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Thursday, January 21, 2010 Year 124 — Week 3— 6 Sections — 52 Pages — Published in Shelton, Washington — $1.00
JournalShelton-Mason County
A look back at the events of 2009.
INSIDE
On theinside
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
Births B-3 Classifieds D-2 CommunityCalendar B-6 Crossword D-5 Entertainment/Dining B-8 JournalofRecord C-5 Obituaries B-7 Opinions,Letters A-4 Sports C-1 Tides C-6 Weather A-8
Inserts:NewmanChiropractic
SeeHaitionpageA-7
By KEVAN MOORE
Top administrators at the at the City of Shelton, PUD 3 and the Port of Shelton are in the midst of ongoing, closed-door meet-ings to draft an agreement for providing city water services on Johns Prairie.
This latest effort comes on the heels of an earlier agreement between the city and PUD 3 allowing the public utility to extend city water lines to Johns Prai-rie and recoup the costs associated with that effort by charging latecomer fees. The new agreement will go
one step further and out-lines the roles that the port and city will play on Johns Prairie in future years.
Also at play in the midst of the negotiations is a huge alternative energy plant proposed on a 100-acre parcel on Johns Prai-rie.
Any agreement between the administrators will be subject to approval by elected officials at each of the agencies, but initial efforts point towards an effort to take any annexa-tion by the city of the Johns Prairie industrial area off the table for 20 years.
City Administrator Dave O’Leary, PUD 3 Manager Wyla Wood and Port of Shelton Executive Director John Dobson met on Tuesday of this week with attorneys from each of the agencies to pencil out a draft of the new agree-ment. Following a city com-mission meeting later that day, though, O’Leary said he was unwilling to release the draft agreement be-cause “it is a work in prog-ress” and won’t be present-ed to commissioners until next week. When pressed further, O’Leary could not cite any state law for with-
holding the document, but said the city’s attorney would be contacted.
Mason County Commis-sioner Tim Sheldon also re-fused to release documents related to the potential agreement when asked by a citizen last week. In ad-dition, Commissioner Ross Gallagher, who has docu-ments related to the poten-tial agreement, said he was unwilling to release any of those documents or cite details associated with the negotiations.
O’Leary was willing to
By KEVAN MOOREA group of Evergreen
Square property owners has filed a $1-million claim for damages at the City of Shelton over the city’s handling of the popular downtown parking lot.
Richard and Tai Gates, a husband and wife who own three properties adjacent to the lot, and Juan Rodriguez of JL Shelton LLC, which owns one property at the site, filed the claim late last year through Shelton attorney Richard Hoss. They say that the city has violated the terms of an agreement gifting the parking lot to the city. Further, they say that the city secretly issued a quit claim deed to do so and subsequently amended municipal code in a way that directly violates the agreement.
The Gateses and Rodriguez are claiming that the city’s decision to convert half of the parking lot’s roughly 82 spaces into leased stalls has reduced access and affected business in their buildings, thereby impacting the highest and best use of the properties.
“The City of Shelton interfered for an improper purpose or used improper means with its interference and claimants have suffered resultant damages (by an amount up to $1 million),” Hoss wrote in the claim for damages.
City Administrator Dave O’Leary said the claim for damages has been sent to the Washington Cities Insurance Authority for review by its lawyers. O’Leary also said he couldn’t comment on it at this time.
“If we’re gonna get sued, if somebody’s threatening to sue us, it’s probably not too smart to respond,” O’Leary said. “It’s probably gonna be worked out with the lawyers. In the meantime, we’re trying to facilitate a parking solution that has had some success and we’re working out whether or not we can continue to do that.”
A report by Shelton Realtor Keith Fuller, that is attached to the claim for damages, concludes that the city’s decision to lease parking stalls has reduced the per-square-foot value of each of the adjacent businesses by some $35 and reduced the overall value of the Evergreen Square
By DAVE CLARK
88-year-old Lawrence Godwin of Shelton saw a lot of brave sol-diers die the day he led a machine gun squad out of Italy’s Apennine Mountains in World War II.
German soldiers lying in wait ambushed his company with the 10th Mountain Division using gre-nades and heavy machine gun fire. A sudden explosion filled the air with shrapnel that killed the lieu-tenant standing next to him. Soon
most of his men were either dead or badly injured. Everyone was pinned down. Godwin described what happened next as “foolish.”
“You see your men getting slaughtered and picked off, and something just takes you over and you just get up and do what you have to,” he said.
Godwin snatched up his squad’s .30-caliber air-cooled machine gun, and as enemy fire tore through the grass at his feet and alongside
him, he bolted for cover behind the corner of a two-story stone house.
He was outnumbered and out-gunned, against a gun nest with four Germans manning two ma-chine guns each capable of firing twice as many bullets as his.
Godwin positioned his gun where he was concealed from view, while still having a clear shot at the enemy. He fired, killing all four.
Shelton High School stu-dents Dylan Helser, left, and Chase Lund, center, help Rotary Club of Shelton president Jon Eaton load decommissioned hospital beds into a U-Haul truck bound for Haiti through a staging area at the Port of Shelton Tuesday. Eaton and others plan to send up to 600 hospital beds to Hai-ti in an effort to get the flat-tened medical infrastruc-ture back up and running some day.
Rotary sends help to HaitiBy GREG SKINNER
As a large aftershock Wednesday dropped more buildings and sent the survi-vors of last week’s 7.0 Haitian temblor that killed hundreds of thousands scurrying, the Shelton Rotary Club prepared to send much-needed hospital equipment.
“It’s long-term help,” Shel-ton Rotary president Jon Ea-ton said.
After striking a deal with
Shelton Health and Rehabili-tation Center, Eaton said, he will see to it that at least 76 decommissioned hospital beds make it to the beleaguered island nation that has an es-timated 250,000 wounded quake survivors. Some will need long-term medical care, he said.
There is no place to put them yet because the wa-terfront in the main port to
Group focused on long-term aid
Journal photo by Greg Skinner
Journal photo by Dave Clark
World War II Bronze Star Medal recipient Lawrence Godwin proudly displays his award inside his home south of Shelton.
WWII veterans, families eligible for military award
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
Honoring service
City, port and PUD 3 work on water deal
City faces $1-million claim over Evergreen Square
SeeServiceonpageA-7
SeeDealonpageA-7 SeeClaimonpageA-7
This is our Honor Roll of Thanks to those hundreds
of residents who took time during 2009 to write and share their
opinions with us and with all of you, our readers.
Honor Roll of Thanks
William E. Burrows
Jim Gibbons
Gordon Personius
Steve Gray
Laura West
Emily Wilson-Hoss
Melanie Eacrett
Deb Kirpes
Sandra Mitchell
Eugene Morehouse
George Noone
Rhoda Pykonen
Jo Ann Ridley
Rhonald Whitney
Karen Aumend
Susan Baker
Kenneth Bragg
Todd Nelson
Rick Ryan
Peg Stock
Pamala Dierker
Stephanie Holter
Roger Lewis
John Tarrant
Patti Case
Kathy Johnson
Donald Jones
Adelheid Krohne
Dave O’Leary
Dick Taylor
Dana Anderson
Frank Dare
Don Gardner
Robert Hoit
Laurel Wolff
Jacquelyn W. Johnson
Gene Johnson
Donna Noone
Dawn Pannell
Patty Ayala Ross
Jim Mullins
Ann Peters
Bill Sloane
Stan Walster
Tom Chambers
Darrell Franks
Joyce Galaktionoff
Winston C. Marx
Merlyn Flakus
Kaylee
Steve Ness
Nancy Byrd
David C. Pifke
D.L. Stave
Mary Wyatt
Suzanne Close
Fred Finn
Arline Goldsby
Kris Mansfield
Susie Wong
Judy and Richard Bidwell
Larry Martin
Vern Morgus
Katherine Austin
Jack Neiers
Dave O’Connell
Tammy Johnson
Sandy MacLeod
Ardean A. Anvik
Dave Dixon
Lucy Kee
Clinton Ferrara
Rachelle Wallace
Rachel Thoe-Schechter
Fred Albert
Lee Geist
Jack Krause
Peggy Olsen
Herb Vonhof
Norma Webber
Ann Wilson
Vivian Mitchell
J. Paul Everett
Judy McAulay
Robert Meacham
Dick Oltman
Tom Pearson
Bill Quigley
David Beers
Linda Chastek
Don Liss
Jo and Joe Reasons
Steven Rosenow
John H. Whalen
Emily Aceto
Frank Bishop
Toby Kevin
Annette S. McGee
Karen Skinner
Steve Van Denover
Michael Young
Casey Carr
Sandy Tarzwell
Lee Hatch
Ryan, Nicole, Rachel and Mikayla Miller
Kate Dugan
William F. Johnston
Don Minor
Susan Dodd
Theresa Ratzer
Shari L. Swidecki
Robert M. Giroux
Jerry Horstman
John Komen
Earl Millinger
Bill Weed
Marylou Downey
Bob Hoit
Barry Betsinger
Fred Burgdorf
Ferde Grofé
Robert Ott
Mike Boyle
Arlen Frances Morris
Jennifer Fitchitt Coots
Greg James
Earl Mallinger
Shirley Beélik
Betty Brown
Beverly Godwin
Jim Killoran
Joe Robertson
Dinah Dubble
Norma Webber
Pam Ward
Robert A. Shaw
Dahle Roessel
Mary Reller
Vern Morgus
Angie Ragan
Bill and Helen Timm
John Hadwin
Carol Crosswhite
Wes Martin
Allen Roth
Ralph Wingert
Gary A. Backlund
Paul Holden
Jack Krause
Thomas Ross
Karlene Zimmerman
John and Dorothy Buckwalter
Lois Jones
Cindy Wright
Barbara J. Bodin
Mrs. Leslie L. Miller
Shari Stormo
Ardyne Williams
Jim Frykholm
Sharon Brown
Billie Latzel Howard
Kelley McIntosh
Mike Sobotka
Karen Pentony
Norma A. Vincent
Ken and Pat Remine
Susan Baker
Darrell Franks
Michael J. Snyder
Joe Boyd
Elaine Perron
Tommy Thombs
Iris Wells Van Ackeren
Carol VanderWal
Janet K. Anderson
Shirley Aries
Annette S. McGee
Sheri Staley
VFW Post 1694
Robert Aaron
Charles L. Winne
Gayle James
Stan Walster
Nancy C. Williams
Ken and Patti Perry
Dave O’Connely
Bob Burbridge
Judy Daum
Judi Manke
Carl Mease
Sandra Herndon
Lois Omdahl
Brian Walsh
Jane Bennett
Bill Busacca
Norman J. Eveleth
Jeremy D. Lickar
Richard Reineman
Jane Roush
Dixie Smith
Bill Young
Brenda Hirschi
Thomas R. Armstrong
Betsy Close
Lynn Goodwin
George D. Funk
Kent Hillesland
Michael Wittenberg
Cherie Blake
Wendy Ervin
Phil Wolff
Jim McElroy
John Thompson
Beverly Godwin
Wendy Allen
Gwen Avery
Jamie Bariekman
Bruce J. Casebolt and Ruth A. Casebolt
Ione K. Vrabel
Keith Stavrum
David Vimont
Terri Allred
Robert Grandaw
Bill and Mary Jean Hrbacek
Theresa Jacobson
Toby Kevin
Sheri Staley
Robert D. Wilson-Hoss
Dennis Teague
Bruce J. Casebolt
Tom Aaron
Jay Hupp
Michael A. Sargent
Ginny Murphy
Ben Daugherty
Larry Taylor
Mary May
Judy McNeal
Ellie Nevers
Katherine Austin Price
Rahn S. Redman
Fred and Debbie Barrett
Lawrence Martin
Sandra L. Herndon
Thursday, July 23, 2009 Year 123 — Week 6— 0 Sections — 00 Pages — Published in Shelton, Washington — $1.00JournalShelton-Mason County
Start thinking about salmon.See page C-1
On theinside
Mason County Fair and rodeon Special section inside n Meet fair guru Brooke Ogg, B-1 n Rodeo preview, C-1
Kelly CootsMissing: Oct.11, 1971Status: Unsolved
Monique BurnettMissing: Dec.14, 1987Status: Solved
Tracy WestMissing: Oct. 20, 1988Status: Unsolved
Lindsey BaumMissing: June 26, 2009Status: Unsolved
Missing in Mason CountyParT one of a TWo-ParT SerieS
By KEVAN MOORE
Lindsey Baum didn’t get the chance to celebrate
her 11th birthday with her family this summer and
11-year-old Kelvin “Kelly” Coots’ 3-week-old sister
never got the chance to get to know her big brother.
Both Lindsey, who disappeared while on her way
home in the small town of McCleary on June 26 of this
year, and Kelly, who vanished in downtown Shelton
in the fall of 1971, remain missing to this day.
Baum’s case has grabbed national attention
in recent weeks, but Coots’ disappearance, along
with those of two other missing Shelton kids in the
intervening years, has haunted local residents for
decades.
Who killed Kelly Coots?
Mason County Sheriff Casey
Salisbury was only a couple of
years older than Coots when the
younger child disappeared and
Salisbury knows what it was like
to be a young person living in
Shelton at the time.
“I can remember that my
life changed forever after that
because we used to run around
all over the place around here
and that disappearance put the
kaibosh on that,” Salisbury said.
By JEFF GREENAfter a 26-year career with the
Shelton Post Office, Janice Paradise
is making her last rounds today.
A familiar face in downtown
Shelton, she’s taking an early
retirement offer.“It’s been one heck of a ride,”
Paradise said. “I’m going to miss the
customers. They’ve treated me quite
well.”She said she’s watched little ones
grow up and become adults during
her tenure with the post office.
“I’m not going to miss trucking
around in the snow,” she said. Last
winter was a tough one and she had
to climb over snow piles left by plows
downtown.She also won’t miss the cold, rainy
days when the rain blew sideways
and she got wet inside her postal
van.“I don’t know how many miles I
walked on the downtown streets,”
Paradise said. Whatever the total, it
was a lot as she faithfully delivered
letters, parcels and magazines to
patrons throughout downtown.
When she started on her current
route in 1995, most of her deliveries
required her to walk into businesses.
She got to know many people that
way. But gradually over the years,
the post office required firms to put
up delivery boxes outside their doors.
There are still a few walk-in
deliveries she makes to Olsen’s
Furniture, Hair Affair, the Town
Tavern and the Mason County
commissioners’ office. As for other
firms, there are times she has to go
in to get signatures for parcels and
certified mail.“She’s been one of the more
recognized characters. She’s had the
“It’s been one heck of a ride.”
Journal photo by Jeff Green
Janice Paradise waves goodbye to her postal customers after
a 26-year career.
Carrier pushes envelope, cancels career
By KEVAN MOORETestimony was fairly
sparse, yet critical, during a
public hearing held Monday
night on the City of Shelton’s
recent development
moratorium.Only four individuals
testified at the hearing,
but each of them expressed
concerns about the city’s
decision to enact the
emergency moratorium last
month.That move came after
months of closed-door
discussions amongst
staff and a string of
executive sessions amongst
commissioners concerning
the city’s 30-year-old sewer
system operating beyond its
capacity. By law, the city is
able to declare an emergency
moratorium without prior
public notice or testimony.
Monday’s meeting was
a chance to hold a “post-
adoption public hearing,”
which is also necessitated
by law within 60 days of
such a declaration. The
moratorium decision will
also need to be reviewed
again no later than a year
after going into effect
and could be reversed or
extended at any time.
Ben Pentecost, who owns
a construction company out
of Spanaway, was the first
person to testify. He told
commissioners about a large
development project on
Shelton Springs Road that
Residents critical ofmoratorium
By GREG SKINNERMason County commis-
sioners are still looking to
plug a large portion of a
$756,000 hole in the 2009
budget.That shortfall has been
absent from public discus-
sion for several weeks while
commissioners fought politi-
cally and other elected offi-
cials began the 2010 budget
process and some commis-
sioners were gone for travel.
The shortfall was deter-
mined during a June 8 com-
mission briefing.The 2009 budget resur-
faced Tuesday during a fi-
nance committee meeting
in which Treasurer Lisa
Frazier reminded the coun-
ty’s decision-makers that
$584,535 needed to be found
and cut or the money would
come from the “ending fund
balance,” which is also com-
monly known as whatever
amount is left over – if any.
County looking to plug the holeCommission has
yet to act on June
budget decision
Could this be the face of
a killer? Leroy James Hu-
dack, seen here in an un-
dated photo, confessed in
1987 to killing Kelly Coots,
according to documents found in a sheriff’s office
case file dealing with the
boy’s 1971 disappearance.
See County on page A-7
See Missing on page A-7
See Residents on page A-7See Carrier on page A-8
CompromiseA compromise was
reached on Mason Coun-
ty’s attempt to vacate a
section of Bourgault
Road to enhance a state
wetland mitigation proj-
ect and turn over the
land to the Skokomish
Tribe. A-3
off to warThey’re old friends,
serve in the Army to-
gether and now are pre-
paring for a one-year
deployment to Afghani-
stan. B-1
Dobson raiseIn April, John Dob-
son was hired as execu-
tive director of the Port
of Shelton. On Tuesday,
the Shelton port com-
missioners, happy with
his performance so far,
voted to give Dobson
a $5,000-a-year raise in
pay. A-5
Late chargeYears after being ar-
rested in an investiga-
tion into marijuana
grow operations by the
West Sound Narcotics
Enforcement Team, two
local men have finally
been charged. A-6
WarrantsWarrants were is-
sued for the following
people who failed to ap-
pear July 20 for proceed-
ings in Mason County
Superior Court: Jesse P.
Thomas, $5,000; Clifton
Allen Parker, $9,528.61;
Melissa Anne Rodgers,
$8,074.03; Donald Lee
Lagasa, $9,137.56; Eliza-
beth Krstich, $6,829.13;
Lisa M. Connors, $972.06;
Colt Kamuela Blackburn,
$25,696.31 and $989.57.
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
Births B-3
Classifieds D-3
Community Calendar B-2
Crossword D-6
Entertainment/Dining A-8
Journal of Record D-1
Obituaries A-2
Opinions, Letters A-4
Sports C-1
Tides C-5
Weather A-8
Special Sections:
Inserts:I n R e v i e wThursday, January 21, 2010
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
Thanks to all for your interest. As always,
we’ll welcome your letters in 2010.
Publisher
Page S-32 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, January 21, 2010
More costsA second deadline
topayaMasonCoun-ty Sheriff’s DeputiesGuild contract ap-proaches, and MasonCounty CommissionChair Ross Gallagh-er caught his fellowcommissioners offguard at the closeof Tuesday’s regu-lar meeting when heaskedthemtoactontheissue.A-7
HomelessBecoming homeless
islikefallingoffalog;it’stheeasiestthingintheworldtodo.A-3
ChallengesFew people know
what challengeseachhigh-schoolseniorhasovercome to finallywalk down the aisleat graduation andreceive their high-school diploma. Theobstacles can comeearlier for some, andin greater numbers,oftenbeforetheybe-come aware of whattheywantinlifeorofthe things they needtogetit.A-8
Somehow ableNorth Mason was
able to earn the winat home againstNorth Kitsap on Fri-day, 54-40, with helpof a third-quartercharge.C-5
Annexation TheBoardofMason
County Commission-ers (BOCC) Tuesdayscheduled a publichearing on the con-troversial annexationprocess started bytheboardof theBel-fairWaterDistrictlastmonth.A-2
Parking pay City officials are
standing by their de-cisiontofundapark-ing enforcement andanimal control offi-cer position throughAugust, amidst mas-sivebudgetshortfalls,even though the em-ployeewillbeoffthestreetsinApril.A-2