MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE PORT OF HOODSPORT
July 20, 2022 Call to Order: 9:15am Adjourned: 9:43am
Meeting Held at: 24113 North Highway 101, Suite A Hoodsport, WA 98548
Virtual Zoom Conference Meeting Room ID#406-238-9936
Roll Call:
Commissioner Kincannon –Chairwoman -Commissioner Brazil – 2nd Chairman / Trustee -Commissioner Morris
Staff Present: K. Wyatt, Executive Director – S. Lindgren – Maintenance Supervisor
Public: Forest McCullough – NW Land & Tree
Approval of Agenda: Commissioner Kincannon motioned to approve the agenda dated July 20, 2022, as written; Commissioner Brazil seconded; all in favor, unanimously approved.
Minutes: Commissioner Brazil motioned to approve the regular port commission minutes for June 22, 2022, Commissioner Kincannon seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved.
Vouchers: Commissioner Kincannon motioned to approve the Voucher for June 28, 2022, in the amount of $11,053.49 Commissioner Brazil seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved.
Public Communication:
F McCullough with NW Land & Tree called in to give the port commission an update, they are three quarters of the way finished with logging the strip along State Rt 119, known as the Hoodsport Trail Park lower parking area on the North side of the highway. There are patches of trees that are way worse than anticipated, they are really badly diseased, bark beetle infested and lots of dead standing trees. We will have a good start on the 15-year forestation plan. There are also lots of hornets nests this year, we’ve been stung many times as nests come down with the trees, the hornets are very mad and chase us. Commissioner Kincannon said community members want to walk the trail and asked when he thought the project would be complete. F McCullough said, I wouldn’t let people walk through now, there will be safe access to some of the trails by the end of July and all the trails should be walkable in mid to late August, we will know more as we go along, these dates are estimated. Commissioner Kincannon asked if there was signage, F McCullough said, yes, we have had to ask people to leave because of the dangerous conditions especially while we are cutting down dead and diseased trees because they have a tendency to snap in a couple of places. Commissioner Brazil said he watched some of the logging operation while they were taking down a dead tree, the tree broke in two places in opposite ways, it was very dangerous. Before the Port of Hoodsport was deeded the 80-acre trail park from the State of Washington, the forest had never been managed and thanked F McCullough for doing this work. F McCullough said there is another logging company who is doing the exact same thing a couple of miles away. Commissioner Kincannon asked if Annie Bowers from the Timberland Regional Library had anything to add today. Annie said she is here to listen in. Commissioner Kincannon said there were a few storybook signs that had to be replaced before she was able to put up the next story book along the trails. Annie said she anticipated there was some damage control and looks forward to fall after the logging operation iss finished. The director and Commissioner Kincannon thanked Kirk Boxleightner for his article to keep people informed about the logging operation at the Hoodsport Trail Park which was very nicely written. K Boxleightner said, thank you.
Commissioner Reports Commissioner Kincannon said she left a copy of the new Hoodsport trail park brochure at the port’s office for the commission and maintenance to look at because there may be additional information that could be added for accuracy before sending it to the printer. S Lindgren said it is missing the upper parking lot area, gazebo, disc golf course layout and portable restrooms. Commissioner Kincannon said she has been researching what would make the Port’s website pop up immediately in a search engine. She found it requires being optimized through Google. Commissioner Kincannon said she has a great website designer who could optimize and refresh the port’s website to bring it up to date and in the forefront on the internet. She asked Commissioner Morris if he had any ideas since he has a business website. Commissioner Morris said he found claiming google for search optimization makes a super big difference and will create more traction, the algorithm must be touched repeatedly to prioritize a presence. We could also use social media in the future which requires someone to manage and update it frequently. Commissioner Kincannon said she thinks a Facebook page attracts the 50 and older crowd whereas Instagram is geared for the younger generation. Commissioner Kincannon made a motion to request a bid from the website designer to optimize and refresh the ports website. Commissioner Brazil seconded the motion, all were in favor. Commissioner Morris said he ran into Captain Lee Geist who was incredibly excited and happy with the condition of the boat dock and assistant maintenance contractor R Kowalski.
Port Maintenance Reports:
Hoodsport Trail Park & Disc Golf Park: Closed for fallen and hazard tree clean up
Hoodsport Marina, Dock & Waterfront Park: Summer is attracting many people to the waterfront park, dock, and marina. It has been tremendously busy. We appreciate our additional contracted maintenance person who is doing a great job.
Portable Restrooms: During the summer season, the Port rents 3 portable restrooms with hand washing stations for the publics use. The grocery store also rents 3 portable restrooms for the publics use.
Port parking/Office building/Maintenance shed: S. Lindgren monitors live stream surveillance cameras overlooking the public restrooms, office building, port shed, parking lot, waterfront park and marina dock. It appears the same people continue to dump household garbage in the trash receptacles.
Port Directors Report:
The Port director said we had a scheduled walk about at the Hoodsport Trail park today to see the logging progress, however since there are hornet’s nests on the trail, it may not be a good day to go visit the logging operation, the commissioners concurred. The Port director said she will talk to the grocery store manager to request an appointment to meet with the new store owner and to invite him to a port commission meeting. Commissioner Kincannon said that was a great idea since we would like to know our new neighbor and are in support of the economics of the community and its development. YSS Dive Shop was invited to today’s meeting to discuss a letter that was sent to them; however, they took a dive group to Honduras for a special dive event and are interested in attending the August meeting instead. The port director wanted to remind the commission the annual Small Ports seminar will be held on October 20th & 21st if they wanted to attend, they could sign up with the Washington Public Ports Association. Commissioner Brazil said it is always very informative with presentations by Port attorneys and other port commissioners and is a venue where small port commissioners can make great contacts and share information. The Port director asked if the September regular port commission meeting could be rescheduled to another Wednesday, everyone looked at their calendars and agreed on September 21st. The Port director reminded the commission to come into the office to sign Vouchers, approved Minutes and to look over the Hoodsport Trail Park brochure.
Budget: June financial statements were reviewed
Old Business: As discussed above New Business: As discussed above
Next Meeting: August 17, 2022
Adjourn: Commissioner Brazil made a motion to adjourn the Regular Port Commission meeting, Commissioner Kincannon seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 9:43 a.m.
2022 Regular Port Commission Meetings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday’s at 9am August 17, September 21st, October 12th
_______________________ _____________________ _________________________
Commissioner Kincannon Commissioner Brazil Commissioner Morris