Port Opens Construction Bids

DAYTON - The Port of Columbia Commissioners opened bids for construction of Building 1 at Blue Mountain Station on April 5. Five bids were received, with a low bid of $1.098 million coming from Western States Construction, of Spokane.

According to Port Man- ager Jennie Dickinson, the Port had initially budgeted $900,000 for building con- struction, based on funding that had been committed to the project to date. She said that, with sales tax added to the low bid, the Port will need to raise an additional $280,000 to complete the job.

In 2011, the Port received a $750,000 appropriation from the Washington State Legislature for the first building at Blue Mountain Station. The Port committed $200,000 in matching funds, and has so far spent about $50,000 for architectural and other preliminary work.

"We knew we might have to seek additional funding once we saw the bids," Dickinson said. She pointed out that most buildings the Port has built were originally financed at least in part by loans or bonds.

At their regular meeting on Wednesday, the com- missioners heard a proposal from Banner Bank to issue general obligation bonds for up to $300,000 to complete the project. Income from Blue Mountain Station tenants would be used to pay off the bonds.

The board has scheduled a special meeting for April 25 at 2 p.m., to consider a supplemental budget to cover a new bond issue.

Dickinson said she hopes that the financing package can be completed by early May and that the construction contract can be awarded at the Port Commission's regular May 8 meeting.