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

Wahkiakum County Port 1 commissioners approved several bids for coming projects at their August meeting last Thursday, and heard some good news about sailing races planned for next year.

The biggest news came toward the end of the meeting when Port Manager Todd Souvenir said that the Willamette Sailing Club decided to move their annual Al Morris Memorial Regatta to Cathlamet.

The sailing races will take place in the Cathlamet Channel in early August 2024, and bring participants to the Elochoman Slough Marina to camp and launch their boats.

“Hopefully that draws a crowd,” Commissioner Scott Anderson said.

Aquatic spraying is scheduled at the marina this week to combat a resurgence of milfoil.

“It’s definitely something I think we need to plan on and budget for moving forward,” Souvenir said. “If not a spot treatment every year, a full treatment every other year. If we let it go, it’s going to come back just like it was a couple years ago. It definitely had a negative impact on the marina and our customers.”

Several projects are coming up, and commissioners spent most of their half hour together approving bids.

Souvenir wants to fill and hydroseed all the campsites at the marina, and believes the best time to do it is in September. He also suggested that with the success the port has had adding power and water to the river view sites and the dike, they should consider doing the same for the camp sites along Wesley Road.

Both projects were met with approval from the commissioners.

After considering three bids for the hydroseeding project, commissioners settled on the one from Cascade Hydroseed at $0.12 per square feet, for around 36,000 square feet.

Souvenir hopes to do this project along with some preparation for water and power in three phases, working around some standing reservations.

Commissioners accepted a $14,968.03 bid from Lakeside Industries to complete a paving project at County Line Park. A $10,000 grant from the Wahkiakum Marine Resources Committee will pay for most of the project and the balance will be split by the port and Wahkiakum County.

Subsea Marine, a local company, will replace wood on the fuel dock at the marina and add flotation to the heavier end of the structure after commissioners agreed to accept their bid of $10,167.69, which was half the amount a competitor proposed.

The port plans to add more cameras, and after considering three bids, the commissioners agreed to accept one from Marina Ware at $10,645.25. One of the new cameras will eventually be added to the port’s website for online viewing.

Souvenir said the port already completed a lot of work around the marina this summer, including repairing trim around the office and brewery, along with painting and caulking, repairing boards on docks, cleaning and repairing the grating on the commercial dock, and adding water to storage campsites.

Anderson praised the maintenance manager, Jerry Nakonsky, and his crew for all their hard work.

“Looks good,” Commissioner Brett Deaton said.

Commissioners also approved new River Mile 38 brewery and taproom leases, Souvenir’s attendance at a States Organization for Boating Access conference and agreed to move next month’s meeting forward to Wednesday, September 13.