[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6104259,"mediaKeyId","2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74","parentId",2791752,"title","Council briefed on multi‑year budget forecast; transportation benefit district renewal targeted for 2025–2026 ballots","audioSeconds",3757,"startMs",2151000,"endMs",5908000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74&start=2151&end=5908","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74/thumbnail_2151000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6104259/Shelton/Mason-County/Washington/Council-briefed-on-multiyear-budget-forecast-transportation-benefit-district-renewal-targeted-for-20252026-ballots","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104259-97da4497ab5eb2e80fc998aaaf0b9097/orig.mp4?Expires=1775227687&Signature=VnW6Gx-GESwLhY9Hd4zOzcSQLEIYc9V3LHOUQ75cF13NEtT3MXeugjJ3vsY7t4aHUA60Aif2fv1f3nEGuRNbAjopfDVZ5gxv6Zd9vfp218G3-76xyzPaaiEW-VkVnSsEj~ptTKzgUYa2kCVsvSAkRD-kAHWJA8IMzNBaJ-WudEM-BJt7eu6Cis1j5-nUf44cuPYaCtevxS~gVWzRsHuKyVzJgc4fdu56p9gaYl5bR~nFTaZXnRqcarnk8vaLVfT84fuJVvSrfz0-brL9DZsMcy1QJzDnJZMNLDk9VF2ZSRRmzU-g9vVNuyx9xmJK-4bbOh7TVrOUk9-pFtGirZRHYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Shelton City, WA","date","2025-03-27T10:42:34.937Z","article","Finance Director Mike Niddens and city staff told the Shelton City Council at its March 25 study session that a three‑year forecast shows the city using a portion of its unreserved general‑fund balance to cover recurring expenditures and that the practice is unsustainable without new revenues or service reductions.

\"I live in it every day. You all don't,\" Finance Director Mike Niddens said as he reviewed revenue and expenditure trends and stressed the importance of early planning for the 2026 budget cycle.

Niddens said the city budgeted to use unreserved fund balance in 2025. Under a scenario where spending is only partly underspent, staff showed an illustrative use of $943,000 of reserves in 2025 versus a higher estimate of $1,100,000 in a more conservative scenario, with a remaining cushion that would be largely exhausted by 2027 if no corrective actions are taken. He told council that even modest new residential development (an example of 50 occupied homes) would add only roughly $258,000 in combined property, sales and utility tax revenue and would not materially close the 2027 shortfall.

City staff emphasized that about 45% of general fund spending is public safety and that council members were reluctant to cut police staffing. Niddens and other staff presented options to extend or replace existing dedicated revenue, including renewing the city's Transportation Benefit District (TBD) sales tax (currently two‑tenths of 1 percent) when it expires in April 2026, increasing the TBD to three‑tenths of 1 percent (discussed as an option but council signaled preference to keep the existing rate), or pursuing a $20 vehicle license (tab) fee that the city could adopt council‑manically under state law.

Staff said the TBD renewal timeline poses scheduling choices: to place the renewal on the August 5, 2025, ballot the council would need a resolution certified to the county auditor by May 2; placing it on the November ballot would follow a different schedule. Several council members expressed a preference for running a TBD renewal in November rather than August to avoid ballot conflicts and to allow better preparation. Staff said the current TBD collections support paving, chip seal and other street maintenance projects and are used to leverage state grants (Transportation Improvement Board and other grant programs) for larger projects.

Staff also described other revenue tools and constraints discussed in the presentation: the statutory procedure for a $20 vehicle license fee (estimated by staff at about $100,000 annually if roughly 5,000 vehicles are registered in city limits), and the possibility of dedicating recently created enterprise funds to reduce lease and vehicle payments in the general fund. Staff said they will prepare draft resolutions and additional material for council consideration; council directed staff to prepare language and return with an item for council action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Study Session - March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Finance Director Mike Niddens and city staff told the Shelton City Council at its March 25 study session that a three‑year forecast shows the city using a portion of its unreserved general‑fund balance to cover recurring expenditures and that the practice is unsustainable without new revenues or service reductions.","taxTitle","Shelton, Mason County, Washington","taxId",56703,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6104264,"Shelton police chief presents 2024 annual report showing lower-than-budget spending, steady calls and increased citations",1032,1159000,2191000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74&start=1159&end=2191","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74/thumbnail_1159000.jpg","/articles/6104264/Shelton/Mason-County/Washington/Shelton-police-chief-presents-2024-annual-report-showing-lower-than-budget-spending-steady-calls-and-increased-citations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104264-84f7e62586e36e722bb119e5be146240/orig.mp4?Expires=1775227687&Signature=g~UzoHWoNmxSXqeVGd5WnQ53kaQlbX7qe26kdeCvUZ1FZtH0cIPiISm06x7kQRqGBPwHLgG1hBXHXMmtIVf1QCbMBMrM6kWpl-Bta~jcwb1T8bQfASVPAAds24uPcfr4I0JkswSCAt1tx-B50SATVSFbH9r3sXyGAORbFu~y23C6V2kPI6S7-NgTKS7tgmry3xUUzPxn2aS-g2jTyePkTq53euj8eqYpKnn6602B3Y4edT8zVzEcip~cJvPB8zpI7vw~gsXvuKWKKIJ4SDpIgKrrW1hqc3YzhHl23EWR-86IRhCFijXuMVXUOpgbS9gYeytyqzNR1dy5ZZpbCygiww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Police Chief Chris Costad told the Shelton City Council at its March 25 study session that the Shelton Police Department ended its 2024 budget year roughly $250,000 under its $4,100,000 appropriation, a shortfall the chief said was mainly attributable to staffing vacancies and reduced overtime.

\"Last year, we had 12,588 calls for service,\" Police Chief Chris Costad said as he reviewed the department's annual statistics, and he noted that 465 of those were 911 calls. He also reported 645 arrests in 2024, up from 520 in 2023, and 637 citations issued in 2024 versus 364 the prior year.

The chief framed the budget and operational numbers together: the under‑spend came in part from open positions and lower overtime, and he said the department closed the year with 17 commissioned officers and two employee leads. Costad discussed recent recruitment and promotions, including three officers promoted to corporal to provide additional frontline supervision.

Costad described investigative and specialty units' activity last year: the detectives handled follow‑up on major crimes, detectives investigated an internet‑child‑exploitation matter in cooperation with a regional task force, and the department participated in a multi‑agency SWAT team and a canine program. He said one K‑9 will retire this year and replacements are being trained by Sergeant Diaz.

The department reported a modest increase in burglaries but no homicides in 2024. Costad also highlighted several community‑oriented incidents and awards, including a lifesaving CPR response by Officer Walton. He described community outreach efforts such as the Citizens Academy and National Night Out.

Costad itemized grants and donations the department received: about $20,400 from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority to help buy cameras, a later additional $65,000 referenced by the chief, $1,607 from Sierra Pacific Industries for transport/wrap equipment, $41,000 from CJTC for reaccreditation, and a Department of Justice award for ballistic vests (amount reported by the chief). He said the department received more than $148,000 in grants and donations during the year.

On internal oversight, Costad presented the department's professional‑standards summary: four citizen/internal complaints in 2024 (two not sustained, one sustained and one incomplete), 21 uses of force and five vehicle pursuits in the year. He said most pursuits were discontinued by officers when continuing was judged too risky and that the department is monitoring racial/ethnic citation trends noted in the data.

Costad emphasized ongoing training: defensive tactics, less‑lethal and de‑escalation refreshers, internet‑based child‑exploitation training through a regional program, and annual training requirements for SWAT and K‑9 handlers.

Council members who spoke after the presentation praised the department's community interactions and professionalism. No formal council action followed the report; the presentation was provided for information and follow‑up questions.

The chief and staff supplied the council with the annual report and said they would bring forward lifesaving‑award documentation and further detail on grants when available.","Police Chief Chris Costad told the Shelton City Council study session that the department finished 2024 about $250,000 under its $4.1 million budget, reported roughly 12,588 calls for service and saw higher arrests and citations compared with 2023; he also summarized staffing, training, grants and professional-standards figures.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6104255,"Council hears public‑health and safety updates: measles watch, restaurant closure appeal and staff active‑shooter training",175,2895000,3070000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74&start=2895&end=3070","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2791752-225e68a21a0fe4d3fa21dccb4e667d74/thumbnail_2895000.jpg","/articles/6104255/Shelton/Mason-County/Washington/Council-hears-publichealth-and-safety-updates-measles-watch-restaurant-closure-appeal-and-staff-activeshooter-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104255-31de70720a7d668477fd98165f21efb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775227687&Signature=PZkA2PH8EOhx~P8kMcNnfHhhOcpfHCXZuxWonnRNr-gRJvX6gUDuzB02AbaF6-OQsVdC8G1EIgn1eyvEpzZw3DRQxE9o2IoFpo~fiYZ4F1I4wNdafuasqOq2bNm25vC628e3Hw7QC0i8jSbL1iGmUiPHahD4KULRQtacvzMzgOWO49NNo~HIRUPr4VIzfY3D6jCCSyv7CfQ-fzCvNUojsaqf4ZrymmeHehdoyGHrIInWDKHS4hlWUEVsfW8hWalf6FvPNvPzRTtk4QE2WkuuF3RPRFcBTf~QG-~sL98t6U0NsDNBPMv2KWFokoHD2CuwJNtnmZ~5lUMSr~yulpwQcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the March 25 Shelton City Council study session council members reported recent local public‑health and safety matters, including an advisement about measles activity in the region and a health‑department closure and appeal involving a local eatery.

A council member said measles cases are reappearing in the region and advised diligence, especially for children in schools. The council member said more information would be provided at the next meeting.

Council members also reported that the Happy Garden restaurant in Mason County had been closed by the local health department approximately a month earlier for multiple violations; the restaurateur appealed the closure during a recent health‑board meeting. The health board recommended the operator complete required food‑safety management training and correct identified violations before reopening; the council member said the board's action was unusually severe and that the restaurant must take courses and pass a reinspection to reopen.

Separately, council members thanked police and city staff for providing active‑threat/active‑shooter training for city employees. The training was described as prompting follow‑up discussion about building security, door locking and alarm options to better protect staff and visitors. No formal council action was taken; the items were presented for information and follow up by staff.","Council members reported a regional uptick in measles, noted a local restaurant (Happy Garden) was closed by the health department and appealed, and attendees described an active‑threat training session the city recently held for staff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council briefed on multi‑year budget forecast; transportation benefit district renewal targeted for 2025–2026 ballots

Shelton police chief presents 2024 annual report showing lower-than-budget spending, steady calls and increased citations

Council hears public‑health and safety updates: measles watch, restaurant closure appeal and staff active‑shooter training