Port 2 considering new water, sewer fees

Commissioners of Port District 2 and the Skamokawa Sewer and Water District (SWD) are trying to negotiate new fees for each other.

The port leases land in Skamokawa Vista Park for a drainfield for the SWD. The park's restrooms are connected to their own drainfield. The SWD bills the Skamokawa Park and Recreation District (PRD) for the sewer connection to the port office, which the port is buying from the PRD.

The SWD is behind on its account with the port district, SWD commissioners Val Ross and Oliver VandenBerghe said November 16. In turn, the PRD is behind in its account with the SWD, which will place a lien on the property if it is sold.

The two SWD commissioners told Port 2 commissioners they would like to pay up their account and that they would like the port to reduce the rate for the drainfield lease.

The SWD leases the drainfield site for $450 per month on a five-year interlocal agreement set to expire December 31, 2010, the SWD commissioners said.

Early on, the SWD, which has 55 users with multiple accounts, became delinquent on the payments, and the district and port set up an additional $100 monthly payment to take care of the delinquency.

"Oliver and I have worked really hard to make the district fiscally sound," Ross said. "We have no employees. We propose that we pay the entire amount owing, $8,330."

Then they'd like the port district to lower the rate.

"We have always felt that the community shouldn't be the source of a revenue windfall for the port district," VandenBerghe said. "Every dollar we spend is a dollar taken out of the pockets of the residents of this community."

Monthly sewer rates are $80 for individuals, $120 for institutions and $160 for multi-source customers.

The SWD commissioners also urged the port commission to purchase the office site from the PRD and get that account up to date.

The port commissioners present, Kayrene Gilbertsen and Brian O'Connor (Carlton Appelo was absent) said they're willing to consider the proposals.

"The best scenario is for them to get paid up and to go from there," O'Connor said. "It (sewer connection fee) is an exorbitant cost to the residents.

"We don't know about lowering the $450 fee; we'd have to do some research on that."

Gilbertsen said the port has been paying its rental fee to the PRD, so it should be able to pay its bill to the SWD.

Sunrise Fletcher, the only remaining member of the PRD board of commissioners, said he is working with the county prosecuting attorney's office to decommission the district, which no longer has a use.

"Its only purpose was to be a public entity to receive the donation of that building (now the port office) as a library," he said. "Now that the library is gone, it's not needed."

County Auditor Diane Tischer said Monday that she plans to contact Fletcher about preparing vouchers for payment of bills to the PRD.

Also at the November 16 port commission meeting, commissioners considered a proposed annual water usage permit.

The port sells water from its Vista Park system to people whose water systems run low in summer.

The permit would require all people wanting to take water from Vista Park for home use to register with the port district and to pay a $25 annual permit fee. The port currently charges $.006 per gallon for water.

The water must not be resold, according to the terms of the proposed permit, and purchasers must supply their own filler hose.