To Say I Don’t Like…

The Mason County Planning Department is an understatement: Money Grubbing Scammers that they are.

Sunday, I went to the first session of church as I usually do. SWMBO said she’d be glad to go out to the property so I could show her what I’ve been doing out there so I got home, changed clothes and headed out. After a few hours she showed up and spent awhile looking around. She left and I closed up shop and followed her out.

I’d no sooner gotten home than our EcoTech called and said our Eco Report was ready to be picked up. He wanted me to drive to his place (about 2.5 hours away in Aberdeen) but I said there wasn’t any way I was going to leave my house at 1830 to drive to Aberdeen. So he said he’d meet me at Jimmy D’s in Belfair about 1930. Ok. I’ll do that even though I just got home from there. So I took off about 1915 and got to Jimmy D’s about a half hour later and, of course, our EcoTech wasn’t there (I expect him to be late) so I waited around awhile. Jimmy D’s closed at 2000 so I sat in the truck in the parking lot and our EcoTech showed up around 2010. We went to McDonalds and looked over the plans for awhile and I had to write another check for $500. Damn! Said he was sorry for not telling me the total price when we first met; I thought the $995 I paid earlier was the total cost. And I still owe him $395! Double Damn! Got home around 2200.

Got up to take the report to the Mason County Planning Dept this morning (after watching a CSI or two). Tedious drive. Got there and went inside to drop the report off but, of course, they have a NEW system to enter me into and that took some time. Then the lady says that I owe her $255. What?! "Yeah," She says. "We charge $255 to review the EcoTech report."

"Excuse me?" Says I. "You’re going to charge ME $255 to review a report that Y’all REQUIRED I hire an Eco Engineer to get?"

"Yep." Says she.

"Well," Says I. "You’re going to have to wait for it because I just spent $1800 on the Engineer and I just don’t have it."

"No problem." Says she. "We’ll attach a note that you’ll pay it when you come in to pick up your Building Permit."

Damn! Damn! Damn! I believe the MCBD has one of the worst (legal) SCAMS going that I’ve ever seen. I mean, they can require damn near ANYTHING then charge you to review the reports/results. I wonder why they don’t require that we wear shoes, then charge us for the "inspection" to see that we are? Not only do I hate (I mean HATE) the Mason County Building Department; I’m beginning to hate the people that work there. Assholes! Scammers!

And there is nothing we can do to fix the problem. As individuals, I mean. And if you don’t do everything they say you can kiss any building permit goodbye. They literally could tell you to drop to your knees and kiss their pale asses and you’d have to or not get your permit. And they will "nickel & dime" you to death. Except that I wish it were only nickels or dimes. Lowest thing I’ve paid for so far is this $255.

I don’t think I can deal with these people, or Mason County, anymore. I’m sick of their rules & regs and their reaching as deep into my pocket as they can get their grubby little hands. Most of their "Codes" are stupid and costly and designed to scam as much money out of us as they can possibly get and go way beyond Federal Codes. All in the name of "Our" safety, of course. Used to be you could go out and build yourself a house until the fuckin’ treehuggers got involved. But don’t get me started!

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