Wahkiakum County Port 1 Board of Commissioners discussed maintenance, rates, and more at their meeting last Thursday.

Maintenance Manager Todd Souvenir, who has been working on a project to install LED lighting in the storage units, recently received a second bid from Dynamic Energy Solution.

The project will take a little longer, but cost less, and create less of a hassle for customers, because the port will replace the lights themselves.

“It’s pretty crazy that you went from one company that was able to find $200 in rebates, to another company that knows the ins and outs of rebates and was able to get $2,800,” Souvenir said.

The new bid was approved, and Commissioner Brett Deaton offered the use of his own scaffolding to make the job a little easier.

Port Manager Jackie Lea suggested that the port discontinue the $35 charge for electricity in the small storage units.

“None of them ever use it,” she said, adding that they could charge a daily rate if necessary.

The commissioners agreed to the change in rate for the small units.

When rates were raised to $650 for RV spots near the barbecue, which include water, sewer, and electric, one customer who has been parked there for more than five years and had been paying $455, asked if she might only pay an additional $50.

There is a big demand for the location, Lea told the commissioners, and all the other customers parked in that location had already begun to pay the $650.

After some discussion, the commissioners agreed that the rate would stand at $650.

AA person in the community had approached the port asking if he might build a deck on top of some pilings near the fish cleaning station, Lea said.

“He wants to drive a truck out and load and unload something,” she said. “It would be a deck, not a dock, and they wouldn’t moor there. They would build it and we would lease that area to them.”

“Normally they would submit a written proposal,” Counsel Tim Hanigan said.

“Without a lot more information, I don’t have much interest,” Deaton said.

Lea said she would contact the individual and if interested they could discuss the matter at the next meeting.

"Now that the docks are paid off, I think we are in better shape to look at additional hours as far as some of the maintenance things we may not be keeping up with, especially in the summer time when we have all the extra work with the things that may be green and growing,” Commissioner Scott Anderson said. “We’ve done a good job of keeping up with everything, I’d like to get a little bit ahead of the game.”

Deaton suggested that everyone take a look at Docks B and C, saying, “I don’t think they are very far away from being replaced.”

Lea agreed, adding that Dock C might be okay, but needed new fingers.

The board closed the meeting for an executive session to discuss property acquisition and personnel review.

After returning, they approved a 5 percent increase to the port manager’s salary.

In other news, the three port commissioners agreed to waive compensation this year, and Anderson said he was willing to continue as the representative for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments.