The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON- The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their monthly meeting Wednesday, January 12, 2022. The meeting was held virtually on Zoom. Two commissioners, Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts logged onto Zoom from the Port conference room. The third commissioner, Genie Crowe, attended remotely.

The Zoom meeting was attended by over 40 community members.

Executive Director Jenny Dickinson said she had sworn in new commissioners, Seth Bryan and Johnny Watts, before the meeting. Dickinson explained that rules mandate a board secretary be appointed. Watts volunteered to act as secretary and was accepted by the commissioners.

Genie Crowe moved to accept the minutes of the last meeting, and the commissioners so adopted them.

Ms. Dickinson reviewed the annual and monthly budget reports, with no unusual items to report.

Since two commissioners are new and the third had only served for two months, Dickinson recommended training. All commissioners agreed training workshops might be best. Watts suggested the first workshop be a general overview of upcoming topics. The board scheduled the first workshop for Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 5 p.m.

Next, the board discussed Port policies. The commissioners wanted time to review and make any changes to the policies. Watts requested a change in the cell phone policy in advance of the review. He asked for a port-provided cell phone to keep port business separate from personal and professional usage.

Board Chairperson Crowe wondered if the decision to provide a phone was fiscally responsible since he might receive as few as one call a month on Port business. Watts said he expected to use the cell phone more than that using it for both phone calls and e-mail. The board decided to table the matter until at least a month’s worth of data on his cellular use could be collected.

Jennie Dickinson stated the Port is legally required to have a Capital Facilities Plan. This plan prioritizes projects but does not obligate the Port to implement them. She said the plan is updated annually.

Currently the plan includes the broadband project and the breakwater at Lyons Ferry. Dickinson said pull-through sites for RV camping at Lyons Ferry, costing about $100,000, should be added.

Recommendations from a railroad engineering firm, increased the cost for improvements to the rail from two million dollars to thirty million dollars. The increased cost includes updating the line to a heavy-gauge rail; it would modernize it, though is not necessary for the railroad to keep operating.

Dickinson called the Capital Facilities Plan “the ultimate wish list.” She expressed hope that the new federal infrastructure bill may help fund some rail improvements. The Capital Facilities Plan changes passed unanimously.

Commissioners expressed a desire to move to a hybrid format for future meetings via Zoom and in person. Bryan moved to go to the hybrid format beginning with the February meeting. The motion was not seconded after the other commissioners expressed the need to study the current course of the pandemic. The format will remain virtual via Zoom.

Reporting on Port assets, the Executive Director asked for approval to accept Gillespie Roofing's low bid for $34,775 to replace the roof on office building number three. The commissioners accepted the bid unanimously.

Dickinson said the Lyon’s Ferry concessionaire had purchased two Conestoga wagons. Photos and rates for the new wagons are under Reservations at their website, lyonsferrykoa.com.

Discussing the broadband project, Dickinson said the project began in February 2019. It is an infrastructure project to allow Internet Service Providers (ISP) leases to strands of fiber from the Port. Lease revenue will maintain and operate the system. The ISPs, not the Port, provide customer service. Two ISPs, Emerge from Inland Cellular and Columbia iConnect, have signed contingency agreements to provide service.

Executive Director invited two guests, Joe Poire, a past Executive Director of the Port of Whitman and an expert on fiber installations, and Kara Riebold, the new Executive Director of the Port of Whitman to participate at the meeting.

Riebold spoke on behalf of Petrichor Broadband, a municipal corporation formed by six port districts, Whitman, Kalama, Ridgefield, Bellingham, Skagit County, and Pasco. Petrichor Broadband conducts feasibility studies, design work, and management of fiber installations.

The Port had budgeted $75,000 for an interlocal agreement with Petrichor. The cost for this agreement requires board approval.

After reviewing the contract and Request for Proposals (RFP) received from various engineering firms, Bryan said there may be overlapping products between the two.

Riebold said Petrichor Broadband would provide an extra set of eyes to ensure all potential customers can have service and that homes requiring underground drops are appropriately connected. Petrichor also provides a fiber mapping system that none of the engineering firms will do. This mapping system is essential for an ISP to provide service.

The motion to accept the interlocal agreement with Petrichor passed 3-0

The board also unanimously approved a contract with Zero dB Communications, Spokane, to conduct engineering design work for the Broadband Project.

There were no updates to the trail project or the childcare facility.

The commissioners went into executive session concerning real estate before adjourning the meeting.