Port Commission to meet for first time in 2010

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners will meet for the first time in 2010, Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m. to attend to 10 action items.

Commissioners Jerry Oliver, Brian Wolfe and Nancy Baker will meet Tuesday with open session beginning at 9:30 a.m., in the Commission Room at the port’s administration building, 3103 NW Lower River Road.

The first three action items will cover annual routine business including the election of officers, appointment of the executive director, port auditor and legal counsel, and making appointments of commissioners and staff to business organizations that the port participates in on an annual basis.

Also on the agenda are two items of unfinished business – commissioners’ review of the port contracts log and further discussion of the idea to expand the commission from three to five. Executive Director Larry Paulson will also provide commissioners and the public with project updates in his report.

Among the action items:

Personal Services Contract training policy
As required by the state Legislature, port districts are required to abide by new guidelines for the procurement, execution and maintenance of personal services contracts in order to provide for open competition for all personal service contracts entered into by port districts unless specifically exempted under law. This action item will require appropriate training for the senior manager of contracts, contract manager for personal services contracts and other employees as determined by the executive director.

Resolution 1-2010: Personal Services Contract solicitation exemptions
Port staff will ask, in Resolution 1-2010, the commission to approve listing terminal operation services and government relations and lobbying services as personal service contracts that are exempt from the competitive solicitation process.

Second amendment and extension to mooring permit
Commissioners will consider a second amendment and extension to a mooring permit between the port and Foss Maritime, which allows Foss to tie up its barges at approved locations along the port’s waterfront. The amendment would extend the term to September 30, 2011 and adds one option for a two-year extension. The permit fee for this amendment is $8,324 per year.

Interlocal agreement with Clark County
The board of commissioners will be asked to authorize Paulson to execute an interlocal agreement with Clark County for landscape and ground maintenance services. These services would be provided by the Clark County Corrections work crew and will include litter pickup; storm debris cleanup and removal; landscape and grounds maintenance; mowing, trimming and removal/control of invasive weeds; landscape planting; bioswale/storm drainage maintenance; roadway median and shoulder maintenance; general park and recreation area maintenance; and bark mulch spreading.

Personal Services Contract for financial assessment services
Port commissioners will be asked to authorize the executive director to execute a contract with Moffatt & Nichol for financial assessment services for a not-to-exceed amount of $299,340 in 2010. The goal of the assessment is to produce a financial package that will acquire the most cost-effective financing for the port’s West Vancouver Freight Access rail project through sources such as federal and state grants, the sale of property, and if necessary – revenue bonding.

Public Works Contract for maintenance dredging
Staff will request authorization for the executive director to enter into a public works contract with Ross Island Sand & Gravel for the 2009-2010 maintenance dredging project for a not-to-exceed amount of $380,000, including Washington state sales tax.

Amendment to channel deepening agreement
The commission will be asked to approve authorizing the executive director to sign amendment number one to the Project Cooperation Agreement between the U.S. Department of the Army and the ports of Vancouver, Portland, Woodland, Kalama and Longview to provide that the costs of mitigation lands shall be shared between the Army Corps of Engineers and the ports at the same ratio as construction of general navigation features.

Commissioners will also participate in a workshop regarding export commodity opportunities following the regular meeting of the port commission.

The regular meeting will be televised live on CVTV (Cable channel 21) beginning at 9:30 a.m. It will also be streaming live on www.cvtv.org, and will be archived later in the day on the same website for future viewing.

About the Port of Vancouver USA
The Port of Vancouver USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

The Port of Vancouver is in the midst of a year full of projects and developments that will lead to vital job creation, economic stimulation and environmental preservation. By diversifying its cargo mix between bulk commodities, breakbulk and project cargos, the port is responsible for job generation and significant contributions to the tax base for not only its own community, but also the state of Washington. Current expansion of the port’s rail system and development of new port industrial and marine properties will bring new jobs – both short term and long term – and the preservation of wetlands, the creation of enhanced wildlife habitat, and make way for more green/sustainable business partners operating from the port. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.

– POV –

At A Glance

Who: Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners
What: Regular meeting
When: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Commission Room, Port of Vancouver USA administration building: 3013 NW Lower River Road.
Quick Facts: Commissioners will be asked to approve 10 action items ... The meeting will be cablecast live on CVTV, and streamed live on www.cvtv.org