 9:15 a.m.
SAID HEARING will be to take public comment on the withdrawal of territory by the
South Mason Fire & Rescue District.
Public testimony will be available in-person or via Zoom. The URL is available on the County
website https://www.masoncountywa.gov/ to sign into the meeting. Please use the “raise hand”
feature to be recognized by the Chair to provide your testimony. You can also email testimony to
msmith@masoncountywa.gov or mail to the Commissioners’ Office, 411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA
98584; or call (360) 427-9670 ext. 230.
If special accommodations are needed, please contact the Commissioners' office, (360) 427-
9670 ext. 419.
DATED this 31st day of March, 2026.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
__________________________________
McKenzie Smith, Clerk of the Board
Bill: Central Services
411 N 5th Street
Shelton, WA 98584
Cc: Commissioners
Public Works
Shelton Journal: Publ. 2t: April 9, 2026 & April 16, 2026
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.5
From: McKenzie Smith Ext: 589
Department: Support Services Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 23, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31, 2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item:
Appointment of Avary Rollins to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board
Background/Executive Summary:
The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) is a local government agency that
provides home and community services for seniors and adults with disabilities to help them remain living
in their own homes. The Advisory Council makes recommendations to the Council of Governments and
staff.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
N/A
Public Outreach:
News Release
Requested Action:
Approval to appoint Avary Rollins to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA)
advisory board for a two-year term expiring March 31, 2028.
Attachment(s):
Application
Letter
Received 2/11/26
Commissioners Randy Neatherlin,
Sharon Trask and Pat Tarzwell.
Travis Adams, McKenzie Smith,
Chrissy Franklin,Lisa Bachmann
MASON COUNTY
BOARD
OF
COMMISSIONERS
1ST District
RANDY NEATHERLIN
2nd District
PAT TARZWELL
3rd District
SHARON TRASK
Mason County Building 1
411 North Fifth Street
Shelton, WA 98584-3400
(360) 427-9670 ext. 419
Fax (360) 427-8437
March 31, 2026
Avary Rollins
Re: Appointment to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board
Dear Avary,
We are pleased to inform you of your appointment to the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on
Aging (LMTAAA) Advisory Board to fill an unexpired term ending March 31, 2028.
Chrissy Franklin will serve as your primary point of contact and will provide meeting details and
additional information. If you need to reach her, please call (360) 664 -2168. You may also visit the
LMTAAA website for more information about the Advisory Board at https://www.lmtaaa.org.
The LMTAAA Advisory Board typically meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:30
a.m. to approximately 12:00 p.m. at the Area Agency on Aging office located at 2404 Heritage Court
SW, Olympia, Washington. A virtual attendance option via Zoom is als o available.
For additional information regarding service on county boards and commissions, please review the
Mason County Boards and Commissions Handbook, available on the Mason County website.
As a member of an advisory board, you are also asked to become familiar with the Open Public
Meetings Act (OPMA) and the Public Records Act (PRA), as advisory boards are subject to these
requirements. Online training is available through the Washington State Attorney General’s Office
at https://www.atg.wa.gov/open-government-training. Please complete Lessons 2 and 3 at your
earliest convenience. Once you have completed the training, kindly notify Chrissy Franklin so that
completion can be documented.
Thank you for your willingness to serve. We greatly appreciate your commitment to the community
and are confident that your participation will be a valuable asset to the Advisory Board.
Sincerely,
Pat Tarzwell, Randy Neatherlin, Sharon Trask,
Chair Vice-Chair Commissioner
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.6
From: Lovejoy Schaefer, Right of Way Agent Senior,
on behalf of Mike Collins, PE, PLS, Deputy
Director/County Engineer
Ext: 456
Department: Public Works Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 23, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31,2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☒ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item: Road Vacation No. 426 - Hearings Examiner Recommendation
Vacate all that portion of Hannegan Street adjacent to Lots 15 and 16, in Block 77, AND Lots 1 and
30, in Block 78, all in Hood Canal Land and Improvement Co’s Plan to Union City, in Volume 1 of
plats, Page 9, records of Mason County, Washington, all within the Southeast quarter, of Section 32,
Township 22 North, Range 3 West, W.M.
Background/Executive Summary:
The Mason County Hearing Examiner held a hearing on Wednesday January 14, 2026, at 1:00pm via
zoom. This hearing was to consider formally acknowledging the vacation by operation of law to the
above mentioned street in the plat of Hood Canal Land and Improvement Co’s Plan to Union City, as
recorded in Volume 1 of plats, page 9, as dedicated on March 16, 1889, in Mason County, Washington,
and as petitioned by South Shore Enterprises LLC, a Washington limited liability company.
The Hearing Examiner issued his Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Recommendation on
February 23, 2026, recommending approval of the proposed vacation with the following condition.
1. The vacated area will still be subject to existing easements for ingress, egress, and drainage or other
purposes, if any, and in accordance with RCW 36.87.140, retain an easement in favor of Mason County
for any utilities and drainage present in the vacated right of way.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact:
The required administrative fee of $1,000 has been paid. The vacation area is classified as a “Class C”
road. Per RCW 36.87.120 & MCC 12.20.060, no compensation other than the administrative fee of the
vacation action is due.
Public Outreach:
Public notice was provided as required by RCW 36.87.050, both by posting at the site and by publishing
in the county official newspaper.
Requested Action:
Requesting the Mason County Board of Commissioners accept the recommendation of the Hearing
Examiner and formally acknowledge the vacation of the right of way as petitioned by operation of law
pursuant to the Session Laws of 1889-1890, subject to the conditions contained in the Findings of Fact,
Conclusions of Law and Recommendations of the Hearing Examiner for Road Vacation No. 426.
Attachment(s):
1. Hearing Examiner's Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Recommendation
2. Order of Vacation
Road Vacation p. 1 Recommendation
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BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER FOR MASON COUNTY
Phil Olbrechts, Hearing Examiner
RE: Road Vacation No. 426
Petition for a Road Vacation
FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS
OF LAW AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
Southshore Enterprises LLC requests the vacation of rights of way along Hannegan
Street in Union, between Blocks 77 and 78 of the Plat of Hood Canal Land and
Improvements to Union. It is recommended that the County Commissioners approve
the vacation.
The vacation area likely has already been vacated as a matter of law under what is
called the ancient right of way statute, RCW 36.87.090. Due to amendments made to
the original statute in 1909, a court has ruled that the statute generally operates to vacate
roads that were dedicated prior to March 11, 1904 and remained unused for a period of
at least five years. See Gillis v. King County, 42 Wn.2d 373 (1953). The right of way
subject to this vacation request was dedicated to the public on March 16, 1889 and has
apparently remained unopened since the dedication since is currently undeveloped.
TESTIMONY
Tina Schaefer, Right of Way Agent Senior summarized the staff report. Mr. Buechel, the
petitioner, noted that vacation of the street would not deny anyone access since just north
of the vacation area the right of way is in a wetland.
EXHIBITS
The October 29, 2025 Engineer’s Report – Road Vacation File No. 426 was admitted as
Exhibit 1 during the vacation hearing along with its four attachments as listed on Page
2 of the report.
FINDINGS OF FACT
Procedural:
1. Hearing. A virtual hearing on the petition for vacation was held on January 14,
2026 at 1:00 pm via Zoom.
Substantive:
Road Vacation p. 2 Recommendation
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2. Site/Proposal Description. Southshore Enterprises LLC requests the vacation of
right of way along Hannegan Street in Union, between Blocks 77 and 78 of the Plat of
Hood Canal Land and Improvements to Union.
Southshore Enterprises LLC owns the lots abutting the entirety of both sides of the
vacation area. The vacation area is legally described in Exhibit A and depicted in an
aerial photograph in Exhibit C. Southshore Enterprises LLC has petitioned for the
vacation of the dedicated right of ways as attached on Exhibit B. The requested right
of ways are unopened and undeveloped as shown in Exhibit D. The right of ways were
dedicated to the public on March 16, 1889.
The vacation area is not found useful to the County road system since it likely has been
vacated by operation of law as identified in the Summary above.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
Procedural:
1. Authority of Hearing Examiner. MCC 12.20.030 provides the Examiner with the
authority to review road vacation applications and make a recommendation to the
Mason County Board of County Commissioners.
Substantive:
2. Review Criteria and Application. Chapter 12.20 MCC sets forth the requirements
for vacation of roads. Furthermore, MCC 12.20.010 provides that County roads may
be vacated in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 36.87 RCW. Applicable
review standards for vacation under Chapter 12.20 MCC, as well as those in Chapter
36.87 RCW, are quoted in italics below and applied via corresponding conclusions of
law.
MCC 12.20.010: County roads may be vacated in accordance with the provisions of
RCW 36.87, and Mason County may require as a condition precedent to the vacation
the receipt of just compensation from the person or persons benefiting from the
vacation.
RCW 36.87.020: Owners of the majority of the frontage on any county road or portion
thereof may petition the county legislative authority to vacate and abandon the same
or any portion thereof. The petition must show the land owned by each petitioner and
set forth that such county road is useless as part of the county road system and that the
public will be benefited by its vacation and abandonment. The legislative authority
may:
Road Vacation p. 3 Recommendation
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(1) require the petitioners to make an appropriate cash deposit or furnish an
appropriate bond against which all costs and expenses incurred in the examination,
report, and proceedings pertaining to the petition shall be charged; or
(2) by ordinance or resolution require the petitioners to pay a fee adequate to cover
such costs and expenses.
RCW 36.87.060: If the county road is found useful as a part of the county road system
it shall not be vacated, but if it is not useful and the public will be benefited by the
vacation, the county legislative authority may vacate the road or any portion thereof.
3. Vacation Area Meets Vacation Criteria. The vacation petition and proposed
vacation conforms to the requirements of the statutes and ordinances quoted above.
The vacation area is found useless to the County road system since it likely has been
vacated by operation of law as identified in the Introduction. The petitioner owns all
of the abutting property of the vacation area.
As determined in Finding of Fact No. 3, the vacation area is not currently useful as a
part of the county road system as required by RCW 36.87.060.
MCC 12.20.040: For the purpose of vacating county roads, all roads shall be
classified as follows:
(1) Class A. All roads for which the right-of-way is an easement.
(2) Class B. All roads for which the right-of-way is owned in fee simple and for which
the county paid full fair market value of the fee simple estate.
(3)Class C. All roads that meet RCW 36.87.090 requirements.
4. Vacation Area Qualifies as Class A Road. As outlined in the introduction, since the
right of way was dedicated prior to 1904 and has remained unopened since it already
has been vacated as a matter of law under RCW 36.87.090. Therefore, it qualifies as
a Class C roadway.
MCC 12.20.050: Any person or persons desiring to have any portion of any county
road vacated shall be required by the Mason County board of county commissioners
as a condition precedent to the vacation to pay the county prior to the vacation. The
compensation rates include those rates set forth in Section 12.20.060, if any, and the
administration fee set forth in Section 12.20.080.
5. No Payment Required. The Engineer’s Report identifies that the administrative
fees have been paid. As determined in Conclusion of Law No. 6, no compensation for
the right of way is required.
MCC 12.20.060: The county shall require, as a condition precedent to the vacation of
roads or portions thereof within the classifications set forth in Section 12.20.040, that
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persons benefitting from the vacation thereof compensate Mason County as set forth in
the following schedule:
(1) Class A Roads. Fifty percent of the appraised value.
(2) Class B Roads. One hundred percent of the appraised value.
(3) Class C Roads. No compensation other than for the administrative fee of the
vacation action.
At no time will the compensation for Class A or B roads be reimbursed less than the
county originally paid for the property.
6. Compensation Not Required. As determined in Conclusion of Law No. 4, the
vacation area is classified as a “Class C” road. No compensation is required.
MCC 12.20.080: Each petition for vacation of a road shall be accompanied by a
payment of one thousand dollars to cover all administrative costs regardless of the
county's approval of vacation. Said administrative costs shall include the costs of the
hearing examiner in holding the public hearing and reporting recommendations to the
board of county commissioners.
7. Administrative Fee Paid. The Engineer’s report identifies that the $1,000
administrative fee has been paid.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of Commissioners approve the proposed vacation
subject to the following conditions.
1. The vacated area will be subject to existing easements for ingress, egress, and
drainage or other purposes, if any, and in accordance with RCW 36.87.140, retain
an easement in favor of Mason County for any utilities and drainage present in the
vacated right of way.
DATED this 23rd day of February, 2026.
Phil Olbrechts
Mason County Hearing Examiner
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.7
From: Richard Dickinson, Deputy Director U&W
Management and Stephanie Buhrman, Finance Manager Ext: 450
Department: Public Works Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 16, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31, 2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item: Water Leak Credit Request – Approval Required per Mason County Code 13.34
Background/Executive Summary:
Pursuant to Mason County Code 13.34 – Water Leak Credit Policy, customers experiencing significant,
documented water leaks may request a credit for the excess water usage. Credits exceeding 10,000 cubic
feet (CF) require review and approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
Public Works received the following water leak adjustment request for a customer in the Beards Cove
Water System which meets the criteria for Board review and consideration:
1.Customer #308132 -Beards Cove Water Customer Report
•Average Use: 3100 CF/month
•Leak Incident Summary: During the month of February, customer experienced a washer
hookup valve failure that went undiscovered for at least 3 weeks.
•Repairs: Parts purchased, and washer valve repaired by family. Receipts submitted.
•Requested Credit: 15,380 CF for Feb 2026 totaling $982.40, plus any late fees.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact:
The total requested credit of $982.40 (plus any applicable late fee) will be deducted from the water tier
revenue. No budget amendment is required.
Public Outreach:
Utilities and Waste Administrative staff notifies customers via certified letters and/or phone calls about
potential significant water leaks due to unusually high usage of 2500 CF or greater. Customers are made
aware only one credit every three years per property is allowed, with exceptions for extraordinary
circumstances subject to staff recommendation and Board approval.
Requested Action:
Request approval from the Board of County Commissioners to issue a water leak credit for customer
#308132 in the amount of $982.40, plus applicable late fees, based on verification that the leak has been
repaired.
Attachment(s): Water Leak Adjustment Request and Documentation
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 8.8
From: Mike Collins, PE, PLS, Deputy Director/County Engineer Ext: 450
Department: Public Works Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 23, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31,2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☐ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the requesting
Department)
Item: Surplus Paint Equipment
Background/Executive Summary:
Mason County Public Works has identified certain paint equipment as surplus following the acquisition of a striping truck
in 2025, which has rendered this equipment no longer necessary for ongoing county operations. The equipment has been
evaluated and determined to be surplus in accordance with Mason County Code Chapter 3.40.
The surplus equipment includes:
•6x12 Cargo Mate trailer
•Push paint striper (LLV 3900 HP, automatic)
•Two (2) spray guns with Lazerguide 2000
•12-inch hopper
•Line Driver
The City of Shelton has expressed interest in purchasing the equipment for continued public use. Consistent with the
County’s adopted surplus property procedures, surplus personal property may be disposed of through a negotiated sale
when it is in the public interest.
If the City of Shelton elects not to proceed with the purchase, Mason County Public Works requests authorization to
dispose of the equipment through other allowable methods under Mason County Code Chapter 3.40, including public sale,
auction, or other appropriate means.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact:
Public Works originally purchased the equipment for approximately $29,000 and utilized it for about one year, during
which approximately 70 lane miles of roadway were striped prior to acquiring the striping truck. By comparison,
contracting this work would have cost approximately $1,000 per lane mile.
The sale of the surplus paint equipment will generate revenue for the Road Fund.
Public Outreach:
Public outreach will be conducted as required under Mason County Code Chapter 3.40.
Requested Action:
Request the Mason County Board of Commissioners declare the paint equipment as surplus, approve the sale to the City of
Shelton, or, if the City of Shelton declines, authorize Public Works to surplus the equipment through other allowable
methods under Mason County Code Chapter 3.40, including public sale, auction, or other appropriate means.
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No.
From: McKenzie Smith Ext: 589
Department: Support Services Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☐
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): March 30, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 31, 2026
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☒ Legal ☐ IT ☐ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item:
Selecting the Shelton-Mason County Journal as the Official County Newspaper
Background/Executive Summary:
Per RCW 36.72.075, the County legislative authority, at its first April meeting, shall select a legal
newspaper as the official County newspaper for the term of one year. The Shelton-Mason County Journal
is the only newspaper published in Mason County that qualifies as a legal newspaper under RCW
65.16.020.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
N/A
Public Outreach:
N/A
Requested Action:
Approval of the Resolution selecting the Shelton-Mason County Journal as the official County newspaper
for publishing certain legal publications.
Attachment(s):
Resolution
Mason County
Agenda Request Form
To: Board of Mason County Commissioners Item No. 10.1
From: Mike Collins, PLS, PE, County Engineer Ext: 450
Department: Public Works Briefing: ☒
Action Agenda: ☒
Public Hearing: ☒
Special Meeting: ☐
Briefing Date(s): February 23, 2026 Agenda Date(s): March 3, 2026 – Set Hearing
March 31, 2026 - Hearing
Internal Review: ☐ Finance ☐ Human Resources ☒ Legal ☐ IT ☒ Risk ☐ Other
(Please ensure proper internal review channels have been followed, this is the responsibility of the
requesting Department)
Item: Forged Fiber 37, LLC (AT&T) – Franchise Agreement – Set Hearing/Hearing
Background/Executive Summary:
Public Works has received a Franchise Agreement from Forged Fiber 37, LLC (AT&T) that would
allow them to construct, operate, and maintain their fiber optic telecommunication system in Mason
County rights-of-way. The franchise will cover all county roads within their service area.
Associated Costs/Budget Impact (amount, funding source, budget amendment, etc.):
Applicant has paid the Cable Franchise fee of $400.
Public Outreach:
Notice of Public Hearing will be published in the Shelton Journal
Requested Action:
Recommend the Board of Mason County Commissioners consider the following:
1.March 3, 2026 – Regular Agenda:
•Set a hearing for March 31, 2026, at 9:15am to consider a Franchise Agreement with
Forged Fiber 37, LLC allowing the company to construct, operate, and maintain their
fiber optic telecommunication system within Mason County rights-of-way.
2.March 31, 2026: Public Hearing
•Consider approving and executing a Franchise Agreement with Forged Fiber 37, LLC
allowing the company to construct, operate, and maintain their fiber optic
telecommunication system within Mason County rights-of-way.
Attachment(s):
1.Franchise Agreement
2.Notice of Hearing
NOTICE OF HEARINGS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Mason County Commissioners will
hold two public hearings in the Commissioners Chambers of Mason County Courthouse
Building I, 411 North Fifth Street, Shelton, Washington 98584 and live stream at
http://masonwebtv.com/ on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 9:15am.
SAID HEARINGS will be to consider accepting a franchise agreement with Forged Fiber
37, LLC allowing the company to construct, operate, and maintain their fiber optic
telecommunication system within Mason County rights-of-way.
Public testimony will be available in-person or via Zoom. The URL is available on the County
website https://www.masoncountywa.gov/ to sign into the meeting. Please use the “raise hand” feature
to be recognized by the Chair to provide your testimony. You can also email testimony to
msmith@masoncountywa.gov or mail to the Commissioners’ Office, 411 N 5th St, Shelton, WA 98584;
or call (360) 427-9670 ext. 230.
If special accommodations are needed, please contact the Commissioners' office,
(360) 427-9670 ext. 419.
DATED this ______day of ________________, 2026.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
McKenzie Smith, Clerk of the Board
Bill: Mason County
Department of Public Works
100 W Public Works Drive
Shelton, WA 98584
cc: Auditor
Clerk of the Board
Public Works
Applicant
Journal – Publ. 2t: 3/12/26 & 3/19/26 (not less than 5 days prior to hearing)
Post: 3 public places 15 days before hearing – No later than 3/13/26
ATTENDANCE ROSTER
LOCATION
MEETING
Commission Chambers
March 31, 2026
CITY, STATE
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*Attendance rosters are subject to the Public Records Act; RCW 42.56