POG Manager Report 2/23-3/1

POG Manager Report 2/23-3/1

+          Attended OPPA Legislative Committee to discuss where ports stand on various bills in Salem. The Port Commission alerted OPPA to SB303 and the association is opposing the bill after discussion. This is the bill that would restrict fishing within ½ mile of river mouths (except the Columbia). Two other bills regarding permitting wave energy sites are being “monitored” by OPPA as there are some ports that are interested in seeing that further developed.

+          Travelled to Washington DC with Commissioners Folkema and Browning on Monday, Feb. 25 for a full day of meetings on Tuesday. We flew back on Wednesday. I’ll further elaborate on the trip later in this report.

Oregon Business lobbyist, Ray Buchegar; Commission President, Val Folkema; Commission VP, Bob Browning at the National Building Museum which is located across from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters.

+          Fielded complaints regarding RV park customer. Talked to parties and hopefully communicating face-to-face will help things. The Port will continue to monitor the situation.

+          Responded to HHPR in some detail regarding their change order on the wharf project. Communicated to the Commission that this will be in front of them at their March 13^th meeting.

+          Reviewed Office Manager’s “safety and health” program edits for port employees.

+          Received email from Mary Sause apologizing that she will be unable to serve on the Budget Committee. She has served admirably during her several years of volunteering for the port and we hope her the best.

+          Monitored PNWA and FBB Federal Relations correspondence regarding the PNWA Mission to Washington. The “Mission” is hosted by PNWA and is a week-long lobbying effort by Pacific NW ports to tell their story to the USACE and elected officials on the Hill. The POG has not attended the conference due to cost issues, but we’ve donated locally grown and processed products from Tillamook County to the Mission as PNWA is a major advocacy association for Port projects.

+          Excellent phone meeting with Kate Groth, USACE, who visits POG annually. We’re scheduled to meet here on April 1^st to discuss projects that the USACE Portland District is considering for our area. Even though POG projects have been zeroed out of the President’s budget for a few years now, the Portland District continues to identify needs here. For example, the $600,000 engineering/survey work for the south jetty is one of the “packages” that the Portland District submits to headquarters in DC for consideration. This year, the Portland District is also submitting a $1.3MM repair to the root of the north jetty, $120k study of the morphology of the shoaling on Tillamook Bay (this was actually completed this last year), $120k for a CDI buoy for data collection and $250k for the study of an ocean disposal site. This last package is extremely interesting. One of the issues that the Port has discussed with the USCG and USACE is about dredging a 40-ft. “hole” in the shoal that would absorb the wave energy as it comes in. The idea is that when the building wave hits the hold, the bottom would fall out eliminating the crushing breakers. There’s also a thought that a small pit would allow for some natural scouring of the shoal as well. This effort would be a fraction of the cost compared to re-building the south jetty and could be done as a band-aid as it may be several years before funds are available for the rebuilding the south jetty. The biggest issue right now is that the USACE does not have an “ocean disposal site” for dispersing the dredge spoils. The Portland District sees a possible need down the road for this site. The Portland District is also identifying a need for eel grass mitigation for Tillamook Bay and Charleston (Coos Bay). This could be helpful for the Port as well as we look to renew our boat basin dredging permits this summer.

+          Received confirmation of our $22k reimbursement grant from IFA for work on the wharf project.

+          Conversation with EDA. They’re waiting for the reviewers to get back to the Program Manager for confirmation. No further requests of the port at this point.

+          Talked with staff regarding an OSMB grant application for re-building the launch float. Reached out to Jeff Folkema at the Garibaldi Marina and shared the plans with him for input. There was some talk about extending the launch, but with E dock so close it could be cause a problem. Even if we reconfigure E-dock it would still be pretty tight to extend the launch float.

+          The guys have been working hard to rebuild charter finger docks (about one a week). The barges near the launch are being used to put the docks in place. We’ll be moving the barges on the weekends out of the way to keep access clear for launch users.

+          Staff received reduced copier quote for budget consideration.

+          Received final paper back from Human Resource Management course. Shared paper (with professor’s comments to Commission).

+          Picked up City of Garibaldi Application for the Rezoning of Land. Wrote letter of clarification to the City on their process. Will review with Blair Smith and hope to discuss

 at next Commission meeting for further direction.

+          Received comments back from Bill Sargent regarding live-aboard enforcement. Will develop staff report for next board meeting. Dock staff is continuing to track liveaboards.

+          Received invitation to the 2^nd Annual Tillamook County Tourism Symposium for March 18^th. Port Commissioners should have received invitations as well via email.

+          Sent email to Mark Ellsworth about the Governor’s pool of $$ for regional solution team projects. He noted that the funds will be available by 2Q 2014 and that our wharf project is under consideration.

CALENDAR UPDATE NEXT WEEK

3/4      Garibaldi Tourism Commission Meeting

3/6      Budget Workshop @ 6pm

3/7      NOHA

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