Compiled by Bill McCallum

Action Taken at August 11, 2020 Meeting

Shall the commission:
62. Renew a lease with Mount Baker Products? The tenant produces plywood products on 6.7 acres at 2929 Roeder Avenue. The rent for the five-year renewal period (8/1/2020 through 7/31/2025) will be $929,612 plus state leaseholder tax. (9542/Consent Agenda G) Approved 3-0

63. Approve a rental rate structure for the new Downtown Waterfront Site? The site is near the pump track. The 237-acre site can be used for large open-air gatherings like concerts and festivals. The site does not have restrooms, electricity, water or shelter. The use fee for the entire park is $1,500. (9543/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0

64. Approve a lease (amendment #3) with the state of Alaska for for continued use of Bellingham as the terminus for the Alaska ferry? In amendment #2, ILWU Local 7 replaced Puglia Engineering in providing line-handling and ramp-tending services. This amendment changes the service rate from 9/2020 to 6/2021; the changes are less than 3 percent. The lease period is 10/1/2009 to 9/30/2024. (9544/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0

65. Authorize the executive director to accept a $9,850 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation? The foundation is a nonprofit organization created by Congress in 1984 to protect and restore fish, wildlife and plant habitat. The port has been collecting used gill and seine nets and recycling them. With the per-pound price dropping in recent years, the foundation will reimburse the Port of Bellingham 100 percent of the recycling costs. The period covered is 6/1/2020 to 6/1/2024. (9545/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0

66. Authorize the executive director to sign a $286,317 contract with AECOM to provide design and permitting services for the former Washington Air National Guard site at the Bellingham airport? Alpha Airport has purchased the site and plans to construct aircraft storage hangers. The port will construct an aircraft parking area from the edge of taxiway alpha. The project will be completed between 2020 and 2025. The entire project is funded by the federal government.(9546/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0

67. Renew and modify the lease with Bornstein Seafoods, a port tenant since 1979? Since 2014, the lease has been on a month to month status. This renewal is for a term of 25 years, retroactive to 11/1/2014. The rent for 11/1/2014 to 10/31/2024 is $750,000. The rent can be renewed for 20 additional years in five-year increments. (9551/Consent Agenda J) Approved 3-0

68. Authorize the executive director to accept $550,000 in revolving loan funds from the federal government? The port will receive $50,000 to administer the program. The remaining $500,000 will be made available as loans to companies in Whatcom County affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Loans will be made in accordance with the Port of Bellingham revolving loan fund plan currently on file with the Economic Development Administration. (9552/Consent Agenda I) Approved 3-0

69. Authorize the executive director to sign an agreed order with the state of Washington to perform a remedial investigation/feasibility study and develop a draft cleanup action plan for the Sea K Fish cleanup site? The port and the state will perform the work. The site is located in the Blaine Marine Industrial Area and falls under the Model Toxics Control Act. The state of Washington is the owner of the aquatic lands including the uplands at the Sea K Fish site. The port manages the lands under an agreement with the state. An environmental investigation was approved at the 5/21/2019 meeting, vote #62. It confirmed the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater, which is suspected to be associated with historical commercial activities such as underground storage tanks, petroleum distribution, and fish processing; it appears petroleum is migrating to the marine environment. (9553/Action Item 4) Approved 3-0

70. Update the Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements for the Blaine Wharf District master plan and the Fisherman’s Pavilion building in Bellingham? (Public hearing held at July 14 meeting.) Every improvement authorized by the Port Commission shall be in accordance with the Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements. The pavilion will be constructed near the entrance to Zuanich Park, be approximately 12,000 square feet and serve as a covered work space in the winter and an additional event space during the summer. The pavilion has a budget of $1,500,000.(Resolution 1391A) 9554/Action Item 3 Approved 3-0

71. Authorize the executive director to sign an agreement with the Washington Public Ports Association to fund a biologist to assist in obtaining federal permits for capital and environmental remediation projects? At the 2/21/2012 meeting, vote #25, the commission authorized the executive director to sign an agreement with the Port of Tacoma for assistance in obtaining federal permits for new and existing projects. The agreement allowed the Port of Bellingham to take advantage of agreements the Port of Tacoma has with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Port of Tacoma has decided not continue managing the program; the Washington Public Ports Association will take over the program. The staff biologist will work on the federal permits under an agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The port will pay annual fees of approximately $15,000; the agreement expires in 2025. (9555/Action Item 2) Approved 3-0

72. Reintegrate the Technical Airport Advisory Committee with the Bellingham Airport Advisory Committee? (Public hearing held.) At the 3/18/2014 meeting, votes #40 and #41, the commission established two committees to address the impact and operations of the Bellingham airport. The Bellingham Airport Advisory Committee had a 12-member non-technical committee with community members. The Technical Airport Advisory Committee had members from commercial aviation, pilot associations, air cargo, airport business and air traffic control. Some of the reasons for the separate committees like airport noise and airport expansion no longer exist and the airline business environment has also changed. In recent years, both committees have struggled to find new members and achieve a quorum. The unified committee will have a minimum of four annual meetings and the quorum will increase from five to seven members. (Resolution 1320C) 9556/Action Item 1 Approved 3-0

73. Authorize the executive director to sign a $308,000 contract (amendment #3) with Landau Associates of Edmonds to perform environmental and engineering support services for the Sea K Fish cleanup site? The initial contract for $93,500 was approved at the 5/21/2019 meeting, vote #62. The site is in the marine industrial area of Blaine Harbor. The port has owned the property since the mid-1940s and the state of Washington owns the adjacent aquatic lands. Underground storage tanks, petroleum distribution and fish processing have contributed contamination of the site. This amendment will develop a remedial investigation/feasibility study report and a draft cleanup action plan. A contingency fee of $30,880 brings the total for this amendment to $338,800 and the total amended contract to $432,300. (9557/Action Item 5) Approved 3-0

Action Taken at September 1, 2020 Meeting

Shall the commission:
74. Approve a lease and development agreement (amendment #3) with Bellwether Harbor Investments for the ballroom at the Bayview Center building? At the 12/18/2012 meeting, vote #191, the commission authorized the executive director to spend $4.10 million to purchase the Bayview Center office building. The 36,000 square-foot building was constructed in 2001 at 12 Bellwether Way. The price was discounted from $4.58 million in exchange for an agreement with Hotel Bellwether allowing them priority use of the ballroom. The ballroom is being expanded. The current budget is $325,000; this amendment adds $52,500 to the budget bringing the total to $377,500. (9620/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0

75. Authorize the executive director to award the low bid of $299,686 to Tiger Construction of Everson for expansion of the ballroom at the Bayview Center building? The ballroom will be expanded by 1,000 square-feet for a total of approximately 5,650 square feet. The total projected costs, including design, permitting, construction and management are estimated to be $377,500. The port received two bids; the high bid was $388,715. (9620/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0

76. Authorize the executive director to sign a $62,000 contract (amendment #9) with Landau Associates of Edmonds for design and permitting services at the Cornwall Avenue landfill site? At the 11/15/2005 meeting, vote #111, the port sold 49 percent of the landfill to the city of Bellingham for $2,450,000. The property is located at the foot of Cornwall Avenue and requires remedial action under the Model Toxics Control Act. The contract was first approved for $658,570 at the 9/2/2014 meeting, vote #118. The state has approved the enginering design report. Amendment #9 brings the total contract to $1,444,837. (9621/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0

77. Authorize the executive director to accept a $323,648 state grant to assist small businesses? The grant will assist small businesses in their economic recovery? The port will serve to pass through grant dollars to local businesses. Small businesses (1-20 full-time employees) are eligible for grants up to $10,000 for rent, utilities, marketing, advertising and the purchase of inventory/supplies. The port will collect, review and submit qualified applications to the state. After the governor-approved grants are awarded, the port will administer contracts, collect invoices of eligible expenses, and submit them to the state for reimbursement. (9622/Consent Agenda B) Approved 3-0