The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Port District No. 2 administrators hope to be able to call for bids to construct Svensen Park next week.

Port Manager Steve McClain reported at the Tuesday meeting of Port 2 commissioners that consulting engineers are awaiting the permit for the park's septic system; once they have that, they'll be able to issue the call for bids, and that could come as early as next week.

That would mean the contract could be awarded in May, and work would start around June 1 on a project that has been in the works for over a decade.

The port district has acquired parcels on West Birnie Slough Road and has been preparing to construct a dock, boat ramp, parking lot and related facilities. Much of the wait occurred as the district awaited approval of state park and recreation funding which will cover a large part of the park cost.

Construction of the facilities on dry land would occur during the summer; the ramp and dock would be installed in November, when the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and other federal agencies feel construction activities will have the least impact on endangered fish species.

"The only thing could delay us is if the bids come in way over our funding," Commissioner Kayrene Gilbertsen cautioned Tuesday. The port may have to sell some of the West Sunny Sands property it owns to cover the higher costs, she said.

McClain added that he had received COE confirmation that the permit for in-water construction has been extended to end November 29.

"All our permitting issues are out of the way," he said.

In other business, Commissioner Carlton Appelo announced that Naselle businesswoman Lori Fanoni had announced that a boat ramp will be constructed on the east side of Deep River.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will construct the ramp on property leased from Fanoni.

Boaters have been without a ramp this winter following the closure of the privately owned Oneida Road ramp.

Port administrators continue to search for a replacement for retired Commissioner Kyle Gribskov, who didn't seek re-election.

Port Attorney Tim Hanigan said port commissioners have 90 days from the date Gribskov officially left office to fill the position. That starting date apparently was the date of the April 15 meeting.

If port commissioners can't fill the vacancy, the responsibility passes to the county board of commissioners.

Gribskov's district included the Skamokawa valleys and parts of the Elochoman and Grays River valleys.