PORT TOWNSEND — The construction of a second ramp in the Boat Haven depends on the state Legislature’s approval of a grant to fund 75 percent of the cost, according to the Port of Port Townsend’s deputy director.
About 30 people attended the port commission’s Wednesday’s meeting, with about 15 urging the construction of a second ramp.
“To me, the benefits of ramp approval are so overwhelming for the whole community that it’s a no-brainer that it should be funded,” said Bob Jautz during the public comment period.
Commissioners took no action and had no discussion on the boat ramp, which was not on the agenda.
Deputy Director Jim Pivarnik said Thursday that the port is highly rated for a grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office, which would be a slice of a $9 million allocation statewide.
But funding could disappear in the upcoming legislative session.
If the grant doesn’t come through, the project will be canceled, Pivarnik said.
The present 18-foot-wide, 45-foot-long ramp, built in 1995, now allows only one boat at a time, which can lead to long lines of boaters entering and leaving the water.
The plan is to widen it to allow access to two boats at a time, adding a second 18-foot-wide ramp and a 6-foot buffer between the ramps.
The port has an engineer’s estimate for $450,000 for the action and expects to receive a permit in December.
A call for bids could be made in January.
“We want this ramp, but it doesn’t make sense to pay $450,000 to construct something that won’t generate that much,” Pivarnik said Thursday.
The access cost for the boat ramp is $10 per day or $45 a year.
The ramp is unsupervised on evenings and weekends. Payment is on the honor system using an on-site drop box, Pivarnik said.
Enforcement is accomplished by checking the tags of trailers in the parking lot adjacent to the ramp, but the port has no estimation as to how many people use the ramp without paying, Pivarnik added.
If the Legislature leaves the funding intact, Gov. Jay Inslee could approve the budget in June. The money could then become available.
In that case, construction would close the ramp from the middle of August until the Wooden Boat Festival in early September.
This would require people to use ramps at Fort Worden or Fort Flagler to get in and out of the water during those weeks, Pivarnik said.
During the Wednesday meeting, Jautz singled out Port Commissioner Brad Clinefelter for what he perceived as the commissioner’s opposition to the plan.
“If the commission can’t come up with the funding for it, that will be devastating because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the community, and if you, Mr. Clinefelter, sandbag this, I’m going to be very mad,” Jautz said.
“If a commissioner doesn’t support something that’s good for the community, they need to be rotated out,” Jautz said.
After the meeting, Clinefelter said he did not oppose the construction of the boat ramp.
“I don’t know where that came from,” he said of the criticism.
“I’ve always been for the ramp, but my concern has always been capital project replacement.
“I want assurance that if we move forward, it won’t jeopardize those important projects.”
After a public hearing, commissioners Wednesday approved three resolutions. They concerned the 2015 budget, the property tax levy rate and higher moorage rates.
Approval of the first two items was unanimous.
Clinefelter opposed an increase in rates and fees, with Commissioners Steve Tucker and Pete Henke approving them.
The total budget is $5,171,600, with a projected net income of $171,962.
The port took 2.38 percent in banked capacity, according to Amy Khile, finance director, which will bring in $930,900 in 2015.
Property owners will pay 20 cents per $1,000 of value, which is slightly less than the rate of 2014.
The rate is lower because county-assessed value increased, she said.
It is less than half of the 45 cents allowed by law.
Since the rates and fees can be changed at any time throughout the year, Tucker and Henke expressed a preference to approve the motion “to get it off our plate,” as Henke said, with plans to fine-tune the numbers in December.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
