PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles commissioners told their staff Monday to return at the June 14 meeting with paperwork to hold marina rates steady for the next two years.
The request, which was made by consensus, was done at the suggestion of Commissioner John Calhoun.
The rates are currently at $5.98 per foot per month at Port Angeles Boat Haven and $7.71 per foot per month at John Wayne Marina on Sequim Bay.
The commission last year voted to hold the rates steady at 2009 levels because of the Great Recession.
The commission did have a segment of a full “marina rates study” scheduled for every meeting until Aug. 26.
Calhoun said he didn’t want to go through a study for months, only to come to the conclusion the rates should be held steady.
“I think this is way too much effort to come to an obvious conclusion that our market rates are well represented in this stagnant economy,” he said.
He suggested the rates could be adjusted based on the consumer price index — whether that is positive or negative.
Port Commission President George Schoenfeldt agreed.
“This isn’t the time to raise any rates, and when we look at the quality of boats that we have to auction off because they are abandoned, I think it would be futile to spend a lot of time on this,” he said.
Commissioner Jim McEntire voiced his approval, saying market-based rates and taking occupancy into consideration were his primary goals for the marinas.
The commissioners also voted to give the Border Protection Marine and Air Operations a trio of one-year extensions to its current two-year lease.
The action essentially makes the lease last five years.
The federal Department of Homeland Security has been occupying a port-owned, 6,028-square-foot building at 1908 O St. since mid-2009.
The current rent is $6,522.40 per month and will be adjusted based on the federal Cost of Living Index during the June 25, 2011, renewal.
“Homeland Security has made some significant interior changes to the building,” said Port Executive Director Jeff Robb.
“We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars, so they wanted a lease that was a little longer duration.
“Usually, [U.S. General Services Administration] leases are done in about five-year increments.”
The building is a temporary location, but that could mean up to 10 or 15 years, the department has said.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
