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Volunteer cleanup near Mason Lake yacht club uncovers needles and human waste; resident urges county help
Summary
A resident and volunteer described removing about 20,000 pounds of garbage from a hillside near the yacht club and reported finding numerous needles and human waste, urging Mason County officials to assist with cleanup and address camping and vehicle parking concerns.
Dean Jewett, a Shelton resident and volunteer, told the Mason County Board of Commissioners on March 4 that volunteers have removed what he estimated to be close to 20,000 pounds of garbage from a hill near the yacht club and that they regularly find used needles and human waste in creeks feeding Oakland Bay.
"The needles that we're finding is astronomical," Jewett said, describing the contamination risk and calling the situation "scary" and "spooky." He said volunteers found what he described as a five‑gallon bucket of human waste during one walk and urged the county to consider public‑health and environmental impacts of outdoor defecation and discarded needles. Jewett also flagged long‑term vehicle parking and street camping near Johns Prairie and other county locations as ongoing problems that need attention.
Jewett said the cleanup effort has included volunteers, business owners, people experiencing homelessness and recovery‑support participants. He asked the commissioners and staff for whatever assistance the county can provide to reduce health risks and to protect tourism and local recreation values.
The remarks were made during the meeting's public comment period and no formal county action was recorded on the topic during the session.
