MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PORT OF CAMAS-WASHOUGAL APRIL 17, 2012 By: Mary Murphy, Executive Assistant

Transcription

1 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PORT OF CAMAS-WASHOUGAL APRIL 17, 2012 By: Mary Murphy, Executive Assistant The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of Camas-Washougal was held at the Port Offices, 24 South 'A' Street, Washougal, WA, on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. PRESENT: Commissioners Bill Macrae-Smith, Mark Lampton and Bill Ward; Executive Director David Ripp; Finance Director Kim Noah; Executive Assistant Mary Murphy; the Goodstein Law Group; and members of the press and public. At 4:00 p.m., the Commission recessed into executive session to discuss one matter relating to property disposition and four matters relating to property acquisition. Following executive session, the Commission reconvened into general open session. At 5:00 p.m., following the Pledge of Allegiance, Commission President Mark Lampton called the public meeting to order. CONSENT ITEMS Minutes The reading of the Minutes of the regular meeting of April 3, 2012 was dispensed with, it being noted that a copy of the Minutes had been provided previously to all Commissioners. After brief discussion, upon motion by Commissioner Ward, seconded by Commissioner Macrae-Smith and carried unanimously, Minutes from the April 3, 2012 regular meeting were approved as presented. Claims/Vouchers After review, upon motion by Commissioner Ward, seconded by Commissioner Macrae-Smith and carried unanimously, general vouchers , and in the total amount of $200,267.64, and the issuance of warrants in payment thereof, were approved. NEW BUSINESS / DISCUSSION ITEMS Steigerwald Commerce Center Update Director Ripp updated the board on the preliminary engineering work that has been accomplished to date for Steigerwald Commerce Center (SCC). (See Executive Director s Report attached.) Next, Director Ripp introduced Damon Webster and Aaron Toman, from MacKay & Sposito, who presented a graphic layout of conceptual lot sizes in SCC, illustrating potential maximum flexibility for future tenants needs. Webster also reviewed information gathered from discussions with the City of Washougal on sewer and stormwater systems and bio swale options. Discussion followed on the fire system, rail expansion, and wetland buffers for SCC, and shifting the future well site to the east. Webster stated that the northwest section of the property would be ideal for Phase I since it has no wetland impacts, and recommended that application for wetland permits (a lengthy process) for Phase II begin soon. The next steps will include discussions with the City regarding their short plat or binding site plan process, and development of a Master Plan and Development Agreement. Director Ripp reiterated that the goal is to put a shovel in the ground by August; therefore, the process must keep moving forward. He directed Webster to provide a cost for construction engineering of Phase I for discussion at the May 1 st commission meeting. No decisions were made. Page 1 of 3

2 Reimbursement Resolution Finance Director Noah presented information on the U.S. Dept. of Treasury s regulation allowing the Port to adopt a resolution stating that proceeds from tax-exempt obligations may be used for reimbursement of prior expenditures, and then outlined Resolution 4-12 authorizing the Executive Director and Finance Director to identify and qualify capital projects for reimbursement from future bonds. Noah added that Resolution 4-12 will be presented for formal approval under Action Items. No decisions were made. PUBLIC COMMENT #1 Bruce Fuerstenberg commented on the new location of the Parkersville sign. Richard Hamby commented on Steigerwald Commerce Center and the Parkersville sign. Martha Martin commented on Steigerwald Commerce Center. ACTION ITEMS Honorary Member of Park Advisory Committee Executive Assistant Murphy reported that at the March 6 th meeting of the Park Advisory Committee (PAC), it was unanimously recommended that Delores Hoyt be named a permanent member. Mrs. Hoyt retired from the Committee in February but had been a long-standing and valued member. Murphy added that as a subcommittee of the Port, PAC requires commission approval of their request. Upon motion by Commissioner Ward, seconded by Commissioner Macrae-Smith and carried unanimously, Delores Hoyt was named an honorary member of the Parkersville National Historical Site Advisory Committee, effective April 17, Resolution 4-12 Finance Director Noah requested approval of Resolution 4-12 appointing the Executive Director and Finance Director to identify and qualify certain future expenditures for capital projects as eligible for reimbursement from bonds. Commissioner Macrae-Smith clarified that this authority was for approved expenditures, i.e. a property purchase, that require the outlay of funds sooner than when funds would be available through issuance of bonds (normally a 60-day process). Subsequently, after the bond issue is accomplished, the funds would be reimbursed. After discussion, upon motion by Commissioner Macrae-Smith, seconded by Commissioner Ward and carried unanimously, Resolution 4-12 was adopted as presented, effective April 17, Public Records Policy Following discussion on the draft Public Records Policy at the April 3 rd commission meeting, Executive Assistant Murphy presented the finalized Policy for approval. She reported that additional language had been added to the section entitled Order for Processing Requests to clarify that the Port has the option to provide public records in installments, if appropriate. After brief discussion, upon motion by Commissioner Ward, seconded by Commissioner Macrae-Smith and carried unanimously, the Public Records Policy was adopted, as presented, effective April 17, Levee Tree Removal Project Director Ripp reported that the Levee Tree Removal project by Green Construction is finished and that Project Manager Larry Connolly monitored the ongoing work and inspected the project at completion. Ripp then requested that the Board declare the project as complete. Connolly added that the tree removal is part of the levee recertification criteria and that the work was done within the levee easements, as required. He stated that the Corps of Engineers was notified when the job was done and invited to conduct its own inspection; however, the Corps declined. After brief discussion, upon motion by Commissioner Ward, seconded by Commissioner Macrae-Smith and carried unanimously, the Levee Tree Removal Project by Green Construction, Inc. was declared to be complete, effective April 17, Page 2 of 3

3 STAFF REPORTS Director Ripp s report included (see attached): o Approval of State grant for infrastructure project (SCC) in the amount of $1.5 million. o CERB Planning Grant status; o April 23 rd Joint Workshop with Washougal City Council; o CREDC presentation at May 1 st commission meeting. o Reminder: May 15 th regular meeting rescheduled to Monday, May 14 th ; o Costs & fees for Wi-Fi in Marina (discussed including in 2013 budget); o Fern Prairie Modelers lease; and o Earth Day beach clean-up on Friday, April 20 th. COMMISSIONER REPORTS Commissioner Lampton commented on the Dept. of Commerce seminar on promoting your community: focus on the why to attract visitors to your area -- why is this area so unique? He also commented on the invitation to CREDC s Executive Board Meeting. Commissioner Macrae-Smith commented that economic development isn t automatic. Commissioner Ward commented on a letter to the editor in The Columbian and expressed gratitude to meeting attendees; the 2011 financial picture and the long-range goal of becoming a selfsustaining entity. Commissioner Lampton responded that the taxes collected are roughly $80 a year for a home valued at $200,000 and are reinvested in the community. Commissioner Macrae-Smith responded that the Port is owned by the public; collecting taxes keeps the public involved; the taxes are marginal; and he believes public involvement is a benefit. PUBLIC COMMENT #2: John Wagoner commented on the infrastructure grant and moorage rates. Richard Hamby commented on taxes and promoting the area: We need more places for people to work and shop, not necessarily more places for people to live. Joe Levesque commented on development of area. The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. PORT OF CAMAS-WASHOUGAL Commissioners Page 3 of 3

4 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT April 17, 2012 STEIGERWALD COMMERCE CENTER The preliminary engineering continues to move along and I have listed some items below as an update on what has been worked on: Reviewed conceptual layouts of small and large lots. Reviewed sanitary sewer plan; preliminary strategy set; appears no lift station needed; Preliminary stormwater and grading strategy reviewed; M&S advise formal commitment from City that no detention is required; Damon confirmed with Frank from Charbonneau s that YES, his contract DOES include the 27 th Street overpass and 32 nd Ave improvements. City of Washougal has indicated (via ) that no on-site detention is required for Steigerwald given the city's acceptance of the prior storm drainage master plan which allows for treatment onsite with detention through the existing ditch. We have put together a draft of the site to show the flexibility of lot sizes (how they can be laid out on the site), as well as the phasing of the street layout. Our goal is to market a range of smaller, mid-size and larger lots to have something in the County that no one else can offer. State Capital Budget For the last couple of meetings I have discussed that there were a number of Port projects listed in the State s Capital Budget under the Jobs Bond Package. The budget was passed in the early morning of April 11, 2012 and the Port s project was approved. The Port will be receiving a $1.5 million grant for Phase I of Steigerwald Commerce Center. How and when the Port will be receiving this funding still needs to be worked out, but as soon as I have more details, I will update the Commission. CERB Planning Grant CERB has received our application and the Port should hear back from them around June if we made it through to the next step of the process. PROJECT UPDATES SR-14 (27 th /32 nd ) City Council will be holding a joint workshop with the Port to review and discuss the final project redesign on Monday, April 23 rd. The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm in the Washougal Council Chambers.

5 OTHER Lisa Nisenfeld from the CREDC will be attending our May 1 st meeting to update the Commission on how the County s Strategic Plan is moving forward. I want to remind the Commission and public that the May 15 th meeting has been rescheduled for Monday May 14 th, due to the WPPA Spring Conference.