Port Commission Minutes

MINUTES FROM THE VIRTUAL REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING OF THE PORT OF HOODSPORT COMMISSION     August 26, 2020

 Call to Order:   9:00am          Adjourned:  10:25am         Meeting Held at:              Via Zoom Conference Call

Roll Call:           Commissioner Petz – Commission Chair     Commissioner Brazil         Commissioner Booth

Staff Present:                    K. Wyatt, Port Operations Manager     B Osborne – Director of Maintenance   SLindgren – Maintenance – absent

Public:                                                  Jan Morris – Hardware Distillery

Approval of Agenda:  Commissioner Brazil made a motion to approve the agenda as written; Commissioner Booth seconded; unanimously approved.

Minutes: Commissioner Brazil made a motion to approve the regular port commission minutes from August 12, 2020, Commissioner Booth seconded, unanimously approved.

Vouchers:  None to approve

Commissioner Reports:  Commissioner Booth wished Commissioner Brazil a Happy Birthday.  Commissioner Booth said a final bill has not yet been received from Marine Floats who did some repairs on the ports dock, she is still waiting for a scope of repairs on the floats which will be in Phase II of repairs, quoted at $4500.00.  The port was quoted $430.00 to replace two 3 step swim ladders to be attached the dock, the price does not include installation.  B. Osborne said he could install them with no problem.  Commissioner Booth said in submitting a grant application for the dock, the port will have to amend the ports 45 page ‘master plan’.  Commissioner Petz asked if the port was applying for a repair or replacement of the dock?  Commissioner Booth said we are applying for a repair; we do not have matching funds for a replacement. Commissioner Petz said the amendment could include the completed projects since the last amendment, such as the purchase and installation of the public restrooms for the community and now is in transition to off load it to the business community.  The port is in the beginning of its study on replacement of the existing dock and pier, as far as buying land for incubator businesses, the port looked at several properties which did not fit the criteria. Commissioner Booth said we are on a time sensitive timeline to have the amendment by next week.  Commissioner Petz said since you require an amendment to be done immediately to support your grant application, keep it simple and focus on the dock, just make the amendment to that section for now.  You should also address acquiring funds for a design and replacement of the dock by making it a three-part request. 1) Immediate repairs for the dock 2) Design of the replacement of the dock 3) a Grant to replace the dock.  Commissioner Petz motioned to make necessary amendments to the ‘master plan’ as discussed, Commissioner Brazil seconded, motion carried.

Public Communication: J Morris asked where the port is on the public restrooms.  Commissioner Petz said a budget scenario was done, it totaled out the cost for an approach to open the public restrooms without a new drain field and to pump the septic system, as necessary. With maintenance, supplies, electricity and pumping, the approach will cost $53,600. Commissioner Petz said the Purvis’ are generously paying for the water.   To pump the septic tank as necessary will cost $22,000.00 annually in which M. Purvis said he would pay for ½ of the cost to pump the system for one year only.  The second approach would be to close the public restrooms and rent portable restrooms for the public, which would cost $15,000.00 annually.  The third approach is to repair the septic drain field at a cost of $60-$75,000 from the port’s reserves depleting it by 64% then having an annual cost of to maintain and supply it at $35,660.00.  J Morris said the Mason County reports from last weekend said there was trash and feces along the side of the road going up to Staircase park.  The forest service did not replace outhouses at the park at Staircase, the forest service closed Staircase and trails to the public. Mt. Rose, Mt. Elinor and all trails are closed to the public. Commissioner Brazil said there was a drowning, a shooting, fights, drunk people, trash, traffic was backed up from Hwy 101 all the way up State Rt 119 to the party rock. Mason County Sheriffs could not even get to the party rock by the entrance to Staircase park when they were called. Currently, the park service closed Lake Cushman Rd. State Rt 119, Lake Cushman, Staircase park, Forest Service Road 24 until September 30^th. J. Morris said closing all the trails will affect all the businesses in town, business has been super good, we were jammed, when they closed the roads, we lost 1/3 of our business. Commissioner Booth asked J. Morris if the Chamber talked about putting more portable restrooms at the Visitors Center.  Jan said we talked about the public restrooms in Shelton and in Hoodsport and Heidi from the Mason Chamber wrote a letter on behalf of the community from the Chamber to the Port of Hoodsport, you should get it soon.  J. Morris said we have encountered conflicts between business owners due to the lack of public restrooms.   Commissioner Brazil asked if the Chamber supports the public restrooms in Shelton, J. Morris said the Chambers priority is to run their town, it supports the Visitors Center in Hoodsport with volunteers who provide material and are engaged in the community.  The businesses in Hoodsport could run the Visitors center, we could make our own Chamber if more people were more involved like me.  I don’t see any other businesses getting involved.  We may get more collaborative business owners in the future but for now, I don’t see it. The Chamber has not set rules of accessibility for the Visitors Center, they get money from the L Tax and whoever does the funding is the entity who set the hours for the use of the outhouses.  Commissioner Booth said the only public restroom option is another portable restroom for a short term.  J. Morris said long term portable restrooms are not ideal. Commissioner Petz said what gets used the most, the dock gets used somewhat, the people who benefit from the dock are fisherman, residents of Hoodsport don’t use the dock, people use the disc golf course and the public restroom gets used.  Commissioner Petz said the design window for a back up drain field expires in October. Is there any interest in taking a legal approach in taking measures to move forward?  J. Morris said just go in and start the work, show cause why you should not do it legally if you have the right to do it just go forward and do it. Commissioner Petz said the port has the authority to do the repair, identify where the reserve field is specified. My feeling is to take a step to challenge the drain field.  Commissioner Brazil said I don’t agree with challenging it, not to mention our budget does not support the cost of a drain field, maintenance, and supplies for the public restrooms.  No one else wants to take over the public restrooms or help.  We cannot maintain the current cost of maintenance and supplies.  J. Morris said are you against it? Are you against the public restrooms?  Commissioner Brazil said No, I agree the town needs a public restroom, I am saying the Port can no longer foot the bill.  If you look at our budget, it is not a good plan. J. Morris said other ports have public restrooms, what is your vision.  Commissioner Brazil said other ports have more money, Shelton has eight port districts, with lots of tax payers in their district and they have big budgets, we do not, we have a tiny budget of $97,940.00 and when we are lucky, we get other revenue to help.  J Morris said I am so frustrated about the public restrooms. No one wants to take it over, I talked to Sharon Trask to possibly get involved to help with pumping. L tax has some money, we could invite her to talk about methods for additional help for more sources.  Commissioner Brazil asked the director to gather competitive bids to find out if the cost of pumping the drain field is negotiable.  J. Morris said if we incorporate Hoodsport and make it a City, we can take the public restrooms off the ports table.  Commissioner Petz said let’s move on to disc golf.  Commissioner Brazil spoke to M Rothrock and B Grondin about T-pads at the disc golf course.  It looks like cement pads are the pads of choice, so the players don’t slip when they throw the disc.  Commissioner Brazil said the director emailed the Memorandum of Understanding to M. Rothrock for online electronic signatures of the new disc golf board members.  The director said she has not heard back from M. Rothrock and will follow up again.

Port Maintenance Reports:

Hoodsport Trail Park & Disc Golf Park:  B. Osborne said other than the normal maintenance there is nothing more to report.  He will help B. Grondin get the forms made when they determine the size and the amount of concrete needed for the pads. He will check on the price of concrete.

Hoodsport Marina, Dock & Waterfront Park: B. Osborne said he is waiting for the ladders to install on the dock.  Commissioner Booth said the flower baskets, lawn and planters are looking terrific along the highway, it looks nice and well maintained.

Public Restrooms: Currently closed to the public for health and safety of the public and personnel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Portable restrooms with hand washing stations are available for the publics use provided by the Port and the Purvis’. Portable restrooms are serviced Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays and pumped additionally when needed. Maintenance personnel monitors garbage and supplies additional toilet paper as needed.

Port parking/Office building/Maintenance shed: B. Osborne and S. Lindgren have Security App’s on their phones to monitor live stream surveillance cameras overlooking the public restrooms, office building, shed, parking lot, waterfront park and the dock.

Port Directors Report

All items have been discussed.  Governor Inslee extended the OPMA guideline to August 1,2020, Mason County opened the county up to Phase III which allows people to gather in groups of 50 or less, wear face masks, and social distance six feet away. Due to the most recent Governors mandate, COVID-19 health and safety compliance signs are posted on all port properties for the public’s information and on the office window.  The Port of Hoodsport port commission continues using the ‘Zoom’ virtual chat room venue for regular port commission meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the public can request an invite to attend the meetings.  Meeting dates are posted on the port’s website, on Mason TV, in the WPPA newsletter and posted on the port office window. Currently, the public may email the port for an invitation to attend the regular port commission meeting.  The request must be received by 4pm the day prior to the scheduled meeting.

Budget:                  There were no financial statements to review        Old Business:        As discussed above        New Business:       None

Next Meeting:          September 9, 2020 to be held via internet in a ZOOM chatroom venue

Adjourn:        Commissioner Petz made a motion to adjourn the Regular Port Commission meeting, Commissioner Booth seconded, it was unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

2020 Regular Port Commission Meetings are scheduled as follows:    Wednesday’s at 9am     September 16,30 October 14,28

 Commissioner Petz                  Commissioner Brazil                Commissioner Booth

MINUTES FROM THE VIRTUAL REGULAR PORT COMMISSION MEETING  OF THE PORT OF HOODSPORT COMMISSION  August 12, 2020

 Call to Order:   9:00am                                                   Adjourned:  11:05am

Meeting Held at:              Via Zoom Conference Call

Roll Call:         Commissioner Petz – Commission Chair           Commissioner Brazil               Commissioner Booth

Staff Present:          K. Wyatt – Executive Director   B. Osborne – Director of Maintenance      S.Lindgren – Maintenance – absent

Public:       Katherine Yackel – YSS Dive Shop                 Morgan Rothrock – Hoodsport Hills Disc Golf Course   Bill Grondin – Hoodsport Hills Disc Golf

Approval of Agenda:  Commissioner Brazil made a motion to approve the agenda as  written; Commissioner Booth seconded; unanimously approved.

Minutes: Commissioner Brazil made a motion to approve the regular port commission minutes from July 22, 2020, Commissioner Booth seconded, unanimously approved.

Vouchers:  The following Vouchers/Warrants were approved for payment: August 12, 2020 1of1 in the amount of $8,476.01

Public Communication:   The Port director introduced K Yackel as one of the owners of the new YSS Dive shop next to the waterfront park. We had a phone conversation regarding the YSS Dive shop entering into a Facility Use Agreement to use the ports waterfront park for staging and entering the canal with their dive students. The port discussed usage at the last port commission meeting and was in favor of the dive shop using the are if they were mindful of families and the public using picnic tables and the grass area.   YSS Dive shop agreed to enter a FUA with the Port and will list the Port as additionally insured on their liability insurance with coverage no less than $1,000,000. per occurrence.  The Facility Use agreement will be reviewed by the Ports insurance company and attorney as well as the Yackel’s attorney.  K. Yackel asked if the Port commission would be interested in the having the dive area around the dock be adopted as a Dive sight?  They are involved in ‘Project Aware’, an ocean conservation program whereby the Dive shop adopts a dive site and has conservation classes there.  The site is posted online and seen worldwide as an adopted and protected dive site.  Divers will be diving around the ports dock; all dive debris is reported and documented. 100 % of the funds from every dive certification for PADI and SIO goes toward conservation.  So far they have discovered 5 sunken boats under and around the port dock, there is also a car barge that sunk over 50 years ago at a depth of 60’ and there is a tire reef.  Students are taught how to look at dive wrecks, we have seen 3 giant octopus, wolf eels and sea whips at a depth of 60’, they are a type of coral that only grows in the Hood Canal.  The minimum age of students is 12 years old.  We are the only dive store in Washington state that can dive right outside its shop. Commissioner Brazil said the dive shop provides a great service and are a real asset to our town.  Commissioner Booth said she wanted them to be aware of concerns of safety for divers during fishing season between July and November.  There are boats moving extremely fast pulling nets, there are people crabbing off the dock as well.  She emphasized they need to be extremely careful as most people will not recognize divers under the water around the dock even with a dive flag in the water.  K. Yackel said she is a master instructor certified in safety, they emphasize safety and have a shore support person for extra safety. Commisisoner Petz asked what do we have to do to be adopted as a dive site?  K Yackel said she will have to register it online and asked if the commission had a specific name, they would like to call it, the commission all agreed the Port of Hoodsport Dive site would be a great name.  Commissioner Petz thanked K. Yackel and said what they are doing is remarkably interesting.  M. Rothrock was present to talk about expansion of the 9-hole disc golf course, the club wants to move forward with finishing the 9-hole disc golf course and have been struggling with the COVID-19 rules and regulations, they are discussing how to proceed with safety protocols.  The port director said COVID-19 signs are posted in several areas at the disc golf course as per statewide prevention guidelines and they can monitor themselves. Commissioner Brazil asked if the new board of trustees had their paperwork together yet and if they have discussed signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Port of Hoodsport and the new board members of the Disc Golf Association.  M. Rothrock asked the port director to email the MOU, he could then create a format for online signatures that would work for everyone. M. Rothrock said they are ready to put in the pads which entails coordination of people, concrete forms and a concrete truck delivery. Commissioner Petz said get it scheduled before the weather window disappears.   M Rothrock said it will be in early September.

Commissioner Reports:  Commissioner Booth and the port director had a Zoom conference with Commissioner K. Shutty and K. Leaf from the Economic Development Council to talk about further funding to defray costs associated with the public restrooms as far as pumping septic tanks, maintaining and supplying them.   They also discussed how they might help with matching funds for a grant to replace the ports dock.  Commissioner Shutty suggested tapping into the Lodging tax however it is not guaranteed year to year.  Commissioner Booth said, in looking at the City of Shelton website on the L-Tax, it said the L-Tax decreased this year due to COVID-19, people are not staying in hotels and they have cut their staff by 50%. We missed the cut off date for next year’s RCO grants in the boating infrastructure category.  We need to discuss ports funds regarding having enough money to match a percentage of grant money.  One of the things the Port needs to do is update the ‘Master Plan’. The port director will email a copy of the ports ‘Master Plan’ to each commissioner for review and input.  The port director asked the commission to review the Public restroom budget scenarios which breaks down costs and percentage of the ports budget for each scenario 1) pump the septic tanks on an as needed basis as suggested in past meetings would cost 55% of the ports annual budget 2) rent portable restrooms in lieu of pumping would cost 15% of the ports annual budget 3) replacing the drain field, normal hours, pumping during high season would cost 65% of the ports reserve and 36% of the ports annual budget. Commissioner Petz said the Port’s budget cannot sustain the pumping scenario even if the constituents were polled with a survey on whether they wanted to continue with the public restrooms.  Without guaranteed consistent additional funding, the ports budget cant sustain the cost.  Commissioner Brazil said if the port provided portable restrooms it would only cost 15% of the ports budget.  Commissioner Petz said if we are getting out of the restroom business, we do not need to supply portable restrooms.  Commissioner Brazil said during shrimping and in the summer months, it may be beneficial to put a couple of portable restrooms on port property by the ports shed so people using the dock can use them.  Commissioner Booth said we need to figure out what dock repairs need to be done. Once we know, can the port afford a 25% match, still a qualifier is that no more than 10% of the match can come from Government sources and hopefully we have the 15% in our reserves.

Port Maintenance Reports:

Hoodsport Trail Park & Disc Golf Park:  B. Osborne said other than the normal maintenance there is nothing more to report.  He will help B. Grondin get the forms made to pour concrete for the pads and find out the price on concrete.

Hoodsport Marina, Dock & Waterfront Park: B. Osborne said one flotation came out from under the middle slip on the dock.  Both ladders have been broken off the dock, if someone fell in the water, they would have a hard time climbing out.  Commissioner Brazil made a motion to purchase two aluminum ladders to be replaced, Commissioners Booth and Petz agreed, it was unanimous.  B. Osborne said he would check with Marine Floats for recommendations and get a price for the port administrator.

Public Restrooms: Currently closed to the public for health and safety of the public and personnel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Portable restrooms with hand washing stations are available for the publics use provided by the Port and the Purvis’. The company who services the portable restrooms are cleaning them Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. The director is calling with extra service to the portable restrooms when needed. The Port personnel are checking garbage and supplying additional toilet paper daily.

Port parking/Office building/Maintenance shed: B. Osborne and S. Lindgren have Security App’s on their phones and are monitoring the live stream surveillance cameras that oversee the public restrooms, office building, shed, parking lot, waterfront park and the dock.

Port Directors Report    The port director spoke to the director of the Port of Shelton to find out about polling the public, she said it was awfully expensive to mail surveys and they opted to have two public meetings instead.  The port director said at this point with COVID-19, we could only send out a survey or an online survey to the port’s taxpayers.  The port director will call Mason county to obtain a list of taxpayers in the ports district.  The port director will send a Facility Use agreement to the port’s insurance company and attorney for review before obtaining signatures from YSS Dive shop.    The port is writing an adapting, evolving policy to meet evolving port policy requirements as per the Governors guidelines around ports and COVID-19.  Governor Inslee extended the OPMA guideline to August 1,2020, Mason County opened the county up to Phase III which allows people to gather in groups of 50 or less, wear face masks, and social distance six feet away. Due to the most recent Governors mandate, COVID-19 health and safety compliance signs are posted on all port properties for the public’s information and on the office window.  The Port of Hoodsport port commission continues using the ‘Zoom’ virtual chat room venue for regular port commission meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the public can request an invite to attend the meetings.  Meeting dates are posted on the port’s website, on Mason TV, in the WPPA newsletter and posted on the port office window. Currently, the public may email the port for an invitation to attend the regular port commission meeting.  The request must be received by 4pm the day prior to the scheduled meeting.

Budget:                  The July financial statements were reviewed              Old Business:        As discussed above            New Business:       None

Next Meeting:          August 26, 2020 to be held via internet in a ZOOM chatroom venue

Adjourn:      Commissioner Brazil made a motion to adjourn the Regular Port Commission meeting, Commissioner Booth seconded, it was unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 11:05 a.m.

2020 Regular Port Commission Meetings are scheduled as follows:    Wednesday’s at 9am     August 26

 Commissioner Petz                  Commissioner Brazil                Commissioner Booth