Columbia Port of Commissioners updated on Malt study

A two-to-one vote changed the Port Director position from contract to month-to-month, "at-will"

DAYTON – The Port of Columbia Commissioners held its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on February 14, 2024, at the port's office. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and Executive Director Jennie Dickinson were present.

The commissioners approved the last meeting's minutes.

In the budget review, Dickenson said the year ended in great shape, and the port spent a little less than it took in.

Dickenson said there were no new leases for the month. However, a part-time health and wellness business owner would like to lease a port space on March 1. She asked the commissioners if she could go forward with the lease.

At Rock Hill Business Park, the director said the GSA inspection had gone very well.

The director described a Pacific Power lighting incentive to the commissioners. The utility will cover 90% of the cost to upgrade lighting to LED. The port's cost would be mainly the taxes.

Dickenson said the port worked with the tenants to ensure they took precautions before the recent extreme cold weather, avoiding extra maintenance or frozen pipes.

Lyons Ferry KOA owner Joanne Knouff attended the meeting on Zoom. She said that, according to the Resource Conservation Office, the port can't apply for grants for projects in the water. They can apply for funding for the pull-through RV sites. They can also apply for funds to cover planning and permitting for bulkheads and other underwater projects.

The Artisan Grain Cluster Feasibility Study has been completed by Arrowleaf Consulting for the Port of Columbia. The director is working with Mainstem Malt, the proposed malting operation, considering a facility in Columbia County. Dickenson said the best of the two strategies being considered was for the port to build the building and lease it to the processor. She described possible Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) funding.

The port staff plans to survey growers on topics including shared grain storage and specialty grains that may interest local farmers.

Dickenson said the commissioners would have to approve a resolution for her to apply for CERB funding. She would travel to Olympia to assist the potential tenants when they apply for CERB funding.

The director updated the commissioners on the glass recycling opportunity offered to the port by a glass recycler in Walla Walla. The proposal is to allow Dayton residents to drop off recyclable glass at BMS once a month for the non-profit to collect.

After Dickenson provided an update on the broadband projects, Watts said he wants the port to survey customer satisfaction, though he acknowledged that the port does not provide services. He said he wants to know if the broadband projects are doing what was promised.

Dickenson said one indicator that the projects are doing well is that the adoption rate is the envy of other broadband projects.

Bryan suspended the public meeting to go into an executive session for the following reasons:

To consider minimum pricing of port real estate that will be offered for sale or lease.

To evaluate qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee.

Following the executive session, Bryan moved to change the Executive Director position from a contracted position to a non-contracted, at-will position. Watts seconded the motion. There was no discussion before the vote. Bryan and Watts voted for the motion and Spring voted against it.

Dickenson's contract expired on January 31, 2024. A contract is not required to work at the port, and Dickenson will continue as an at-will employee. Since the commissioners had not offered a new contract, the vote may not have been necessary.

After the vote, Bryan said, "I guess what I'd like to say is that I don't believe there's a necessity to have an executive director position as a contracted position. In my opinion, it's unnecessary. It puts the port in a difficult situation. I don't see the benefit for the port, and really leaves very little repercussion unless there is very severe consequences and very severe actions or very poor behavior."

Bryan continued, "Now, the behavior hasn't always been the way I would like to see it. There has definitely been some occasions where there's been some insubordination. Sometimes, I've met with Jennie where she was trying to find ways to discipline or punish another commissioner for attendance reasons. Trying to, in my opinion, drive a wedge between [inaudible] hardship. There have been situations where in meetings, when things do not go according to the way it seems that she feels they should, that her demeanor after the public meetings has been less than professional and so for these reasons I do not believe..."

Spring said, "I'm going to stop you here."

"You can try and stop me but I'm the chairperson," responded Bryan.

Spring continued, "Well, you are bringing up personnel evaluation things."

"I'm not bringing up personnel evaluation," said Bryan. "I'm bringing up things that have not been in public meetings. So, that is not personal evaluations. I'm not going into past evaluations. It is no attack. I'm just bringing up concerns of mine that happened in public meetings," he said.

"For these reasons, I am not willing to enter into a contract with Miss Dickinson at this time," concluded Bryan.

Spring said, "I completely and totally disagree. I think the professional way to run a business is to have a contract. People will know where they stand in the process. And you're saying, in your opinion, I hope all that was captured on her evaluation because that's where you are supposed to try to correct behavior or reward great behavior. To me, it is a whole bunch better to get things done with a carrot and not a stick, and you seem to be a stick guy."

Bryan, "Well, I didn't bring any carrots with me tonight."

Tracy Clark, the port's office manager, asked to comment. She said, "I think what just happened is really unprofessional. Those things you're feeling should never have been done publicly on record. If you have a problem with Jennie, you talk to Jennie behind closed doors, in private. Or, like Mike [Spring] said, in her evaluation. You don't bring it up in front of everybody else here. I think that was really, really – very rude and not a nice way to treat your employees."

The meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m. The next Port Commissioners Meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on March 13, 2024.