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

by Diana Zimmerman

Last Thursday, Port 1 commissioners took action on several items and discussed various concerns during their February meeting. In a nod to earlier business, Commissioner Bob Kizziar shared that an apron had been created for dock B per County Commissioner and fisherman Mike Backman’s request.

“That’s good,” Commissioner Gary Quigley said. “It didn’t cost much and should keep those guys from squealing. It was a problem.”

Port Manager Jackie Lea gave an update on the project to relocate the RV dump.

“The town has graciously brought the sewer line all the way to the fence line,” Lea said. “They need to get kudos for that. All we have to do is directly hook right on to their existing sewer line that they put in for us. The port is sharing the cost with the town for that. If we’d had to excavate all the way thru to that and lay pipe, it would have been much more than that.”

The commissioners then voted to accept James Trott’s bid for time and material to complete their project to the relocate the RV dump.

Commissioner Bob Kizziar asked his colleagues if they would be open to him approaching the Town and asking them to vacate Beal Street from 2nd west to 3rd. They approved.

The commissioners passed Resolution 2015-02, which defines and authorizes the power the commissioners grant to the manager of the port.

“Washington Public Ports Association suggested that we have it,” Tim Hanigan, counsel for Port 1 said. “It basically outlines what powers your delegating to the manager. It’s pretty much what we’ve been doing in the past, just formalizing it.”

Lea said that some customers had approached her about dry sailing.

“We’ve had customers that sail later on in the summer and fall and they don’t want to have to drop their masts and put them back up every time,” she said. “They’ll spend hours in the parking lot putting that sail back up. Normally they’d go in the rock pit, but they can’t because of power lines. We want to set a rate where they can put their sail boats over by the fence and keep their masts up.”

“I think that would bring a lot more customers in,” Kizziar said, “so I’m for it.”

For the time being, the commissioners set the rate for sailboats that are 21 feet and under, on trailer during the off season for $45 a month when there is space available.

“They can’t come during spring season,” Lea said. “They can’t get in the way. We don’t have the room.”

Lea brought up another item on the agenda, complaints that fish buyers weren’t being charged a fee.

“If you are going over a city dock they charge you 25 cents a pound. If we had a facility, but we don’t,” Quigley said. “Why don’t we charge them space?”

The commissioners discussed the issue at length and decided to table it for the next meeting.

The commissioners closed the meeting for an executive session to discuss personnel and potential litigation.

The next Port 1 meeting is scheduled for March 12 in the Marina Office.