Representatives from the Port of Grays Harbor gave a presentation at Monday’s Hoquiam City Council meeting detailing continued growth and profitability, and that led to some tough questions from community members and councilmembers.
Port public affairs manager Kayla Dunlap spoke on the Deeper Draft celebration to be held Dec. 14 in the Port commission chamber. Deeper Draft is the name given to the ongoing dredging operation adding another two feet in depth to the navigation channel, which will allow ships to carry up to 10 percent more product. It should be completed in 2018. Dunlap also announced the Port plans to start another dredging project in Westport in the fall. “We have a request into the state legislature to fund the project,” said Dunlap, who adds that any delay in funding could delay the project and put fishing and processing jobs at risk.
Dunlap described the burgeoning automobile shipments from the Port and announced that the first ship bringing cars in for import will be arriving Friday. To this point all the traffic has been from domestic vehicles shipping out.
Questions were called for, and when asked about the Port’s stand on the proposed Contanda oil storage and transportation facility, Dunlap said they just wanted the council’s diligence in considering the project’s shorelines permit application. Councilman John Pellegrini then remarked on the increased profitability of the Port and asked “when are we going to get our tax money back?” referring to the property taxes the Port collects. That drew applause from the 30 or so community members in attendance. Dunlap said the tax money, up to 45 cents for each $1,000 – currently just over 41 cents – of assessed property value, “goes strictly to capital improvement projects like roads, rail, docks and other infrastructure or debt service to pay for the projects.” Port executive director Gary Nelson explained that the tax dollars can be shown to bond agencies as a solid revenue source to repay debt, as opposed to operating revenues that can fluctuate. Nelson said when the Port has a strong, positive bond rating it helps other area municipalities should they need to issue bonds.
Later in the council meeting, an item on the agenda dealing with the firm the city was looking at to analyze Contanda’s shorelines permit application was stricken from the agenda. Anchor QEA has withdrawn from the project due to an unspecified conflict of interest, according to city administrator Brian Shay.
