Port 2 commission amends fee schedule

Commissioners of Port District No. 2 of Wahkiakum County reviewed and acted on a variety of issues at their meeting Tuesday.

Commissioners decided to wait until 2013 before contracting to expand wireless internet service in Skamokawa Vista Park.

The park's current service provider offered a proposal that would expand present limited coverage to cover one third to one half of the park. However, Commissioners Kayrene Gilbertsen and Lori Scott--commission Chair Brian O'Connor was ill and didn't attend--acknowledged that other providers might be able to offer better service with new fiber optic capabilities.

The commissioners decided to postpone until September a decision on whether or not to engage an architect to design a new office. A new stick built building might be financially out of the question, they said, and they wanted to explore ramifications of installing a prefabricated building.

The commissioners voted to say that if the district's cash on hand is over $100,000 at the end of 2012, they'll pay down a park expansion loan by $20,000 or $25,000. They also voted to transfer their cash on hand from a money market account to a 90 day certificate of deposit.

The board voted to authorize the purchase of a golf cart for $950 for staff use in Vista Park, and they voted to give Manager Janet Bryan a $50 monthly allowance to cover cell phone charges she incurs while handling calls to the park when she's not in the office.

Commissioners adopted a resolution amending the district's rate schedule at Vista Park. The changes add a $5 daily fee for dogs at campsites, a $5 fee for each extra tent at a camp site, and a $10 reservation cancellation fee if the cancellation is made within seven days of the reservation.

Commissioners discussed possible uses of Lockwood Landing, a parcel on Birnie Slough that was recently transferred to port ownership. Gilbertsen said the lot would be cleared and available for use by people with small boats.

"It would be nice to have a local group that takes ownership," Gilbertsen said. "Interested parties could contact the port office."