Mason County staff told commissioners on Dec. 8 that they intend to renew the county's two-year fire-investigation contract and asked that the matter be placed on the Dec. 16 action agenda for formal approval. Randy, the presenter, said the proposed contract would cost $105,000 a year ($210,000 over two years), an increase from prior two-year totals driven largely by a jump in standby compensation.

Randy said state law (RCW) requires a designated fire official to investigate the origin, cause and circumstances of all fires and that the county has satisfied that requirement by contracting with the local fire chiefs' association for roughly 12 years. He told commissioners the new contract reflects Central Mason Fire's existing memorandum of understanding, which compensates staff for three hours of standby at about $95.33 per hour (roughly $285.99 per 24-hour standby period), rather than the $50-per-day standby rate used in recent contracts.

Randy provided historical figures for context, saying the county has spent about $25,500 so far in 2025 (not including a couple months of invoices still outstanding) and that prior years saw expenditures such as about $44,000 in 2023 and about $57,020 in 2022. He warned that if the county experiences a moderate number of fires and resulting investigations, the higher standby cost could push expenditures beyond the current budget and require a budget amendment.

Commissioners and other speakers said they were satisfied with the oversight of invoices and with Central Mason Fire's past performance; multiple commissioners urged placing the renewal on the Dec. 16 action agenda so the fire chiefs could finish their internal review first. Randy said he had discussed contract changes with the chiefs' president and that the revised exhibit clarifies standby expectations while leaving most contract language unchanged.

The meeting did not include a formal vote on renewal; staff requested placement on the next action agenda and said the chiefs' approval on their side was pending.