MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE PORT OF HOODSPORT
October 12, 2022
Call to Order: 9:04am Adjourned: 10:00 am
Hybrid 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 / 2nd Trustee, 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 Brazil motioned to approve the agenda dated October 12, 2022, as written; Commissioner Morris seconded; all in favor, unanimously approved.
Minutes: Commissioner Brazil motioned to approve the regular port commission minutes for September 7, 2022, Commissioner Morris seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved.
Vouchers: Commissioner Kincannon motioned to approve the Vouchers for September 2022, in the amount of $7,827.50 & Q3 Payroll in the amount of $2,058.46, Commissioner Brazil seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved.
Public Communication:
F McCullough provided an update on the removal of the dead, diseased and damaged trees in the Hoodsport Trail Park. We estimate one and half more weeks on the disc golf side of the trail park cutting along the line by the Lake Cushman neighbors. Commissioner Brazil said there are big piles of logs they are hauling out. F McCullough said yes, they were here two days last week, are here today and tomorrow. We will start on the North side of the creek in a week and a half, it will take us a couple of days to reconstruct the road for access. People are coming by telling us how good the trail park looks; acknowledging how many small trees will start to grow from the light that is reaching the forest floor, they are happy that to finally see what the finished product is shaping up to be. Commissioner Brazil asked if they would clean up the debris from limbing the trees before cutting. F McCullough said they will disintegrate and eventually turn into the forest floor which will turn in to food for the smaller trees. By the time you have the grand reopening in May, the debris will disappear, the forest will grow back and look good. The disc golf parking areas will be cleaned up, we will make a trench so it will drain better, then level it up and put down another layer of rock. Commissioner Kincannon thanked F McCullough for his care and hard work. F McCullough said he spoke to Commissioner Brazil about reconstruction of some of the bare areas with bushes around the disc golf course. I wouldn’t plant Rhododendrons or any other species that are poisonous to the deer, stick with replanting native species. I will suggest a company you can talk to for reforestation of those areas. Commissioner Brazil said he is starting to organize labor for spreading the shredded bark and for trail maintenance. I see where rounds are stacked up, S Lindgren said, I did that to use as a border along the walkways.
Commissioner Reports Commissioner Kincannon said the web designer is working with the director and has started work on the updated format for the Port of Hoodsport’s website. Commissioner Kincannon asked if the commission saw the new brochures for the Hoodsport Trail Park and asked Annie with the Timberland Library if the Port could display the brochures at the library. Annie said she would hang a brochure holder on the bulletin board. Commissioner Brazil said he would like to hold off on placing them at the trail park until the park was open to the public. S Lindgren said he has taken them to the Visitor’s center, posted them at both kiosks and at the disc golf course. Commissioner Morris said he will give a stack of the brochures to Rachel who publishes the Fjord Magazine, and he will place them at the Potlatch Brewery. Commissioner Kincannon said I have a contact at the Shelton high school who will bring students to identify plants/trees to create new trail signage for the trail park. S Lindgren said he is happy to help the students with the signs. Commissioner Brazil said he would like to have a grand reopening of the trail park in the spring of 2023 when the hazard trees are gone, the trails are clear, the new signs have been posted, it will be fantastic. Commissioner Kincannon said the public is anxious to have it reopened. Commissioner Morris said he liked the idea to welcome the public to a clean and fresh trail park and disc golf course. Commissioner Morris said the director and I talked with YSS Dive shop regarding their dive events making sure it is understood the event application process is structured for all event holders and for every scheduled event. When I did the walk through on the dock with the dive shop before their event, I understood why they wanted a damage list as I noticed the southwest slip was in rough shape and the condition of the dock needs attention, I underestimated that parts of the dock are in rough shape. I am hopeful that when we attend the Small Ports conference, we will be able to talk to other ports and gather information on how to proceed to get things fixed up. The Port of Shelton has an engineer who regularly uses the Port of Hoodsport’s dock to kayak, he worked on making docks flexible to survive winter, he said they may have surplus parts we can use; I will reach out to him. The dive shops PADI event was well attended with no conflicts with boaters or people fishing, the potential tension never came up. They pulled up a lot of debris like old fishing nets, lines, ropes, and a boot. One comment they had to me was that they hoped the Port’s event application could be a pdf downloadable form as they would like to schedule more events at the waterfront park and marina dock. Commissioner Kincannon said we should discuss the possibility for the Port to charge more for event fees and deposits, we may be able to provide more services, we don’t have funds to hire people to help with events but maybe we can hire them to work 8-hour shifts on a weekend. Commissioner Morris said it solidifies charging more to have events, hiring people to keep the areas tidy, being respectful of port boundaries and conflicts of space. The port director said after the commission meets with the other small ports, we can discuss event procedures and charges. Commissioner Brazil said it will be resourceful for us to attend the Small ports meeting as it is a great time to gather information from other ports to help put together a format and create a procedure. Commissioner Morris said we will talk to other ports about their overnight moorage fees as well.
Port Maintenance Reports:
Hoodsport Trail Park & Disc Golf Park: Currently closed for fallen and hazard tree removal and clean up. The storybook trail is in great shape, clean and ready to go when Annie is ready to post the next story. Commissioner Kincannon said, let’s wait until the entire park is ready.
Hoodsport Marina, Dock & Waterfront Park: S Lindgren said, each time a new commissioner oversees the marina, they have a different approach to repairing the weather-beaten dock and whether the dock should be flexible or stiff. The ramp beats the slips up in weather, especially in a South wind, it will be good to talk to the Port of Shelton’s dock engineer. The wild roses have been trimmed at the North end of the waterfront park.
Portable Restrooms: During the summer season, the Port and Hood Canal Grocery store rents 3 each of the portable restrooms with hand washing stations for the publics use, they are serviced 3 times per week. In winter, the Port and grocery stores rent two each which are serviced twice per week. The Port checks them for trash and additional toilet paper in between services
Port parking/Office building/Maintenance shed: The garden area around the sign by the office has been cleaned out. S. Lindgren monitors live stream surveillance cameras overlooking the public restrooms, office building, port shed, parking lot, waterfront park and marina dock. The same people continue to dump household garbage in the trash receptacles. The garbage company’s pick-up schedule has been changed to twice per month for winter.
Port Directors Report:
The Port director submitted the Fall Newsletter to the Lake Cushman admin for publication in their monthly newsletter, the newsletter was posted to the Port of Hoodsport’s website and posted in the port’s office window. The DNR application for lease renewal was completed, submitted and the land/water surveyor was hired to complete the required marine survey. Information is being gathered for the 2023 Budget for the Budget hearing on November 9th. Required newspaper public notices were scheduled, 2022 expenditures, 2022 revenues, 2023 levy rates and spreadsheets from the County are being reviewed to gather information for the 2023 budget. Port memberships, insurance fees, internet/phone fees, gas costs and many other rates are rising. Despite the rising values for homes in the last few years, the ports revenue on property taxes will only increase by 1% over last years property tax levy rate, increasing the ports regular levy revenue by approximately $1850.00. Information will be emailed to the commission; time will be available to individually discuss the preliminary budget draft worksheets in detail with each commissioner until we arrive at the numbers for the 2023 Budget. The budget hearing will be on November 9th at 9am. The port commission will be attending the upcoming Small Ports seminar which will be held in Leavenworth on October 20th-21st.
Budget: September financial statements were reviewed
Old Business: As discussed above New Business: As discussed above
Next Meeting: November 9, 2022
Adjourn: Commissioner Kincannon made a motion to adjourn the Regular Port Commission meeting, Commissioner Morris seconded, all in favor, unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
2022 Regular Port Commission Meetings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday’s at 9am November 9th, December 14th
2023 Budget Hearing meeting is scheduled for November 9th at 9am
_______________________ _____________________ _________________________
Commissioner Kincannon Commissioner Brazil Commissioner Morris
MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE PORT OF HOODSPORT October 12, 2022