Port 1 okays pathway project at County Line

The Wahkiakum County Port 1 Board of Commissioners covered a lot of ground at their meeting last Thursday.

The commissioners approved a free launch day for all on August 31 at the Elochoman Slough Marina for the Warriors and Widows Salmon Derby, as they have traditionally done every year when the event is held.

A refund of $707.40 was approved for a customer who had paid annual moorage but had to sell his boat.

Interim Port Manager Todd Souvenir said that he had requested three bids for a project to improve the pathways at County Line Park, but Lakeside Industries was the only one to respond.

He had held his quote from a year ago, Souvenir said, despite increases in the price of oil used for paving.

Souvenir said that approximately 400 feet of pathway will be improved, including stairs that have been impacted by erosion.

“I want to get that portion repaired and the rest will go into the pathways,” Souvenir said. “This will cover all the portions that lead to the viewing deck. That’s the area that is most deteriorated.”

“We better do it before it goes up,” Commissioner Brett Deaton said.

The bid of $20,736.67 was approved.

The project will be paid for through grants from the Marine Resources Committee and Accessible Community Advisory Committee.

With Bald Eagle Day coming, commissioners discussed rates for potential vendors who might want to set up on port property.

“We don’t want to compete or take away business from the Chamber of Commerce,” Souvenir said. He suggested a $50 rate, which is equal to the Chamber rate for non-members.

It passed with a two to one vote, with Deaton voting against.

Commissioners approved a newly drafted port manager job description, with the addition of a requirement for a boater’s card.

Souvenir said that he had been approached by the Cathlamet Yacht Club about a project to pressure wash and clean the marina entrance sign. Commissioners were amenable.

The new brewery is getting closer to opening every day, and the port has started to talk about relocating the fish cleaning station, or maybe even an upgrade.

They looked at pictures provided by Deaton and listened to possible solutions including grinders, commercial boxes, or a boat that could dump the carcasses.

“That’s a nice cleaning table,” Deaton said, “but this is becoming quite a fishing place. We need to upgrade ours.”

“Siting it is going to be the major problem,” Commissioner Scott Anderson said.

The conversation about powering up the river view RV sites continued. Souvenir said he had one bid so far.

“I think we definitely should,” Commissioner Art Hedman said. “We’re losing those five spots down there by the brewery.”

A project to improve the sewer system at the port began this week.

“I’m really excited to hopefully have the sewer project start on Monday and with the goal of being up and running and completed no later than end of day, Thursday,” Souvenir said.

The public meeting was then closed for an executive session to give the commissioners time to review applications for the port manager position.