PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles Commissioners unanimously agreed to apply for $125,000 in Community Economic Revitalization Board funding, a first step in the process of renovating the west and central portions of Port Angeles Boat Haven that is in its 2029 capital improvement plan.
The state Department of Commerce CERB grant of $75,000 will be matched by a 40 percent port contribution of $50,000 — twice the required 20 percent.
Grants and Contracts Manager Katharine Frazier said the higher match is needed to accomplish activities in the port’s Marina Master Planning process.
They include conducting a market analysis, public outreach, developing cost estimates and feasibility studies of alternatives, and justification of the preferred alternative.
“We thought this would be a great opportunity for us to start the slow process of beginning to plan for the Boat Haven repairs that are going to take place,” Frazier said. “Currently we have it in our budget for 2029, and now is the time to get ready.”
In her July financial report on Tuesday, Jennifer Baker, the interim director of finance and operations, noted that dockage, wharfage, services and facilities revenues are all below budget for the year to date due to a decline in log ship activity.
The port had budgeted for four ships and just 1½ have visited.
“Do you expect that we’ll catch up to what we’ve budget for the year, or will we end the year below what we budged?” Commissioner Colleen McAleer asked.
Executive Director Paul Jarkiewicz said that, based on his discussions with Rayonier and Merrill & Ring, the port could anticipate one or possibly two more ships before the end of the year.
“It shows how much wharfage impacts or the lack of wharfage impacts our terminal use,” Jarkiewicz said, and that affects the lines of revenue attached to it.
Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a five-year lease with Shipwrecked Port Angeles LLC for a vacant building at 720 Marine Drive that the tenant plans to remodel and turn into a restaurant.
Director of Economic Development Caleb McMahon said the port is reducing the monthly rent from $1,391 to $1,040 based on improvements the tenant intends make, such as renovating the plumbing, electrical and HVAC system, making the restrooms ADA compliant and installing a commercial kitchen.
The 1,300-square-foot space, formerly the Blake Sand and Gravel showroom, has been unoccupied since August 2022. According to public records, Shipwrecked Port Angeles’ registered agents are Dave Houx and Martha Porter of Sun Valley, Nev.
Commissioners discussed modifications to its Community Partner Program to encourage more applicants to request funding for community events, education and workforce training, economic development and environmental stewardship projects. The program is open to public and non-profit groups and cities with populations smaller than 10,000.
Braedi Joutsen, the clerk to the board, said the number of applications had dropped from a high of 31 to between five and six in the last two years, and that the same groups tend to apply year after year.
Commissioners agreed that adding some flexibility to the application was a good idea. They agreed to review a revised Community Partner Program application and guidelines at their next meeting Sept. 10.
The state Department of Transportation on Aug. 21 announced that the Port of Port Angeles is one of 11 ports around the state that will receive $26.5 million in Port Electrification Grant funding.
Frazier said the award will be leveraged to bring in EPA funds to develop infrastructure that will enable moored ships to use electrical power rather than run on diesel. As part of its electrician plan, the port also will replace existing diesel forklifts and a reach stacker with electric models.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
