Port of Bandon

Regular Commission Meeting

October 27, 2011 5:00pm

Bandon Public Library

Bandon, Oregon

 

Commissioners present: Donny Goddard, Robert S. Miller, Wayne Butler

Staff: Gina Dearth, Trudy Spanier

Guests: Dennis Graham, Don Chance, Jim Pitblado

 

President Miller called the meeting to order at 5:00pm.  Commissioner Goddard made a motion to approve the consent calendar, seconded by Commissioner Butler and passed unanimously.

 

President Miller asked if there was any public comment.  Don Chance, a local resident asked that the commission rescind their decision regarding no crabbing in the boat basin.  His reasoning was that older people do not want to go down to the public crab docks in the wind.  He stated that the crowds are too much for elderly people.  He asked what the outcome of the last meeting had been regarding live traps in the boat basin.  The answer from the commission and staff was that there would be more research done and the subject would be visited again during the winter months.  Mr. Chance asked that the subject be opened to public comment.  He then said that he had received a letter from the port and felt that he was being retaliated against by port staff.  He went on to say that his boat has not gotten underway because the Coast Guard last May told him not to take the boat out until he added lifelines.  He has gotten the stantions placed, but is not done.  Mr. Chance said that his engine is a 671 layover with wet exhaust and is quite loud.  He has a mechanic working with him on the engine, and is appalled to receive the letter referring to derelict boats.  He said no way is his boat a derelict boat.  Ms. Dearth read the letter aloud and reiterated that she had never referred to his boat being a derelict.  The letter is merely asking that he prove the boat seaworthy, as is the wording in the current moorage license agreement that he has signed and initialed.  She also said this letter was created in response to the port commission asking if there were any boats currently in our marina that had not been underway.  The letter went out to several boats that to her knowledge had not been away from the dock in years.  This is a safety precaution as much as anything, in case of fire or other emergency the vessel would need to get underway.  Mr. Chance then asked the commission to step in to intercede for him with port staff.  Commissioner Goddard explained to Mr. Chance that the port only wanted boats to prove they could get underway and go out into the river under their own power.  Mr. Chance offered names of persons that had seen the boat run.  Ms. Dearth explained that she needed to see the boat run.  Mr. Chance said that he would get underway and port staff could see it out front of the port office building.  He continued to say that he had someone coming to the boat to work tomorrow and that he will take the boat out.  Ms. Dearth said that was very good and she looked forward to seeing the boat run.  She offered him more time, as the 30 days would be up on the 29th of October.  Mr. Chance said that maybe he would do it Monday or Tuesday.  Ms. Dearth explained that this conversation came up because the State of Oregon has identified 250 derelict boats currently residing in Oregon waterways, and this will be an expensive problem for the state to get rid of these vessels.  Commissioner Goddard said this was very simple.  Don Chance just needs to get underway.  Mr. Chance expects other people with boats in the marina to get the same letter.  He feels that port staff is retaliating because he complained about no crabbing in the marina.

President Miller thanked Mr. Chance for his contribution to the port meeting.  He then asked if anyone else offered any public comment.  Jim Pitblado would like to crab in the marina.  He had no particular reason to come to the meeting other than just to see what went on during port meetings.  He did mention that he launched his boat from Bullards because it was near his dock, and that he had encountered problems with the 3 or 4 jet skis that had raced past all the salmon fishermen at top speed.  Ms. Dearth explained that the port had no control of the boat traffic on the river, and that Mr. Pitblado should call the Marine Deputy.

Ms. Dearth reported on the Business Oregon Invitation regarding the state mandated port strategic plan.  Our port completed the first round of paperwork, and has sent in the 2nd application.  Now we just wait and see.  Our port is on its way toward getting the funds together for this strategic plan. 

She went on to explain that Ray Bucheger of Federal Relations had requested a list of 5 projects from our port that were key to continuing to operate should there be any funding come forth from the legislature.   Ms. Dearth has listed the five projects as:  Marina and boat basin, fish plant, wildlife viewing platform at the south jetty, fish and shellfish waste, and a boat wash (needed to deal with the invasive species problem).  She pointed out that some of these projects could potentially earn the port some sort of income.  Commissioner Miller asked the other commissioners to comment on their priorities or if they concur with Ms. Dearth.  All present were in agreement with Ms. Dearth’s list. 

Gina Dearth then mentioned the SAR Rescue statistics recently released by the Coast Guard.  She said that we could also expect a tally of bar crossings soon.  These statistics are from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but Coquille and Port of Coos Bay have been combined.  President Miller was surprised that the number was so high until he realized that the two ports had been combined. 

Ms. Dearth discussed the Harbor Maintenance trust fund.  Currently California is trying to get congress to let the funds go so they can utilize those harbor funds to maintain the shipping ports and remain competitive.  They want Congress to invest in the ports.  President Miller commented that the potential is very interesting. 

Gina said that the Mitigation Bank is happening because a gentleman has 58 acres and is willing to take out the tide gates returning it to wetlands in the Coos Watershed.  Through an ACOE permit the landowner is allowed to sell mitigation credits by the acre to a developer should a large corporation apply to the county to develop a wetland area.  The port has 80 acres across the Coquille River that had potential for this kind of thing.  The one thing that may not work is that years ago the port turned a lagoon into a tidal basin.  Migs Scalici would love to take any interested commissioner out to the area to see what has been done there.  It may yet present an opportunity. 

She went on to say that Port of Bandon has been with Special Districts for many years, and we feel fortunate to operate under their umbrella.  Special Districts includes irrigation districts, fire districts, ports and many types of business.  SDAO is offering members a Longevity Credit and Rate Lock Agreement which would return to our port the amount of $3314.00 in 2012 and again in 2013.  Commissioner Miller asked staff what the recommendation would be, and Ms. Dearth said she thought it was a good idea.  Commissioner Butler made a motion to accept the proposal from SDAO, seconded by Commissioner Goddard and passed unanimously. 

Since the letter to moorage holders had already been read, Ms. Dearth simply commented that the letter was about fire and safety issues in the marina. 

President Miller said the commission supports port staff.  He thanked staff for dealing with difficult situations.

Gina recently attended a workshop with the Oregon State Marine Board in Salem.  One of the topics was the 2010 Special Session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly House Bill 3673 which amended a previous bill to allow landowners who permit public access to their lands to be immune to being sued if someone gets hurt.  This bill allows a fee to be charged by the landowner and still have recreational immunity.  Many state parks, county districts and other ports now charge for parking, restrooms, launch ramps due to lack of state funding.  Currently Port of Bandon has free fish waste, free cleaning tables, free parking, free electric, free restrooms, and we just cannot keep providing everything at a loss.  The port is considered to be an economic engine, but it cannot keep going forever if there is no money coming back in.  The moorages and the leases are down, and we need to look for other potential sources of income.  We may want to find a way to charge for parking on port property during the busy months.  The other possibility is to add another dollar to the fee for launching a boat at the ramp.  Many people during the summer pull in to park and use all the free facilities, dump their garbage and use the restrooms.  The port restroom provides the public restroom for Old Town merchants, excursion buses and many others passing through Bandon.  During the period from October 4th to October 26th, there were 5950 people who used the port bathrooms.  That is 155 rolls of toilet paper and hand soap, as well as $476.00 for a utility bill, $300.00 of that being the sewer.  The port cannot just keep giving it all away.  Many people are unaware of what the costs are to running the port.  The budget is not getting any better, and the cost of doing business has increased.  Our launch fee currently is only $2.00 while most ports are $5.00.  Visitors and recreational boaters can afford that.  A prime example is that right now many fishermen are fishing south of Bandon on the Elk River, and at the end of the day are coming to the port cleaning tables to use the water and electric to clean their fish and leave the carcasses for the port to deal with.  We need to get creative, and look for any opportunity to capture income.  Commissioner Goddard mentioned that a lot of other ports charge more than we do, and he sees $3.00 as being very reasonable.  Commissioner Butler questioned the parking charge as to how to enforce it.  Ms. Dearth said she might even have a temporary employee to act as meter person.  Commissioner Miller asked if there was any way in advance to estimate the potential income of a parking charge. Ms. Dearth said that a lot of people dodge the current $2.00 launch fee by submitting an empty envelope.  We just need to research ways to come up with more income, yet keep the amount small to remain within recreational immunity.  Commissioner Miller asked staff to come up with some kind of one page proposal.

Ms. Dearth was contacted by Ben Fisher from Bullards State Park regarding a recent encounter with George Millen from Coos Bay.  Mr. Millen had been cited for driving on posted areas of the park with a vehicle.  Currently both Bullards and Bandon Biota have signs posted for no vehicle access.  Port of Bandon has allowed vehicles on the 80 acres in the past, but perhaps this creates more of a problem for the neighboring land owners.  Previously Commissioner Pullen was against any regulation of vehicles to the area, but is rethinking this, and Ms. Dearth would like the commission as a whole to consider this for a future meeting.  Some of these areas are sensitive to the native plants and other damage that ATV’s and other types of recreation pose. Commissioner Goddard thinks it would be a good idea to go out there and assess what is going on.  Ms. Dearth would like to invite Ben Fisher to speak to the commission at another meeting and put the issue on the agenda.  Commissioner Butler said it seems rational to look at it again, and if there are issues out there certainly something needs to be done.

Ms. Dearth stated that today the landscape fabric had been laid on the Nasomah Memorial area and some of the spoils had been brought back by the City of Bandon.  All procedures were delineated by SHPO and had been done correctly by law.  The Coquille Tribe has a tentative landscape plan.  The City of Bandon will do some conduit work for the two existing houses on that side of First Street.  The landowner permission letter was necessary to allow archaeologists from Southern Oregon University to conduct monitoring on that property.  The Cleveland Street vacation is in the process, and the Nasomah Memorial site gains 30 ft. as well as the neighboring landowner to the east. 

The Fisheries building is in the process of getting the roof repaired and the old leaky vents taken off.  R.C. Slape Construction will then work on the north wall where the old roll up door leaks.

Ms. Dearth then announced that the last payment for the Fisheries building will be mailed on Friday.

There being no further business, President Miller adjourned the meeting at 6:15pm.

Submitted by:

Trudy Spanier