Port 2 considers office options

Port District 2 board members reconvened August 5 to continue the Policy and Procedures discussion it began on July 21.

At the start, audience member Pat Reese asked the board to clarify its procedures for public comment. Chairman Brian O’Connor told her the audience could ask questions as the meeting progressed. Reese said if that was the case she’d like to ask her questions first. O’Connor agreed.

Reese asked the board if they planned to sign any policy statements they might create.

The board referred the question to port attorney Jennifer Hanigan, who said, “All policies will be approved by the board, and the first draft may be signed.”

Reese then asked if the park manager’s personal job evaluation that was sent to people not directly associated with Vista Park’s daily operations was legal.

Board member Kayrene Gilbertson explained that because Skamokawa Vista Park manages the county’s boat ramp in Skamokawa, some members of county government had a right to comment on the manager’s job performance, while others did not, and it was her fault the evaluation went to the wrong people.

Reese then asked about the park’s debt limit and how the debt was calculated?

McClain passed out a working draft budget for 2010 showing the park’s current projected revenues minus expenditures. The draft shows that revenues won't cover expenditures and predicts a $10,192 shortfall for the end of the 2010.

McClain said he had discussed the park’s budget with the county treasurer and, “She said the county’s timber harvest tax is down for this year, too, and she expects it to be down for next year as well, which means Vista Park’s revenue will be lower than expected.”

“This draft budget also reflects revenues and expenditures without the proposed new loan,” McClain said.

McClain’s "new loan" reference dates to the port’s July 21 meeting when the board considered $100,000 loan for park maintenance and to purchase a park model trailer for the park’s new office. During the discussion, Port 2 board members realized the loan they were signing had an adjustable rate, and they voted to postpone adoption of the loan.

Reese said, “Are you (the board) still considering a $100,000 loan for a new office?”

“At the last meeting the resolution to approve the new loan was not signed because of the interest rate and perhaps the size of the loan,” said Hanigan.

O’Connor said the loan would be on the table when the board meets again on the August 18. “I don’t think we’re ready to take the loan on,” he said.

Reese explained that from her perspective a new office would not generate revenue for the park and therefore was a waste of money.

Gilbertson said the loan was simply to try to increase the park’s bottom line and that with a new office perhaps the park would have space to sell ice and pop.

The board was then asked if Vista Park could acquire the property that the current office now sits on.

O’Connor said the board had explored that idea but thought it would cost more and take longer to build a new “stick building.”

O’Connor didn’t discuss possible cost savings of having a building that already has electric, water and sewer installed. Nether was any distinction made between new construction and remodel-expansion.

McClain said the Vista Park office building and the land actually belong to the Skamokawa Parks and Recreation District and any questions about the property should be directed to Irene Martin.

In an interview after the meeting Martin said, “It is possible the park could acquire the office and land it currently rents from the Parks and Recreation District. They’d have to arrange a meeting with the board to discuss it.”

Martin said she was unsure where the parks and recreation property line is but thought it began north of the current Vista Park office with the line running east from the building and ending somewhere behind the Vista Park tennis courts.

“You should ask James (Sunrise) Fletcher,” Martin said. “He chairs the Parks and Recreation board and would know more about its operations.”

When asked, Fletcher said that to the best of his knowledge the park and recreation district had already given the land to Vista Park. “The building Vista Park uses as its office is the only thing the parks district owns,” he said.

Fletcher said Vista Park’s current office building was donated to the park district when the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tail Deer was established.

The building was moved to its current location outside the Vista Park gate. And Skamokawa Parks and Recreation District was formed for the sole purpose of formally accepting the donated building as a public library, “Then a portion of the building was leased to Vista Park to uses as office space,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher said he thought that if port commissioners were to petition to for donation of the land and current office space to Vista Park, the park and recreation district would likely do so. “Absolutely," said Fletcher, “in a second. I honestly thought we’d already turned the land and building over to the port but maybe we need to dissolve something to make it official.”

Fletcher also said he thought the donation would create extra value for the park, rather than extra debt.