MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING
OF THE PORT OF HOODSPORT COMMISSION
December 13, 2017
Call to Order: 9:00am Adjourned: 10:45am
Meeting Held at: Hoodsport Port Commission Office
24113 N US Hwy 101 #A Hoodsport, WA
Roll Call: Commissioner Petz – Commission Chair
Commissioner O’ Laughlin
Commissioner Brazil
Staff Present: K. Wyatt, Port Operations Manager
B. Osborne – Maintenance Director
S. Lindgren – Port Maintenance
Public: Morgan Rothrock – Shelton Disc Golf Assn.
Kristin Masteller – PUD#1 & Economic Development Council
Jennifer Baria – Economic Development Council
Kevin Shutty – Mason Co. Commissioner
Approval of Agenda:
Commissioner Brazil made a motion to approve the December 13, 2017 meeting agenda, Commissioner O’ Laughlin seconded, unanimously approved.
Minutes: Commissioner O’Laughlin made a motion to approve the Regular Port Commission minutes of November 8, 2017 and the 2018 Budget meeting minutes of November 8, 2017; Commissioner Brazil seconded, unanimously approved.
Vouchers: Commissioner Brazil motioned to approve the following Vouchers for payment: December 2017 1of1 in the amount of $6,571.91.00 and December 2017 2 of 2 in the amount of $1,531.94 Commissioner O’Laughlin seconded, unanimously approved.
Public Communication:
County Commissioner Kevin Shutty said he appreciated everything the Port of Hoodsport is doing in Hoodsport. He is here to let the port know they approved the contract moving forward with the Economic Development Council’s request of $68,000.00 of rural tax money for an outsourced company to do the research and development to bring business to Mason County; and wanted to know what the Ports concerns were. Kristin said she felt the letter sent to the Port from the Mason County Support Services Dept. requesting support for funding the EDC and their research company was ambiguous in nature and wanted the port to know the funds are designated for the EDC as an arm for Mason County to market for businesses to move in to the area. Commissioner O’ Laughlin wanted to know how Rural mason county tax funds are used and wanted them to specifically state where that outsourced company brought money back in to Mason County. Kristin said they brought Tractor Supply to Shelton which recruited jobs. A couple of new businesses attached themselves to Sierra Pacific on the waterfront in Shelton and there was business recruitment for motels in Belfair, Allyn and an area between Shelton and Hoodsport. Commissioner O’ Laughlin said it is the viewpoint of the Port that $68,000.00 of Rural tax funds are being spent and focused within the City of Shelton with zero money benefiting anywhere near Hoodsport and that Tractor supply identified their location prior to the grant money being approved. Kevin Shutty said he agreed that they need to see more business in areas outside of the City; he said he went along with the approval of the contract because there was going to be a change in leadership at the EDC and expected to see more funds go outside of the Shelton area after 2018. He was here because he is interested in listening to people’s opinions and concerns that are outside of the Shelton City limits. Commissioner Petz said the letter the Port wrote was in response to receiving a letter from the County requesting support of the commission but their letter was a single statement request only asking for $68,000.00 for the EDC with no insight, background or process, targeting industry study only. Kristin said in 2015 Jennifer met with some of the business owners in Hoodsport and tried to cultivate jobs at the Hardware Distillery. Commissioner Petz asked K. Wyatt do an informal survey of business owners in Hoodsport to ask if any of them had been approached by the EDC offering support in any way, the response was no one had been approached by the EDC for any reason. Kristin said anyone in Hoodsport can call the EDC to get help to improve marketing or assembling strategic input of their business. Commissioner Petz said part of the Ports Mission is to improve our community and what has really improved tourist volume was installing the Public restrooms. He said the Public restrooms initial cost was minuscule compared to the annual cost for maintenance and supplies. He stated the Port developed all of its properties for the maximum use and enjoyment of the public which has increased tourism by volumes in and around the Hoodsport area. There is no charge to use any of the Ports amenities, the waterfront park, the marina and dock (with the exception of overnight moorage), the public beach, the public restrooms, the 80 acre hiking trail and the disc golf park, all which is for the public’s use. The Port has also increased public parking spaces (which are at a premium) in the downtown corridor by 17 parking spaces. The next effort is to take the Hoodsport trail park and turn it into a disc golf course that is challenging enough to attract professional disc golfers and be the top course in the United States. It is also building a family friendly disc golf course on south side of the trail park on 20 acres that will be user friendly for families, children, seniors and eventually ADA friendly. Once the challenging 18 hole course is finished, there will be tournaments run every two weeks in the summertime which will bring players and visitors to stay overnight spending money at local hotels, stores, restaurants, gas stations and other recreational facilities. He said there has been zero support offered to our ‘rural community’ by the County or EDC as far as spending any ‘Rural Tax’ money. Kristin said we support each other and that the ‘lodging tax’ goes to the Chamber. Commissioner O’ Laughlin held up tear sheet and color fold out maps that he got from the Hoodsport Visitors center, he said they have thousands of maps worth thousands of dollars that are sitting in boxes in the back room of the visitors center and that is where the lodging tax money is used. The maps and tear sheets are not distributed on ferries, at airports, train stations or any or transportation modes that people use while traveling, they are sitting in boxes at the Visitors center and he feels it’s a waste of the lodging tax money. There are volunteers that man the visitor’s center and they said it takes two months to distribute the maps on one tear sheet pad. Commissioner O’ Laughlin pointed out that the Ports budget is minuscule with three commissioners who have been here for 8 years. During this commission’s term, they have cut the budgets personnel and overhead costs by 70% so that areas owned by the Port could be developed for the maximum use and enjoyment for the public. The Port also took over purchasing and maintaining the hanging flower baskets along the highway 101 corridor which used to be purchased and maintained by the now defunct Business Association in order to beautify Hoodsport during the summer tourist season. The frustration is that rural tax goes to the EDC and lodging tax goes to the Chamber, when the Port has applied for public funds, they have been denied. It’s the port who needs support with maintaining the developed areas that attract volumes of visitors and tourists into our ‘rural community’. The Port has an annual budget of $100,000.00 per year that supports everything we do and that is why you got the letter opposed to granting the EDC the rural tax funds; at least we got your attention. Commissioner Petz said we plan on working together and would like to know that the Port has the support of the County Commission and the EDC. Kevin Shutty said they are putting together a nine member Mason County transit board and are looking to fill a position which is open to someone at a Port, PUD or Fire district and he would highly encourage one of the port commissioners to apply. They are discussing State Rt 119 and input is needed. He said they will be determining the County’s budget by Tuesday and do not expect a government shutdown, 2018 will be full of challenges for the county. Commissioner O’ Laughlin said it was unfortunate that the County cut all of their timber for salaries and then tried to solicit money to sustain jobs. Kevin said in 2018 the county will be moving to online permitting which will save staff time and benefit the community with a streamlined process making things digital. Kristin said she agreed the EDC does need to be more visible in the Hoodsport area and the new EDC director should be better qualified. Commissioner Brazil said there were lots of good comments here and he hopes to further discuss the rural tax and lodging tax money and what it needs to be slated for in the future. Kristin said on a different note, she followed up on line with Commissioner O’ Laughlin’s tip about a possible grant with the Department of Ecology for Electric vehicle charging stations, she only saw an application for a grant pertaining to Diesel but not an electric vehicle charging station and that she will keep looking at their website. Commissioner O’ Laughlin suggested the Port apply for the application solely since it has all of the documentation needed, Kristin said that state applications are incredibly intensive and it would probably be better to ask the North Olympic Development Counsel to have the other future EV Car Charging station sights prepare ahead of time with their information packets. The Commission thanked Kristin, Jennifer and Kevin for their time and input today. Morgan R. with the Shelton Disc Golf Association talked about the final design and proof of concept in creating Phase II on the South Side of the Hoodsport Trail Park which is located on the south side of State Rt 119 adjacent to the Lake Cushman golf course housing development. Developing Phase II will increase the number of local players thereby increasing the volunteer pool to help in creating the course at inception and sustaining it throughout its life. Building Phase I and Phase III was a test in how tough it is to jump into the deep end due to the obstacles in building the course which depleted the volunteer pool after time. Morgan’s current volunteers plan on putting up ribbon and pounding in stakes to dial in the course design of Phase II stating that they are on flexible schedules due to Holidays, winter, etc. Commissioner Petz revealed a conceptual design of the Phase II disc golf course to the audience, the map was created by Morgan and shows where all Phases of the disc golf course are and where Phase II will be, stating Phase II will be a 9 hole disc golf course designed for beginners, seniors and at some point will be ADA friendly. Commissioner Petz said Phase I and Phase III will bring out of state professional disc golf players and during the summer months at its peak, there will be tournaments every two weeks as it will be the top disc golf course in the United States drawing visitors to the area who will stay in local motels, eat in local restaurants, shop in local stores and enjoy the local beauty and amenities Hoodsport and the surrounding areas has to offer. Commissioner Brazil lives at the Lake Cushman development adjacent to the 20 acres where Phase II will be developed, he asked that in designing Phase II, that Morgan be mindful of the disc golf interactions with State Rt. 119 and the residents living in the surrounding area even though they probably expect an occasional ball and now a disc to come flying by. Morgan said hole 9 may be close to the road because it is a return hole. Morgan said the T surfaces and targets address proof of concept and justifications to spend more money to move forward in development. He suggested they do some fund raising and said costs should be minimal so it should be achievable. Kristin suggested that Morgan reach out to the North Olympic Development Counsel to help with funds. The Shelton disc golf association has volunteered all of the labor, while the Port slated a budget of $30,000.00 for the infrastructure in 2015 and an additional $5,000.00 in May of 2016, the remaining balance is $7,309.00. Commissioner Petz reminded Morgan the Port needs their current nonprofit and license to finish the Memorandum of Understanding for 2018.
Commissioner Reports:
Port Maintenance Reports:
Hoodsport Trail Park: B. Osborne reported that Household garbage continues to be left in the trash cans at the Hoodsport trail park.
Hoodsport Marina, Dock & Waterfront Park:
Public Restrooms: B. Osborne said one of the metal toilet paper receptacles that was bolted and secured to the wall was stolen. He was shocked and said they must have used a crow bar. Commissioner O’ Laughlin wanted to know when the Port was going to install surveillance cameras and asked K. Wyatt to talk to Geri at IGA to see if they could attach another camera to their system if it was purchased by the Port. Another steel TP holder was re attached with heavier anchors as a replacement. It was discovered that the people who like to go into the public restrooms after hours have now inserted a thin magnet in the hinge to keep the magnetic door locking system from latching so they can access the restrooms after hours. Commissioner Petz asked K. Wyatt to call the Sheriff and talk about the problem, whether they can patrol that area in the evening. He said if IGA couldn’t accommodate with another camera, he would look into surveillance systems. Commissioner Brazil asked B. Osborne if he could reduce the hours that the public restroom is open. S. Lindgren applied a heavy duty tape provided by the restroom manufacturer to stop the roof leaks.
Port parking/maintenance shed: Household trash is regularly being left in all of the receptacle and by the Port dumpster. S. Lindgren filled in the pot hole in the parking area.
Port Operations Manager Report:
K. Wyatt spoke to the claims adjuster regarding the dock repair and also the construction company, they will be starting soon. The Ports general account will be swept in December by the Auditor for the annual Election Fees, this year’s fees will be $1,054.70. An annual 12 page questionnaire from the Census Bureau was filled out and submitted regarding budget information, employees, etc. K. Wyatt asked the commission if they were in agreement to remove old worn Banners from the ports power poles that were put up when there was a local business association. B. Osborne will ask Hood Canal Communication if when the Kiwanis take down the Candy canes, that they also remove the banner. Commissioner Brazil suggested the Port look into the cost of new banners using the attachments that are already on the poles. K. Wyatt suggested that a ‘Welcome to Hoodsport’ sign be designed for the lighted sign post that used to house the Hoodsport Inn sign. K. Wyatt will look into the costs associated with a design and creation of the sign. K. Wyatt stated that for the last seven years, she has had the port telephone forwarded to her cell to be available for all calls since she is a contracted person and not an employee. She asked the port commission cover her cost at $50. Per month for 2017 and in addition start to cover the cost monthly from January 2018 forward. Commissioner Petz said he had no idea she never billed for the service and asked if she had just been absorbing the cost for the entire time. Commissioner O’ Laughlin said he had no problem and approved the request, Commissioners Petz and Brazil agreed. 4th quarter per diem time sheets were collected from the commissioners. K. Wyatt asked if the Port would be open to having a Port credit card to use when something needed to be charged such as annual subscriptions for the Ports website host, port computer files backup and miscellaneous office or maintenance supplies that cannot be invoiced. Currently, K. Wyatt uses a personal credit card and is reimbursed for charges. The Port Commission asked K. Wyatt to look into what it takes to obtain a Port credit card with the local bank.
Budget: November 2017 Financial Statement was reviewed
Old Business: As discussed above
New Business: None
Next Meet: January 10, 2018
Adjourn: Commissioner Petz made a motion to adjourn the Regular Port Commission meeting, Commissioner Brazil seconded, unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
2018 Regular Port Commission Meetings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday’s at 9a.m.
January 10th, February 14th, March 14th
________________________ _______________________ _____________________
Commissioner O’ Laughlin Commissioner Petz Commissioner Brazil