Port commissioners discuss potential lot sale, legal costs, budget

DAYTON – The Columbia Port Commissioners met at 5 p.m. on November 13, 2024, at the port’s conference room. Commissioners Seth Bryan, Johnny Watts, Mike Spring, and the Executive Director, Jennie Dickinson, were present.

Gerry Kaiser spoke during public comment, asking the commissioners to direct Dickinson and her staff to pursue state and federal grants to repair the port’s rail system. He said the federal government has given $150 million to nine municipalities in the state of Washington for rail improvements.

Dickinson presented the monthly budget for approval. The commissioners discussed payment of legal costs associated with investigating a complaint made by a whistle-blower. The port was asked to pay all or half the bill.

Spring said the port should pay fifty percent. Bryan said he was not keen to pay since he hadn’t seen the report. Spring asked if they would see a report, and Bryan said he had been told they would receive it.

Port attorney Kimberly Boggs told commissioners that the county had not yet received a report and believed it was most likely because the bill had not yet been paid.

The commissioners did not discuss the details of the complaint. The investigation results were still unknown to the executive director and commissioners since they had not received the law firm’s report.

The commissioners voted 2 to 1, with Bryan voting against, to pay fifty percent for the legal cost.

Dickinson presented the 2025 proposed budget to the commissioners. She said there had been no change to the budget since the last meeting or its publication in the paper.

The director said the port’s budgeted tax income may be reduced since Columbia Pulp has challenged its tax liability to the county. The county had not notified her of any change, so it is not reflected in the budget to be approved by the commissioners at the meeting.

Spring asked if the port’s attorney or her surrogate could be paid to attend future commissioners’ meetings. He felt it was within the budget. Bryan wanted to know what the cost would be before deciding.

“It will probably cost us less than what we just spent,” said Spring, presumably referring to the investigation costs.

Boggs said she would write a letter to the commissioners with availability and cost.

The commissioners unanimously approved the 2025 budget as written after the public hearing. The budget can be viewed at https://portofcolumbia.org.

The commissioners passed the adoption of Resolution 2024-06 to certify no increase to the levy from the previous year. Spring said he had difficulty seconding the motion, stating concerns about the resolution due to inflation.

“Our job is to help get grants and monies from federal and state partners to enhance our community,” said Spring. “You have to have a reserve to match those grants. They are never 100% ever; I have never gotten a 100% grant. You have to be able to match, and how do we match? We match it with our monies, which are in our reserves or generated from other sources.”

Resolution 2024-06 passed 2 to 1, with Spring dissenting.

The commissioners approved the 2025 Capital Facilities Plan with no discussion.

Dickinson said the federal audit had been completed; however, the port has not yet received the final report.

The commissioners approved three port property lease renewals for Jordan Henderson Fine Arts, the Columbia County Hospital District, and Dayton Tractor and Machine.

The commissioners considered a sales proposal from 2Cannon River Construction to purchase lot V adjacent to Tema, Inc. at the port’s industrial park.

Josh Westergreen, owner of 2 Cannon River Construction, said he wanted to purchase the lot to expand his excavation business. His plan is first to fence the property and put in utilities in the spring, before building a shop within a couple of years. He said his excavation company has four employees who live in Columbia County and does concrete and excavation, mostly under government contracts.

Answering a question by Bryan, Dickinson said the business aligned with the port’s comprehensive plan for the industrial park. A proposed ADU for the property could be approved for business use, and could not be rented out as a separate business. Westergreen said the ADU would be used for employee housing. He has no immediate plans to build a unit but wanted to include it in the proposal for future use.

Westergreen said the shop building would match the look of the Columbia County Transportation building.

The port had approved a sale of the same lot to Table Rock Meat, Co. for a meat processing plant in 2022; however, the sale fell through after the buyers did not obtain permits or complete the purchase agreement. Dickinson said the commissioners should consider requirements included in the previous sales agreement. Requirements of the agreement included a green strip in front of the facility, approval of fencing, and a one-year clawback should the buyer not proceed with their project. Dickinson also said a time limit for an approval should be added.

Dickinson believed the appraisal and market report for the Table Rock Meat sales agreement could still be used. She said the port could legally add up to 10% to the valuation. The average of the property’s appraised values was $58,000, and the total with the addition would be $63,500. This approach would save the port and buyer the cost of a new appraisal. The last appraisal cost $7,000, according to Dickinson.

Boggs said she did not think using the old analysis was a good idea. She suggested the port consult with someone with appropriate qualifications to determine the suggested price. Bryan suggested they ask the old appraiser to give an updated report for a reduced price. Dickinson told Westergreen that the cost appraisals are split 50/50 between the purchaser and the port.

The board approved Dickinson to move forward on the sale by getting further information on the appraisal and sales agreement.

The Mainstem Malt/Grain Cluster project continues to progress. The project architect and engineers are preparing plans to send to the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB.)

Dickinson said a pasta company from Portland, Ore. is considering expanding its business and potentially moving to a Port of Columbia property. The company was attracted to the area because of news of the port’s development of the Grain Cluster.

Dickinson said the appraisers for the rail line had completed their physical inspection of the rail and will present their report by Zoom at the December meeting.

Dickinson asked to reschedule the December meeting since she will be out of town. She said the meeting is important because it includes the railway appraisal and closing the year’s bills. She offered to attend the scheduled meeting on Zoom if the commissioners did not wish to reschedule. The commissioners moved the meeting to 5 p.m. on December 18, 2024, at the Port conference room and on Zoom.