DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners held their regular meeting at 5 PM, November 8, 2023, in the Port Office. Commissioners present were Genie Crowe, Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson.

During the first public comment period, four individuals supported Lyon’s Ferry Marina and the effort to maintain KOA membership by adding required pull-through sites.

Bryan objected to approving the last meeting’s agenda because its summary incorrectly characterized one of his statements as saying the breakwater at Lyon’s Ferry was sinking.

Bryan quoted from the meeting transcript saying, “What I found out is there’s a lot of other projects that will need attention, and this is putting bells and whistles and lipstick on something when we have certain parts of that facility that are rotting, you know, the bulkheads especially, the boat ramp, you know, the breakwater; these are all things that are going to need attention. If we keep pushing them down the road, one of these times it’s going to be, the breakwater sank or crumbled.”

The commissioners decided that approval of the last meeting’s minutes would be postponed until the next session.

There was no public comment on the 2024 budget during the public hearing.

The commissioners signed resolution 2023-24, not taking an annual increase to the tax levy. The resolution passed 2-1, with Crowe being the dissenting vote.

The commissioners passed the 2024 Capital Facilities Plan.

Dickinson was joined by Lyons Ferry Marina KOA owner and operator Joanne Knouf who presented a brief history of the concession at Lyon’s Ferry. Knouf explained why they depend on the KOA certification, saying that losing it would be a lose-lose situation. The concessionaire projected a $100K return on investment and an increase in-store sales of $90K from the new pull-through sites. Much of the meeting involved a general discussion of the condition of the Lyon’s Ferry Marina and Campground.

Dickinson said the craft malt study was almost completed.

Chris Herman has been invited to speak at the next Port meeting about grant possibilities for the railroad. Dickinson priced an appraisal of the railroad at $12,250, and the commissioners decided to proceed with an appraisal next year. The Fifth Street railroad crossing will be repaired soon.

Dickinson gave an update on the three broadband projects: Dayton Community, Touchet Valley (West from Dayton to Huntsville,) and extending to further rural areas. The first project has been completed, and service providers are still busy hooking up customers. The customer adoption rate in Dayton has already surpassed fifty percent. Dickinson discussed the possibility of extending broadband internet service to Starbuck and Washtucna.

The Commissioner discussed allowing housing on the Blue Mountain Station property in very general terms.

In the final comment period, Chuck Belany said he supported Lyon’s Ferry Marina but there were a lot of other projects that would be done before investing in new projects.

Dave Harvey responded that the revenue from the pull-through sites generates income, which could be used to make improvements in perpetuity.

The next meeting of the Port Commissioners is scheduled for 5 PM, December 13, 2023.