Port of Bellingham Commission

Compiled by Bill McCallum

Action Taken at September 15, 2020 Meeting

Shall the commission:
78. Authorize the executive director to award the low bid of $285,898 for repairs to buildings at the Teal Jones Lumber Services’ property in Sumas? At the 8/3/2004 meeting, vote #87, the commission approved a lease with Teal Jones for approximately nine acres at the Sumas Industrial Park. This vote also increased the budget by $150,000 for the remodel project. A roof, exterior siding/windows and a door to the main office will be replaced. Two bid were received, both were higher than anticipated. (9649/Consent Agenda B) Approved 3-0

79. Authorize the executive director to sign a termination agreement with Ports America? At the 10/16/2018 meeting, vote #151, the commission authorized a contract with Ports America to covering stevedore services at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. Ports America is the Washington state division of West Coast Terminal and Stevedore Company. The contract allowed Ports America exclusive stevedoring rights for loading/unloading trucks, rail and ocean vessels with some steel products, forest products, metal/aluminum ingots, modules, oversized and project cargoes. The agreement would have expired on 10/15/2021. On 7/23/2020, Ports America informed the Port of Bellingham that they are exiting theWashington and Oregon break-bulk stevedoring business. The termination will allow other stevedore companies to handle a range of commodities. (9650/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0

80. Authorize the executive director to sign agreements with companies — that are not currently an upland leaseholders — to facilitate the wholesale purchase, transfer and receipt of crab over piers and docks at Blaine Harbor and Squalicum Harbor? Since 2016, the port has allowed the wholesale purchasing of crab in Squalicum Harbor: all companies need port business licenses. It was restricted at Blaine Harbor until this year. The port’s legal counsel has determined that the port business license is not the appropriate mechanism to manage the wholesale purchase of crab by non-upland leasehold tenants. This agreement does a better job of administrating the activity associated with non-leasehold wholesale crab buyers. (9655/Action Item) Approved 3-0

Action Taken at October 6, 2020 Meeting

Shall the commission:
81. Delegate certain administrative powers and duties to the executive director? The administrative powers will be effective from 10/1/2020 through 1/31/2021. (Resolution 1106-W) 9756/Consent Agenda B Approved 3-0

82. Authorize the executive director to renew the port’s liability and auto insurance coverage? The coverage includes excess liability including terrorism; for the airport it includes terrorism ($100 million) and war ($50 million). The premium from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021 will be $210,671. Alliant Insurance Services of Newport Beach, California, will continue to serve as the broker of record. The 2019-2020 premium was $197,067. (9757/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0

83. Authorize the sale of an aircraft for the nonpayment of general aviation charges? An auction is scheduled to be held at the Bellingham airport on 10/20/2020 for a fixed-wing single-engine Piper Cherokee with unpaid fees of $1,354. (9750/Consent Agenda D). Approved 3-0

84. Small Works Roster. Contracts under $300,000 fall within the executive director’s spending authority; they only require commission notification. The executive director awarded a $149,789 contract to Rawl’s Electric for water, sewer and power services. (9751/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0

85. Transfer up to $47,000 for electronic pay stations and electric vehicle charging stations? The executive director under a small works contract will award a $142,868 contract to Dahl Electric for the charging station/pay station project. (9752/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0

86. Authorize the executive director to sign a memorandum of understanding with Whatcom County for the installation and operation of an warning siren on port property in Fairhaven? The siren is an integral part of the tsunami warning system for coastal communities. The siren is activated by state emergency operations via satellite and radio by the Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management. It will cost the port $2,500 for installation and the annual power cost will be under $100. (9754/Consent Agenda H) Approved 3-0

Action Taken at October 20, 2020 Meeting

Shall the commission
87. Authorize the executive director to accept up to $272,506 in CARES Act funds from Whatcom County? The grant will pay for the Point Roberts ferry, personal protective equipment, staffing of the Unified Command and other pandemic-related costs. (9772/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0

88. Terminate the $250,000 loan/grant from the Economic Development Investment Program for the Walsh Marine Building project in Blaine? The money was accepted at the 2/19/2019 meeting, vote #29, for construction of a 2,240 square foot building to provide shop and office space for the boatyard. The port terminated the lease with Walsh Marine on 12/19/2019. Construction will not take place so the loan/grant is terminated. (9773/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0

89. Renew and modify a lease with the Wood Stone Corporation for premises located at the corner of West Bakerview and Airport Way? A lease for the industrial park at the airport was first signed in 1999. The Wood Stone Corporation manufactures wood-fired and gas ovens, stone hearth ovens, plancha griddles, rotisseries and charbroilers. In 2013, Wood Stone was purchased by the Henny Penny Corporation located in Eaton, Ohio. A five-year lease will run from 6/1/2020 to 5/31/2015: the base rent will be $1,300,075, plus one-half of 1 percent of gross receipts are estimated at $670,000. 9765/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0

90. Small Works Roster. Contracts under $300,000 fall within the executive director’s spending authority; they only require commission notification. $18,479: Cornwall site stockpile covering repairs by Triple Eight Construction of Mount Vernon. (9766/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0

91. Approve the option D design for the commercial customs and immigration facility at the Bellingham airport? The airport does not have foreign inspection service for commercial flights. The new facility will have the capacity to process up to 374 passengers per hour. At the 8/13/2019 meeting, vote #94, the commission authorized a $147,745 contract with Patano Studio Architecture of Seattle for the preliminary design. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection approved the option D design. The facility will be in the southern portion of the baggage claims area. The first year costs for equipment, network, circuit, voice, TacCom, BSDP, processing, service and travel will be $930,912 with yearly costs of $64,607. (9767/Consent Agenda G) Approved 3-0

92. Authorize the executive director to sign an agreement with Boathouses PE-Even, PEE-Odd Boathouse and the Bellingham Bay Four for ongoing management and billing of fire sprinkler systems? The recently installed fire sprinkler systems at the Squalicum Harbor Marina were mandated by the city of Bellingham. The sprinkler system has 29 individual owners so billing can be a challenge. The port has accounts established for all 29 owners: it will manage and bill for electricity, alarm monitoring and inspection services. A 10 percent surcharge will cover administrative costs. (9768/Consent Agenda H) Approved 3-0

93. Increase the budget for the fisherman’s pavilion from $1,500,000 to $2,500,000? At the 4/23/2019 meeting, vote #54, the commission approve a $147,561 contract with RMC Architects of Bellingham for design and estimate for construction costs for the proposed Squalicum Harbor pavilion. At the time, it was proposed to be a 12,000 square foot building. (9769/Action Item 1) Approved 3-0

94. Authorize the executive director to award the low bid of $1,726,346 to BOSS Construction of Bellingham for construction of fisherman’s pavilion? The low bid was $100,000 below the engineer’s estimate. The building is now proposed to be a 9,000 square foot prefabricated metal building. It will be constructed near the entrance to Zuanich Park and serve as a covered workspace for commercial fishers in the winter and an additional event space during the summer. The port received 10 bids: the high bid was $2,345,657. (9769/Action Item 1) Approved 3-0

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