Port 1 commission concerned about park

Maintenance Manager Todd Souvenir told the Wahkiakum County Port 1 Board of Commissioners that the owner of a float plane who was interested in relocating his business to the Elochoman Slough Marina had flown in recently to take a look around and talk about potential locations for his hangar.

“He’s definitely really gung ho about the business, the touring flights,” Souvenir said.

Commissioners continued to express concerns about the size of the hangar and potential traffic issues in the marina, but remained open to the idea.

“Get something in here, might get some tourists,” Commissioner Scott Anderson said.

The pilot will be drawing up some plans and will get back to the port, Souvenir said.

Talk turned to County Line Park.

Souvenir described his visit to the county commissioner meeting, which was reported on in the February 10 edition of The Eagle.

“At the end of the year, when they have their budget meetings, I went in and asked for funds for the water system at County Line Park,” Souvenir said. “At the time they said they would have those funds and they would be willing to do that. Before I did anything, I wanted to go back and confirm that the funds were available and if there was overrun, since the quotes/bids that I got previously were almost a year old … depending on their approval, the costs could be more. I wanted to make sure that they had that.”

Souvenir said the county probably isn’t interested in putting $40,000 in a water system if the port planned to stop managing the site. He said there was some discussion about the Department of Natural Resources or the Washington State Department of Transportation managing it as a rest stop instead of a park.

“I sure hate to get it dumped on us,” Commissioner Brett Deaton said, adding that county Commissioner Dan Cothren was exactly right, that it’s all travelers that stop there.

Souvenir said that the county commissioners’ initial interest in County Line Park was for the restrooms, and that right now, they weren’t open.

“That definitely came up,” Souvenir said. “Part of the funding, when I went to the commissioners earlier, they would fund it assuming we would open the restrooms.”

No action was taken, and the commissioners will continue to consider the matter.

Souvenir reported that sounding had been completed around the marina and that depths were holding. There will be no need to dredge this year.

The port is expecting to be busy for the coming spring fishing season, with almost every cabin, RV site, campsite and slip already rented.