Manila Bay Café Moves to Blue Mountain Station

DAYTON-At the end of this month, the Manila Bay Café is moving from its present location on Main St., to Suite B at the Blue Mountain Station.

Restaurant owner Jonathan Betts told Port officials he would like to be open for business on December 27 or 28. The café will serve breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, from noon - 1 pm. The Manila Bay Café is available for catering as well.

"I'm excited about the opportunity. I appreciate the chance," Betts said.

Betts signed a one year lease with the Port while at the meeting.

Lyons Ferry Marina

"The Lyons Ferry Marina ice damage repair is complete," Port Manager Jennie Dickinson told the Port of Columbia commissioners at their December meeting.

Dickinson said FEMA is willing to cover some of the work and may require additional work be done to mitigate future damage.

"I will turn in all invoices to FEMA for that. We'll see what happens," she said.

She said FEMA will also provide around $75,000 to repair the breakwater, which has sustained considerable winter damage.

Dickinson said the transition at the Lyons Ferry Marina, from concessionaires Jim and Angela McArthur to Steve Klonz is going well.

"He is a big thinker. He has lots of ideas," she said of Klonz.

"He wants people to walk on the site next year and be able to see a change," she said.

Dickinson provided the commissioners with two preliminary drawings from consulting firm Reid/ Middleton for the Lyons Ferry Marina Master Facilities Plan.

The plan has received extensive input from Steve Klonz, Dickinson said.

The commissioners noted that phases of development will take place over a long period of time.

"I think they've done a nice job," said Chairman Earle Marvin about the blueprint.

Dickinson said, "Things can change as we go. It's a good blueprint."

The goal is to have the plan ready to go after grants, in 2018, she said.

Dickinson said she and Klonz will now begin working on the Annual Management Plan as required by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Columbia Walla Walla Shortline Railroad

Dickinson said there are mixed results for the Columbia Walla Walla Shortline Railroad.

She said Frontier Rail Commercial Director Paul Didelius told her there needs to be more commercial use of the rails. Seneca won't be shipping seed until April of next year and Northwest Grain Growers has barely shipped 100 cars this year, she said.

She said the train has derailed three times; twice on Watco's line from Prescott to Walla Walla and once near Waitsburg because of inferior rails and ties.

Wastewater Treatment

Dickinson said a big concern for the county's continued economic development success, is that the Department of Ecology has said no new nondomestic uses can hook up to the city's wastewater treatment plan without a discharge permit.

Dickinson said she can't tell companies, with any degree of confidence, that locating business to Columbia County is even possible without a new wastewater treatment plant.

"It's affecting everything we do," she said

A basic wastewater treatment plan will cost around $9 million, and a plant that can treat to potable water levels is around $18 million, she said.

Dickinson said she will work with the city on identifying funds for that.

Marengo Wind Turbines

Another area of concern is the elimination of tax credits for wind power, which will likely stop the repowering of Marengo wind turbines by Pacific Corps, which was to begin in 2018-19, she said.

A letter writing campaign to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers is currently underway, she said.

Columbia REA Building

Dickenson said she is currently working to identify another business for the building formerly occupied by Columbia Rural Electric Association. The building is now for sale, she said.

School Capital Projects Levy

Dickinson is the Chairperson of the Citizens for Education, and that committee will be helping drive the campaign to pass the Dayton School District's proposed two-year capital levy, she told the commissioners.