Port 2 buying teepees, welcomes wireless ISP

By Rick Nelson

Commissioners of Port District 2 are in a building mood.

They've called for bids to construct a building to house a laundry and the Skamokawa Vista Park office.

And on their monthly meeting Tuesday, they voted to purchase and install three teepees at Vista Park.

Commissioners also voted to be one of the initial customers of a new business that will provide wireless internet service in the immediate Skamokawa area.

A new resident of Skamokawa, Steve Carson works in internet technology and operates his own business, Computer Link Northwest.

He and his wife planned to buy a retirement house on the coast, while camping at Vista Park, they spotted a waterfront property for sale, and made the purchase.

Wanting to be able to work from home, Carson started researching ways to connect to fast service. He learned that a fiber optic line ran through town, that the line had two access vaults, and that he could reasonably purchase the bandwidth he wanted and more.

Knowing that Vista Park needed new wifi service, and that neighbors have also been pleading for better service, he decided to become an internet service provider, doing business as Skamokawa Internet Service.

He needs at least 20 customers, Carson told the port commission, and several businesses and residents have already committed to the service.

Carson will install a transmitter to provide the service; customers must be in line of sight.

Carson also offered to aid the port in restoring wifi service in the park. The park's former service provider is gone, and, said Manager Janet Bryan, the port's old equipment is obsolete.

Port districts are authorized to provide internet service infrastructure, Carson added. The port could provide equipment to expand the service area; a formal business would have to provide the service commercially.

"I can handle the initial investment," Carson said, "but outside of town would be too much."

The proposal pleased port Commissioners Brian O'Connor, Lori Scott and Lee Tischer. They voted unanimously to authorize the manager and attorney to enter into a contract with Skamokawa Internet Services.

In other business, commissioners authorized the manager to purchase three teepees at a maximum price of $13,000. The teepees, two 20-feet high and one 22-feet high, will be installed on concrete pads, which port staff will construct.