Port of Ridgefield
Regular Meeting Minutes
July 24, 2013
Present:Scott HughesJoe MelroyJosh Elliot
Jeanette LudkaRandy MuellerAllene Wodaege
Brent GreningSandra DayMarie Stephenson
Bill ElingJennifer KingRhidian Morgan
Laurie OlinScott FraserBetty T.
Lee WellsRon OnslowPhil Messina
1. CALL TO ORDER:
At 3:00pm Chair Scott Hughes called the Port of Ridgefield Commission meeting to order.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Chair Hughes led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND MINUTES:
Commissioner Joe Melroy made a motion to accept the July 10, 2013 regular meeting minutes as presented. Chair Hughes seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
4. CALENDARING ITEMS:
WPPA Trade & Economic Development Seminar: August 22-23, 2013. The location is Great Wolf Lodge - Centralia. Randy Mueller will attend.
5. CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
Allene Wodaege asked when the trails would be open to the public. The trails are actually open as of today. She asked if a decision had been made as to where to place the Lewis & Clark kiosk and the answer was not yet as none of the amenities for the trails have been set yet.
6. FINANCE REPORT:
Jeanette Ludka stated that the cash graph, June budget vs. actual and June 2013 Dashboard reports are in the Commissioner’s drop box.
7. OLD BUSINESS:
None
8. NEW BUSINESS:
Resolution 2013 – 266 – Commissioner Compensation. This resolution implements the notice of Port District Commissioner Dollar Threshold Adjustment from the OFM which adjusts RCW 53.12.260. Discussion of adjustment which is done every five years based on Consumer Price Index. Commissioner Joe Melroy made a motion to adopt Resolution 2013-266, Chair Hughes seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Resolution 2013-267 – A resolution approving the purchase of real property and approving the terms and conditions of the Craft 3 Transaction. This resolution is necessary as there is a new seller due to the bankruptcy sale. As this is a Judicial Foreclosure the past owners have a right of redemption for one year. At the end of that time a sheriff’s deed will be issued. This resolution gives permission to purchase the property when these issues are worked out. Commissioner Joe Melroy made a motion to adopt Resolution 2013-267, Chair Hughes seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Remediation Update – Jennifer King from Maul Foster Alongi reported that Magnus was finished with the interim action on Millers’ Landing. The next phase of work will go to bid this week and that will be moving 3,000 yards of dirt from the North Pole Yard to Railroad Avenue. That work should wind up by the end of September. The SEPA on Railroad Avenue is going out for public comment today through Aug 8, 2013. Other documents out for public comment are the Consent Decree and Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, through Aug 23, 2013.
Commissioner Joe Melroy asked about the storm drains, Josh said that Magnus cleaned the drains and we will also be videoing the drains.
Brent talked about the path, most of the path is paved but some near Carty Lake was left unpaved to allow for reconstruction in 2014 of the adjacent retaining wall. In August, crushed rock will be laid down in this area.
Joe asked about the length of the path from the boat launch parking lot and Division St; Josh said that it is just under 800 feet.
Resolution 2013 – 268 – A Resolution Approving and Stipulating to entry of a consent decree with the State of Washington, Department of Ecology (DOE) confirming the remediation clean-up action plan and including a covenant not to sue pursuant to the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) RCW 70.105D. Brent reported that the Commissioners had seen the final draft of the Consent Decree; this is the formal agreement with the Port of Ridgefield, City of Ridgefield and the Department of Ecology. Most of the work is done covered by the consent decree has already been completed. Because the City of Ridgefield is a party to the consent decree, the Port and City will need to execute an MOU describing the role of each party as the project moves forward. The Port will continue to be the lead work party on the Clean up Action Plan which will include the sediments in Lake River, Carty Lake and the neighborhood dioxin work. The Consent Decree is posted on the Port’s web-site and on the DOE web-site for public comment for 30 days.
There will also be six years of monitoring and the railroad avenue property will be capped. The Consent Decree spells out other items such as indemnity language, protection from being sued by a third party, and ability for the Port to apply for more grants from DOE.
Chris Hermann, Bruce Wiseman and Bill Eling have been involved in the development of this document. Bill commented that he finds the Consent Decree acceptable, probably superior to other consent decrees he has seen and recommends the Commissioners approve it.
Allene Wodaege wanted to say, “ Thank You, big time”.
Joe Melroy said that a huge effort was made to put this document together.
Commissioner Joe Melroy made a motion to adopt Resolution 2013-268, Chair Hughes seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Ron Onslow commented, “Good Job”.
Laurie Olin wants to thank Maul Foster Alongi for all their work they put extra effort in preparing the RI/FS in 30 days.
Brent Grening thanked Laurie Olin for all her work on this in tracking deadlines, details and information on this work.
Laurie commented that DOE is sending a person to our site to learn how they can administer a job like this better.
Marie Stephenson commented that she had lived in Ridgefield all her life and saw one mill after another come to the waterfront and then PWT and she did not have much hope for the waterfront but now she drives down here and sees this beautiful place and it will only get better from now on.
EcologyGrant/Loan Cost Share - The Port has received another $15 million grant/loan package for the final stage of cleanup. Staff is talking to DOE about the Port’s cost share ratio of this next grant. Remedial Action grants are never 100% grant, previous grants have split is 90% grant/10% loan. Staff has asked DOE for a 97% grant/3% loan cost share agreement. The loan proposal is: $450,000 loan amount (3% of $15 million), repayable in a single payment to coincide with the final payments of two existing loans due on July 1, 2064. The loan would be a zero percent (0% interest) loan with no prepayment penalty. Ecology is reviewing these terms and is expected to respond back to the Port in August.
Joe commented that if we just put a small amount away now, it will grow over the years and there will be enough to pay this amount in the future.
Scott Hughes said “good job”.
Division Street Dock Removal – Brent reported that our existing dock and gangway at Divison St is old, worn-out and structurally not worth repairing. His recommended the Port surplus and remove them. In the river, there are 53 pilings to be taken out as part of the sediment remediation; the Port has reserved the right to put them back in. Also we are working to reserve the right to put a similar sized dock back in. Staff has talked to McCuddy’s and if they do not want them they will be pulled out of the water and disposed of.
AIG Update - Brent is pleased to report that AIG had their groundbreaking yesterday and the excavators showed up right after. This will be a good company for Ridgefield and we owe a thank you to CREDC for their help in retaining AIG’s interest in Ridgefield.
Millers Landing Subdivision Update – Randy Mueller reported that the Port is working with the City of Ridgefield on the issues in the plan. The application has been pulled and suspended while the issue of the traffic study is being worked on. The City’s Capital Improvement Plan shows 200 to 300 trips per day being generated by the Millers’ Landing development. The Port’s Comp Plan shows 1200 trips per day at a 50 year build-out. When you propose to develop property you must have a plan to fix any problems caused by the increase in trips to the property. The Port believes it has met these requirements, however the City still has concerns with the number of new trips. However in conversations to date, the City has not responded to the Port’s proposal/traffic analysis with specific concerns or objections. The City’s concerns remain vague and it apparently outside of the rules set forth in City code.
Scott commented that we need to seriously look at this.
Brent commented that the number of 1200 trips was analyzed by a traffic engineer. The number of trips was not out of thin air. The 1200 trips are manageable with a series of proposed improvements over time to accommodate them.
Randy reported that the City’s response was that they were going to work on a supportable number.
Phil Messina commented that he thought Todd and City staff were going to get together and were still working on a time.
Joe commented that he would like to see the City and Port work together and not spend more money on studies.
9. CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
Allene commented that it looked like the Port had a full plate.
Sandra commented that there is a fantastic views from the trail.
Brent reported that August 21st is the 10th Annual Commissioners Picnic which will be held on Division St and the theme is “The First Walk” of the Ridgefield waterfront.
Laurie reported that parking would be available along the access road to the boat launch, in the Port office parking lot and along Railroad Ave so we will not be in the boater’s way.
Marie asked if the kayak launch is open and was answered, yes.
10. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting adjourned at 4:25pm with no further business or public comments. The next regular Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 3:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Port of Ridgefield office in the downstairs conference room, located at 111 West Division Street in Ridgefield.
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Scott HughesJoe Melroy
Respectfully submitted by
Jeanette Ludka
Accounting Manager
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