POG Manager Report 6/15-28
+ Meeting
with Scott Keillor to begin negotiating Vision Plan contract.
+ Comm.
Barnett attended City Council meeting to answer questions regarding loading
zone on Mooring Basin Dr. Followed up with city staff to confirm council decision.
City staff will be working with port staff to finalize the sign and agree on
financial/time responsibilities.
+ Met
with Comm. Folkema and Daniels to discuss things to address with EDA PM, Stan
Good, when he visited on Tuesday. It was a great meeting that gave the Port an
opportunity to show EDA the project and to discuss various contracting and
administrative tasks. Ken Valentine, the port’s engineer, was also in
attendance. The Port Commission voted at their meeting on the 12th
to pursue a Design/Bid/Build process, primarily to get work done in this year’s
in-water work period. EDA affirmed that the port can’t simply grant the
engineering work to Ken Valentine’s firm (HHPR) which would have saved
considerable time. Stan did say that the Port could simply pay HHPR out of port
funds (not reimbursable by EDA) that could speed up the work. I asked Ken to
develop a proposal that the Port Commission can consider for finalizing the
design, which could speed up the construction timeline. We will also be looking
to issue a smaller contract (reimbursable by EDA) to demolish the three
buildings at the end of the wharf and perhaps a good majority of the decking
during August. This would greatly help the construction team get a jump on the
pile removal in early November. HHPR would also be creating an RFP for the
project management contract (representing the port to the contractor). The port
will also need to identify relocation needs of tenants and current users to
alleviate issues related to the construction. Overall it was a very good couple
of days and I think there is a clear path toward getting in-water work started
in November. Commissioners Daniels and Folkema have been very helpful in
showing a unified front and support for this project.
+ Conversation
with David Olson (port’s maintenance manager) and Toby Taylor (boatwash
builder) prepping for the Port’s rezone hearing in front of the city planning
commission on Monday. This is the first step in helping Blair Smith begin
building a boat wash on port property. Also, issued a press release on our
website (and to the media) showing the plot plan and elevation drawings for the
proposed facility. Assuming the re-zone gets PC approval, the port commission
can review and approve Smith’s plans and agree to lease terms at their July 10th
meeting. Wrote letter to Smith stating everything that the Port will need to
get a lease option ready for review.
+ Conducted
staff meeting Wednesday morning. Welcome Dakota Trottier back to the port for
summer work. Dakota worked for us last year and demonstrated a wonderful work
ethic that we were excited to bring back.
+ Meeting
with RV park architect to begin finalizing details of the shower/bath facility
in the RV park. Will be looking to finalize plans so that we can issue an RFP
for building the new structure this fall/winter.
+ Conversation
with Mark Freeman, OBDD, about the state’s interest in funding low use port
dredging. OBDD feels that the port’s moorage rates are low (!) and that the
port might have a better case for dredging grants if it can show that the users
are contributing to dredging reserves. The Port has been pretty steady in
increasing moorage rates 3% annually, but that covers increases in operations
and hasn’t included any set asides for dredging reserves. The Port’s budget
committee has, for at least the last four years, been setting some timber sale
proceeds into a dredging reserve. We’ll be looking to use $40k this next fiscal
year to begin the permitting process. Traditionally the port has dredged its boat
basin every five to ten years. The last dredge was in 2007 (when 30k cy was
removed during the harbor remodel), so we’ll need to get ready to dredge before
2017. Commissioners have mentioned recently that they have received reports of
the harbor slowly starting to fill in. Have begun to receive interest from
consultants interested in helping the port with its permitting effort.
+ Discussion
with a local real estate agent about interest in developing the port’s 7.5 acre
dredge disposal site off of Jerry Creasy Way. There has been a lot of interest
in seeing that land developed every since the port has received the USACE
in-water disposal permit for the spoils. However, earlier this year, during the
USACE’s annual visit to Garibaldi, it was noted that the feds fear
proliferation of eel grass in the federal channel which could ultimately close
down the use of in-water disposal. If that were to happen, the port would need
to consider an alternative for keeping the boat basin a viable harbor. An
alternative could be pumping the spoils through a pipe that would extend all
the way to Kincheloe Point at the end of the Bayocean Spit. (The county has a
dredge disposal site there.) I called Vern Scovell in Nehalem and will be
sending him a letter asking for him to estimate the costs of disposing of
dredge material on the port’s 7 acres site versus on the spit. This analysis
should be greatly considered by the Port Commission in how it proceeds with the
7 acre site. As Mike Ott with the USACE says, “don’t get rid of any of your
upland disposal sites if you can help it.” More to come.
+ Formally
sent a $12,500 grant application to DLCD Coastal Zone Management local
government program toward funding the port’s vision planning effort. Have not
heard when the port will receive an answer.
+ Received
information from Ray Buchegar, the state’s lobbyist in DC, regarding the WRDA
bill. Ray followed up with Zach Stokes in Sen. Wyden’s office on our visit to
DC in February when we discussed issues brought up by the coast guard. I expressed
our sincere support and appreciation that Ray and had remembered this and
reinforced the issue as part of the WRDA legislation. (WRDA is the legislation
that funds Corps maintenance projects.)
+ Conversation
with Assessor’s Office regarding taxes generated off the car wash project. It
would generate approximately $8500 + 3% annually to the urban renewal district.
Shared information with city.
+ Received
suggested insurance certificate limits from our carrier. Shared information
with our attorney to recommend the best way for recording the limits and
sharing with our tenants. Unfortunately, learned that Bill Sargent has been in
the hospital and it may take a bit for him to respond. Had Jessi send flowers
to Bill at TCGH from commission and staff.
+ Exploring
costs related to minting Port “challenge coins”. These would be used by the
Port as gifts to dignitaries or could also be used as a way to bring tourists
into the port district. The idea being to require interested parties to prove
that they’ve visited ‘x’ number of sites (i.e. businesses, docks, Lumberman’s
park, etc.) and once they’ve proved it, they’d earn the challenge coin. A
number of municipalities have used this as marketing tool and a way to get
people to explore unique part of their town.
+ Fielded
several calls on wharf related contracts from consultants. Could be a good time
to go out to bid
+ Maintenance
Manager will coordinate building inspection for apartment building for July 1st.
+ Wrote
and sent letter to Mautners summarizing port’s needs in developing a new lease.
Letter will be in commission packet and I did call her in advance to review
points. (It’s actually a generic letter but they’ve been pretty involved with
the property management resolution that I didn’t want her to get blind-sided.)
+ Talked
to Columbia Bank about interim financing. Since EDA and CO grants are pretty
quick reimbursing invoices, the port doesn’t have as much a need for interim
financing. It’s nice that we have a contact as the Port may need to take a more
traditional loan out for the RV park upgrades since most of those budgeted
reserves will be going toward the wharf project.
+ Received
word that the Port's $90k grant application for replacing the boat launch is
being recommended for approval by OSMB staff (of the 25 applications being
recommended for award, ours ranked #4!) Jessi (office manager) did most of the
application (Sorry, can't take credit for this one!) and Dave will be
representing the port at the meeting in Salem next Tuesday. Congratulations to
Jessi for her awesome work! We are fortunate to have her.
+ Supported OPPA letter supporting WRDA
set aside for low use ports. Letter went out this week to DC.
+ Conversation regarding road right of
ways at the port. My belief is that the section of American between So. 7th and
So. 6th is owned by the Port, since on all tax maps the area where the road
should be is still part of the leased parcel (mill lot and car wash). That
section was never dedicated to the city or county. I have learned that a
dedicated public Right of Way (i.e. it shows up as a road on the tax map) does
not have to be owned by a city or a county. Hence, So. 6th, Biak Ave. and the
portion of American Ave. between So. 6th and Lumberman's are all shown on tax
maps as public ROWs (along with So. Seventh, Mooring Basin Rd. and Commercial
Ave.) However, I did find an old resolution from the City (80s) applying for an
ODOT grant for the portion of American from So. Third to So. Sixth. In theory,
ODOT will only grant $$ to a city to pave a city road, so I think everything to
the east is owned by the City.
+ Reviewing old minutes and noticed that
DEQ still hasn’t solved the problem of noticing landowners when a tenant is
about to allow a discharge permit to expire. Emailed NW director and cc’d OPPA
ED to see if we can get some movement on this old issue.
+ I’ll be checking emails and texts
periodically during my vacation. Thanks for letting me get away for a bit! See
you July 1!
CALENDAR UPDATE NEXT WEEK
6/20-28 Kevin’s on Vacation
6/22 June
Dairy Parade
6/24 Planning
Commission Hearing (Rezone)
6/25 OSMB
Meeting in Salem
6/26 Val’s
Birthday
6/30 ConnectOregon
report due
7/4 Chris
Millers’ Birthday
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