County Commissioners John Hutchings, Gary Edwards, Bud Blake
Photo credit: Steve Bloom, The Olympian


– Editor’s Note:
Septic fees to protect our water aquifer became a political pawn, and the issue of how this county protects our aquifer and water resources will have to be reexamined again during these Commissioners’ tenure, in this writer’s opinion.


– “Thurston County Commissioners tell septic system owners to keep their $10”
The Thurston County Commissioners, in their role as the Board of Health, unanimously voted 3-0 Tuesday night to repeal a controversial $10 fee that would have affected about 42,000 property owners with septic systems.

State law requires the county to implement a plan for management of on-site sewage systems. Last fall, the Board of Health adopted the Thurston County On-Site Sewage System Management Plan Update. In December, the Board of Health passed an ordinance that created an annual $10 fee for most septic owners, with the support of now-retired Democratic commissioners Cathy Wolfe and Sandra Romero.

Board of Health and Board of County Commissioners chairman Bud Blake voted against the fee, and his two new seatmates, Commissioners John Hutchings and Gary Edwards, campaigned against it,”
by Lisa Pemberton, The Olympian.
Read more