Mason County commissioners approve action agenda including warrants, appointments and contracts

MASON COUNTY, Wash. — The Mason County Board of Commissioners on Friday approved the action agenda for the meeting, confirming payment warrants, appointments, memoranda of understanding and contracts included on the agenda.

The vote approved warrants and direct-deposit payroll and electronic remittances totaling the amounts read into the record, an appointment of Joel Galbraith to the Planning Advisory Committee for a four-year term and a memorandum of understanding with the Mason County Housing Authority for public health clerical support. The board also approved a professional services contract with Tashner Law Offices PLLC to provide contracted public defense services for district and superior courts for 2025 and an amendment to the Community Lifeline contract (No. 23-040) reallocating funds to the overnight shelter aid budget category tied to increasing capacity to 54 beds after obtaining a permit from the City of Shelton.

The commissioners voted to authorize extra-help juvenile detention officers to be compensated at 1.5 times their hourly rate when working on holidays recognized in county personnel policies; to proceed with County Road Administration Board reporting for the county’s road systems; and to set a hearing before a hearing examiner for March 26, 2025, at 1 p.m. via Zoom to consider public comment on road vacation petition number 422. The board accepted a hearing examiner recommendation to grant a requested road vacation (petition number referenced in the agenda) subject to the conditions in the examiner’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

The board also authorized Public Works to apply for a Flood Control Assistance Account program grant with figures read into the record (the agenda enumerated amounts as "300,000, 70 5 thousand local match, and 225,000 grant award"). Commissioners designated the Mason County Economic Development Council as the county’s associate development organization for the 2025–2027 biennium and approved the county’s 2025 credit card inventory.

Commissioners indicated the full briefing meeting is where these items are discussed in detail; on Friday they approved the consolidated action agenda by voice vote. The chair called for the vote; commissioners answered “aye,” and the motion passed.

Votes at a glance

- 8.1 Approval of warrants and treasurer electronic remittance claims and salary clearing warrants — approved. - 8.2 Appointment of Joel Galbraith to the Planning Advisory Committee (4-year term to Feb. 18, 2029) — approved. - 8.3 Memorandum of understanding with Mason County Housing Authority for public health clerical services — approved. - 8.5 Professional services contract with Tashner Law Offices PLLC for contracted public defense (2025) — approved. - 8.6 Amendment to Community Lifeline contract No. 23-040 reallocating funds to overnight shelter aids to support increased bed capacity to 54 (pending City of Shelton permit) — approved. - 8.7 Memorandum of understanding to compensate extra-help juvenile detention officers at 1.5× on recognized holidays — approved. - 8.8 Authorization related to County Road Administration Board reporting for county road systems — approved. - 8.9 Resolution setting a hearing (Mar. 26, 2025 at 1 p.m. via Zoom) for public comment on road vacation #422 — approved. - 8.10 Acceptance of the hearing examiner’s recommendation to grant a requested road vacation (agenda item referenced petition and conditions in the findings) — approved subject to conditions in the hearing examiner’s recommendation. - 8.11 Authorization for Public Works to apply for a Flood Control Assistance Account program grant (amounts read into the record) — approved. - 8.12 Designation of Mason County Economic Development Council as the county’s associate development organization for 2025–2027 — approved. - 8.13 Approval of the 2025 credit card inventory and authority for the county administrator to sign — approved.

Nut graf: The approvals bundle routine financial and administrative items — including payroll warrants, a court public-defense contract and grant-application authorization — into a single action the board approved by voice vote; commissioners said more detailed discussion occurs in the board briefing meetings.

The agenda reader provided the numerical totals for warrants and listed individual warrant ranges for clearing funds, direct deposit and salary clearing. The amended Community Lifeline contract was tied to an increase in shelter capacity contingent on a City of Shelton permit; the board’s action reallocated funds from other categories into overnight shelter aid to support up to 54 beds as reflected in the contract amendment language read at the meeting. The Flood Control Assistance Account grant figures were presented on the record in the agenda summary; the transcript’s reading contained the amounts as noted above.

Ending: The consolidated action agenda was approved without recorded opposing votes. Commissioners noted that the briefing session is where the items receive substantive review and invited the public to view briefing materials for more detail.