Port 1 plans dredging, launching ramp repair

Commissioners for Port District 1 didn’t let the snow stop them from gathering last Thursday for the December meeting.

Preparations are well underway to begin dredging soon. The current work window ends on February 28 and commissioners hope to make the most of the time they have left.

The port’s new tug has been taken in for work. Some rust needs to be dealt with, but the port has decided to wait until after the work window ends to address the problem. Dredging equipment has been arriving at the port, including dredge pipe.

The commissioners spoke briefly about hiring a crew to do the work, which will need to go out to bid.

“We need to hire who we think the best person it is that can get out there and get working,” Commissioner Brett Deaton said.

“Right away,” Commissioner Scott Anderson agreed. “It may not be low bid.”

Port Manager Jackie Lea reminded the commissioners that the people who sold them the dredge were willing to come out and train for two weeks.

The port has also been considering how to repair the ramp.

A permit to pour a new ramp, which would require a temporary dam, will take too long, so Commissioner Bob Kizziar instructed Lea to get bids to have concrete slabs installed. The window for that work is January 1-31.

The other commissioners agreed, with reservations.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Deaton said. “It’s just a Band Aid.”

The commissioners approved a new cash handling policy and decided who would attend Council of Government and Marine Resource Committee meetings as representatives for the port.

Anderson reported that he had already stepped in as the MRC representative, and Lea said she was the representative for COG, but she needed an alternate.

Deaton declined to be a representative for either entity, so Anderson and Kizziar agreed to share alternate duties for COG.

The officer positions were rotated for the new year. Anderson will be president, Deaton moves to vice president and Kizziar will be secretary.