Mason County votes to pull out of Hood Canal council
SHELTON, Oct 25, 2012 (Menafn - Kitsap Sun - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Mason County commissioners have announced their intent to pull out of the Hood Canal Coordinating Council if their various concerns are not remedied during upcoming discussions.
In a meeting Tuesday night, the commissioners voted to provide an official 90-day notice of withdrawal, as spelled out in an agreement with Kitsap and Jefferson counties, the other counties on the coordinating council.
Kitsap County Commissioner Josh Brown, chairman of the coordinating council, and Scott Brewer, the council's executive director, said they were taken aback by the action. Brown said he had learned of the concerns just before Tuesday's meeting.
Mason County Commissioner Lynda Ring-Erickson said the 90-day notice provides an opportunity to open discussions about operations of the coordinating council, including a new in-lieu-fee mitigation program.
"We have had some concerns for a while," she said. "We seem to be finding ourselves spinning in a new direction with infringement on the autonomy of our county.
"I am a strong believer in coordination, and I'm sure we can work this out."
Kitsap, Mason and Jefferson counties formed the Hood Canal Coordinating Council more than 30 years ago, later adding two other members, the Skokomish and S'Klallam tribes. The council has focused mainly on environmental issues, working together on salmon recovery and habitat restoration. The council has played a central role in the Puget Sound Partnership, which was charged by the Legislature to restore the entire Puget Sound ecosystem.
Despite questions from Mason commissioners, council members moved ahead with a new program called the In-Lieu-Fee Compensatory Mitigation Program. Under the program, the council can be paid a fee to develop and manage mitigation projects.
The Navy was the first client, paying the council 6.9 million to develop and carry out a program to mitigate damage from a new explosives handling wharf under construction at Bangor.
Ring-Erickson said she was surprised recently to learn that the state Department of Transportation has been negotiating with staff of the coordinating council for mitigation of highway expansion through Belfair. She said the commissioners wished to discuss all options with the state agency, but they found the coordinating council already deep into negotiations.
"You should let the jurisdiction involved know what is going on," she said.
Mason County Commissioner Steve Bloomfield confirmed that the in-lieu-fee program prompted the move toward withdrawal from the coordinating council, but Commissioner Tim Sheldon said his concerns were broader.
"I would like to have some discussions about the financials and objectives (of the coordinating council), including the in-lieu-fee mitigation program," Sheldon said.
Brown said communications with staff is essential, and nobody likes surprises. As chairman of the coordinating council, "I look forward to working with them to get this corrected. But up until yesterday, I was completely in the dark."
Brown said he faces some logistical challenges in getting the coordinating council together within 90-day time period. First, no regular meetings are scheduled before the end of the year, he noted. After that, at least two new Mason County commissioners will come into office. That's because Bloomfield chose not to run in November's election, and Ring-Erickson gave up her commissioner seat to run for the Legislature.
Sheldon said he believes the issues should be discussed in a public meeting, beginning with the current commissioners and continuing with the new ones.
Brewer, the executive director, said he will be talking with Mason County officials to better understand their concerns and then work with Brown to develop a course of action.
"It may be a good opportunity to take a look at the coordinating council and how it will work for all five governments," Brewer said.
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