Belfair Will Never Grow.

So it seems that one more attempt to bring revenue to our area has been forfeited. In the recent past the Northern Mason County area has drawn a bold line underneath its desire to stay remote. Now it seems Belfair may pay for its mistakes.

We live and work in this beautiful area at the southern most tip of the Hood Canal. Golf courses, activity trails, fishing, and a small town called Belfair. Not too long ago the presentation of a NASCAR facility was in planning to be built only a few miles from this town and that plan was not supported by its community. Then last year, there was a very successful revenue creating seasonal business that was underway to find a perminent location in our home area, and that too was rallied out of our town. We as a community have now madea third revenue creating error... that of the fallen project to incorporate the Gig Harbor Sportsman's Club shooting range in our county. We have argued so far beyond the practical means of a growing town that the highly desiredHighway Bypass no longer has a projection for completion (in fact the studies have been going on now for relatively 12+ years) and please don't forget the urban utilities that are required for our UGA, such as the water system and Sewer. It seems that adequate water is now available, but wait we don't have the revenue to upgrade the system to provide many more large commercial buildings or high density housing units.

To add to the fiasco, the topography of Belfair is such that the UGA (urban Growth Area) is mostly Wetlands, Steep Slopes, and areas that will not be accessed by utilities (like sewer) until the third addition to our sewer system is installed. Did I forget to mention that the construction of the 1st part of the sewer system has not begun? http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/MasonCounty?q=mason+county+UGA

Belfair is my home www.northmasonchamber.com. This town has been a wonderful getaway since its beginning and will continue to be as long as we support its growth. In saying such we need to gather as a community and find ways to bring in the revenue creating businesses to out area. Perhaps the original locations are the issues surrounding the the protests, but I hope we all understand the ramifications of continually turning down business growth in our town. The North Mason School District is working to pass one of the most important bond/levy proposals it has ever faced. Our schools are not nice. The school buildings are in terrible physical condition, outdated, drastically outside the power consumption code and are not a good environment to teach students to be proud of their school system. The funding however is feared by our community. Not only by the homeowners but by the local small business owners. I know first hand how drastic our financial tax burden is. I owned a food service business in Belfair for nearly 10 years and our taxes total led nearly 30% of our gross income in 2007. The major reason for this tax drain is the lack of large income producing businesses in the Northern Mason County area. And to add the tax need of a new school is cumbersome.

So answers please..... It seems simple... And yet impossible. Gotta fix our UGA. Gotta fix our Utility Services. Gotta help support and direct businesses desiring to be a contributor to our community. Gotta create the desire for our town be better not just bigger. Lastly, support the ambition that our community members have when proposing additions to our town. Perhaps propose alternative locations or direction but never turn away from change. Be a part of what will make our area better.