February 2005
Watching Government
Port of Bellingham
Compiled by Earl Dennis
Action Taken at January 4, 2005 Meeting
Shall the commission:
1. Authorize the executive director to sell property estimated at $10,000 or less? State law requires annual renewal of the authority to sell port surplus property. (Resolution 1029–J) Approved 3-0
2. Delegate administrative powers and duties to the executive director? The executive director’s delegated powers to streamline various housekeeping duties and legal transactions. Those powers sunset on January 31, 2005. (Resolution 1106–G) Approved 3-0
3. Designate the chief financial officer as the official responsible official for informing the public of the port’s intent to issue tax-exempt bonds? These powers sunset on January 31, 2006. (Resolution 1183–B) Approved 3-0
4. Modify rules, regulations and procedures for Blaine and Squalicum Harbors? This resolution amends vote 102 at the 10/6/04 meeting, which required documentation of $300,000 in liability insurance for moored vessels. Due to the varied responses from insurance companies to provide their customers’ status information, the rules will be modified to require written notice from the companies to assist staff and moorage customers to obtain the needed documentation. (Resolution 1201-A) Approved 3-0
5. Adopt the 2005 property tax levy? The property tax income is estimated at $5,567,577. The levy rate will be 33.82 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This is an increase over the November estimate and is the result of an increase of levy taxes from a greater amount of construction throughout the county than was originally estimated. (Resolutions 1202 and 1203) Approved 3-0
6. Authorize late charges on bills unpaid after 30-days? This will shorten the late period from 60 days set on February 25, 1997. About 20 percent of the port’s bills are 30–60 days late. (Resolution 1204) Approved 3-0
7. Approve the election of officers and dates of regular port commission meetings? The officers will be: Doug Smith-president, Jim Jorgensen-vice president and Scott Walker-secretary. The meetings will be held at 1801 Roeder Avenue on the first Tuesday and third Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m. Approved 3-0
8. Assign nominations to committees?1 Assignments are for commissioners and staff. Approved 3-0
9. Establish meeting room fees for 2006? The expenses are expected to be $217,498. Revenue from rents is estimated at $166,144 and levy taxes are estimated at $65, 997 with a net of $14,643. Approved 3-0
10. Change free parking at the airport pay lot from 15 minutes to half an hour? The purpose is to encourage drivers dropping off or picking up people to use the parking lot, reducing congestion in front of the terminal. Approved 3-0
11. Authorize the executive director to enter into a $24,750 agreement with Ken Kok Electrical Engineer of Lynden for the airport security system? The new system will be compatible with the recently installed security system at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal; will control door and gate access and video monitoring. A FAA grant for $576,816 is reimbursing 90 percent of the security system project. The grant also includes the cost of a fence encircling the fuel farm, electronic fingerprint machine and installing a guard booth. This agreement includes a 10 percent contingency fee for a total of $27,225. Approved 3-0
12. Authorize the executive director to sign a $1,438,978 contract with Ebenal General of Bellingham for the airport terminal remodel project? The remodel will enclose the baggage claim area. The commission also approved an additional $120,000 to cover permits, signage, maintenance staff, building permits, project engineering and applied the proceeds from the sale of the old FedEx building (estimated at $340,000) to the project. The contract includes a 10 percent contingency fee for a total of $1,582,875. Approved 3-0
13. Add a $5 facility charge to each northbound ticket on the Alaska Ferry? The charge will generate approximately $85,000 annually for repair and improvement projects. Over the next six years, repair and improvement projects are expected to cost over $1 million. Approved 3-0
14. Adopt port rents for 2005? Most port properties will not change but the Harbor Mall’s base rent will increase. A rate for general warehouse space in the Central Business District is being added to the rent rate chart in preparation for new warehouse space in the Georgia-Pacific acquisition and port-wide maintainance fees outside the business district have been changed to allow staff to assess the fee based on the size of each tenant’s space rather than a flat fee. Approved 3-0
15. Appoint the Industrial Development Corporation officers and establish the meeting dates in 2005? Doug Smith-president, Jim Jorgensen-vice president and Scott Walker-secretary. The meetings will be held at 1801 Roeder Avenue and occur when needed. Approved 3-0
1Bellingham/Whatcom Economic Development Corporation—Scott Walker and Doug Smith
Whatcom Council of Governments—Jim Jorgensen and John Hergensheimer (lead project engineer)
Washington Public Association—Doug Smith and Jim Jorgensen
Association of Pacific Ports—Scott Walker
Puget Sound Ports Group—Jim Darling (executive director)
Public Art Advisory Team—Scott Walker, Bill Hager and Carol Williams (horticulturalist).
