The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 p.m. on April 12, 2023, in the port’s conference room and on Zoom. Commissioners Genie Crowe, Johnny Watts, Seth Bryan, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, were present.

The commissioners discussed the Procurement and Public Works Policy to refine it before approval. Eventually, the commissioners decided to table the matter until the next meeting to have more time to study the issue.

Reporting on port facilities, Dickinson said Columbia County Public Transit (CCPT) asked to purchase the building they lease from the port, which was specifically built to house the business. No action from the commissioners was required at this meeting.

Dickinson reported the port was awarded a grant for $50,000 from the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) to do a feasibility study for the construction of the craft malt and grain cluster facility.

The director said the City of Dayton might soon request the use of the railroad right-of-way to put wastewater lines from Blue Mountain Station to the discharge point about three miles downstream. Dickinson said the Touchet Valley Broadband Project should be completed in September despite a shipping delay for the server/switching room backup batteries.

The commissioners approved a contract with Petrichor Broadband for design work for the future stage of the broadband initiative, connecting rural areas with broadband.

Three citizens spoke during the final public comment period, all expressing support for selling the railroad.

The regular meeting adjourned at 5:57 p.m. After a brief break, a workshop facilitated by Maul, Foster, and Alongi on the Comprehensive Plan began.

The workshop adjourned at 7:47 p.m.