Regular meetings of the VOICE are the third Monday of each month 7:00-8:30pm at Theler Community Center.

Next regular meeting

This is the NMCV annual meeting and election of officers for 2008.

04/12: NMCV Shindig. The SHINDIG was a resounding success! About 50 people attended the Shindig Saturday and the impression was that everyone had a great time. Judy Scott and her bluegrass band were fabulous! Everyone enjoyed the music and the meal. Shirley Aries' cake was delicious and, thanks to Linnie Griffin's mixer games, there was a lot of mingling and visiting. Even the kids looked like they were having fun! If you'd like to see some of the pictures from the evening, click here: Photos

04/21/2008: Promoter of Renaissance Faire has an audience at Voice meeting.
Ron Cleveland, promoter for the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire, spoke to a gathering of over 60 local residents at the April 21 North Mason Community Voice meeting. The Faire has leased acreage on Bear Creek-Dewatto Road just a mile up the hill from the intersection at Old Belfair Hwy.
Cleveland told the group the Renaissance Faire started 11 years ago and has expanded to become the largest theatrical and family-oriented event in Washington, with nearly 80,000 people attending over a 3-week period in August. The Faire has outgrown their current site near Purdy and, after much searching for a larger site, Cleveland believes the Bear Creek location will be ideal. He has worked out a lease agreement with option to buy with land owner, Pope Resources.
Cleveland initially presented his plan to the local chamber of commerce over a year ago, and has since been working with chamber representatives as well as various county offices. The general public only recently became aware of the project at a Community Voice meeting in March and in subsequent newspaper articles.
Cleveland explained to the group that long-term plans call for about 35 acres of active use, which would include a "living history" village, artisan shops and parking and camping areas, while keeping the land in a "natural" state (vegetation, forested areas, no paving). Any structures built would be in the style of the medieval times while still meeting county codes.
Before that can happen, however, Cleveland will need to maneuver through a maze of governmental obstacles. The current tax classification will need to be changed from forest land to a public event classification. The current Music Festivals regulations will need to be replaced with regulations for Temporary Outdoor Public Events. [The county has scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6 at 9:30 a.m. to consider the change.] The Faire would fall under that new regulation once it is approved. In addition there will be grading/excavation permits, tree-cutting permits, public health inspection, drainage and storm water control plans, geological site analysis and more. A site preparation permit has already been submitted for a proposed special event at 770 NE Holy Glen Shire Lane.
During the meeting, many residents expressed concerns about public safety, road congestion, road deterioration, noise and increasing year-round commercial activity in a rural environment. Many of the residents said they have lived in the area for generations because they want the isolation and solitude of forested rural life and are not eager to see such a high volume of people and vehicles brought into a rural area that has narrow, winding country roads.
Cleveland acknowledged these concerns. He doesn't know what impact there may be on increased traffic (estimates are about 3,500 additional vehicles per day on the Old Belfair Hwy during events). He believes the Faire can be a very positive addition to the North Mason Community and it will generate additional taxes, which would help pay for road improvements and maintenance.
"No one likes change," Cleveland said, "but every one of us has seen change." He added, "Please come to the site and walk and talk with me; I don't want to be a bad neighbor." [You can reach Ron Cleveland at RBCleveland@comcast.net]
By Mary Swoboda

05/19: Annual Meeting. The May 19 meeting will be the NMCV annual meeting. It will include election of Board directors to replace expiring terms and election of officers for the next year.
Current Board of Directors:
District 1: Margie Benson, Jim Clark (treasurer), Bev Wendell (past chair)
District 2: Ralph Lartz (public information officer)
District 3: Jacquelyn Mastel, Judy Scott, Lee Swoboda (vice chair)
District 4: Kaye Massie, Randy Neatherlin (chair), Brooke Quigley
District 5: Bruce Jackson (secretary)
Terms expiring this year: Ralph Lartz (District 2), Jacquelyn Mastel (District 3) and Brooke Quigley (District 4). They are eligible to run again.
Elected for a 2-year term in May 2007 were Bev Wendell, Lee Swoboda, Randy Neatherlin, Judy Scott, Margie Benson, Kaye Massie, Bruce Jackson and Jim Clark. Their terms expire May 2009.
Mr. Clark and Mr. Wendell have not yet renewed their membership for 2008. If they do not renew by the annual meeting, their positions will be open for election by others. (See Bylaws 3.8 Removal of Officers and Directors)

NMCV director districts. The NMCV districts are the same as NM School District director districts.
District 1 is roughly the north shore west of the Belfair-Tahuya Road encompassing the lakes areas north as far as Oak Patch Lake, Bennettsen Lake and west along the Burma Road.
District 2 is roughly the Lynch Cove, Larson Lake, Mission Creek areas.
District 3 is Belfair from about the bridge on SR 300, Old Belfair Hwy to Kitsap County Line and west along Bear Creek-Dewatto Road, encompassing Blacksmith Lake, Erickson Lake and Dewatto.
District 4 is roughly downtown Belfair and along the south shore to about Twanoh State Park.
District 5 is roughly from the SR 3/SR 302 intersection south through Allyn, encompassing Grapeview and Victor. Map

Web site. www.nmcommunityvoice.org

E-mail. nmcommunityvoice@yahoo.com

Discussion group. groups.yahoo.com/group/nmcommunityvoice/

Bylaws.

Minutes.