Port 2 wraps up work on 2011 budget

Commissioners of Port District No. 2 of Wahkiakum County completed preparation of their 2011 budget at their monthly meeting Tuesday in Skamokawa.

The budget shows a beginning balance of $52,250 left over from 2010 and a projected ending balance of $74,150.

The port anticipates revenues of $174,460 from operation of Skamokawa Vista Park and other operations. Revenue from property taxes is estimated at $30,000, with another $23,000 coming from other tax sources.

Commissioners Carlton Appelo, Kayrene Gilbertsen and Brian O'Connor and Manager Bob Robinson have trimmed some expenses. Robinson will work part time, 500 hours, at a salary of $20,000. Office Manager Janet Bryan will be paid $32,000. The port will employ a full-time maintenance worker at $21,000 and has budgeted $6,000 for summer help.

The port budgeted $48,000 for capital improvements. These include refurbishing restrooms, upgrading campsites, purchasing a pickup, and paying debt on previous projects.

Grays River resident Bob Larson, one of the original three commissioners when the district formed in the 1960s, urged the commission to be careful about trying to save money by cutting back in memberships in regional organizations.

"I don't want you to get too isolated," he said. It takes a long time to achieve substantial progress, he said. "Don't divide yourselves from other organizations that in years ahead might be needed."

Robinson and Board Chair O'Connor replied that the commission is trying to avoid that. They've taken associate membership, not voting membership, in the Cowlitz/Wahkiakum Council of Governments and will still benefit from that organization. They're dropping out of the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST), but Wahkiakum County continues its membership, so the port district could access services through the county.

"I like CREST, be we don't have the money to belong," O'Connor said. "We already agreed on how we would do this (at a recent budget workshop)."

Commissioners voted to adopt the budget, and they also passed a motion implementing the statutory 1 percent increase in property taxes. The increase will generate $59e,76 in new revenue, and the total property tax collection will be $59,970.08.

In public comment, Larson urged the commissioners to resurrect a proposal made several years ago to construct a deep water container port between Chinook and Ilwaco in Pacific County. A new port there would eliminate the need for continual dredging of the Columbia River shipping channel and it would also be very competitive with other west coast ports because it would be closer to China and its ports than any other port on the west coast.