——————–April 15, 2022——————–
Port considers end of winter season Boat Yard discount
With the Boat Yard so full – again – the Port is turning away boaters who seek to be hauled out. The Port Commission on April 13 discussed an end to the 50 percent seasonal discount for yard storage of boats of 75 tons or less. The subject will come up again at the May 11, 9:30 a.m. workshop meeting, and at a subsequent business meeting before a final decision is made. But the message from commissioners and Port staff on April 13 is that the success of the October to March discount, implemented in 2018 when the Boat Yard was sparsely used, now causes new problems. Among them is that many boats are effectively in long-term storage in the yard with no active work being done either by the boat owners or Port-based marine trades. Ending the discount, said Port Commissioner Pete Hanke, would increase the churn of boats coming from and going into the Boat Yard. That in turn could provide more haul-out revenue for the Port, and more revenue for the private marine trades who work on boats. Commissioner Pam Petranek called for more time for the marine trades to discuss the impact of removal of the discount. Executive Director Eron Berg said Port staff would study the storage rates offered by comparable ports.
Point Hudson jetty rebuild project looks likely this fall
Bids from the marine construction firms wanting to rebuild the dilapidated jetties at the Point Hudson Marina this fall are expected to be opened in mid-June to early July, said the Port’s Capital Facilities Director Matt Klontz at the April 13 Commission meeting. If a winning bid comes in at the budgeted $15 million mark, the rebuild work can begin right after the Wooden Boat Festival in mid-September, Klontz said. Other pieces of the puzzle – funding and permits – have fallen into place in recent weeks. Port staff gave kudos to City staff for expediting permits, which was instrumental in allowing the Port to stay on schedule with permitting. It’s a huge project that will require all Point Hudson vessels to depart during the four-month project window, and would be repeated next year. While commissioners and staff celebrated the likelihood of construction starting this fall, Executive Director Eron Berg cautioned that there will be major impacts to the community. “It will be loud, it will be dusty, there will be vibrations and light pollution six days a week and for long hours,” he said. “It’s not going to be quiet.”
Life Jacket Loaner awarded to Port
The Sea Tow Foundation will ship a stand of 48 loaner life jackets to the Port of Port Townsend as summer boating season begins. The life jackets are free to be borrowed by boaters at any time on the condition that they be returned to the rack after use. They are being provided through a federally funded grant program administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The grant was awarded to the Port thanks to an application by Port employee Jennifer Mitchell.
Shannon Meehan thanked for an excellent 15 years at the Port
To hear her fellow employees tell it, Shannon Meehan is the Port’s most popular employee. Meehan, the Customer Service lead at the Boat Haven Yard office, was thanked by Port staff and commissioners at the April 13 meeting for her 15-year work anniversary. “She has the best relationship with the marine trades of anyone in the office,” said Harbormaster Kristian Ferrero. Meehan, for her part, said she loves working with the customers, and thanked the Port for creating a family—and a friendly, collaborative atmosphere.
Port staff returns from Friday Harbor, Anacortes with fresh ideas
If you couldn’t find Port staffers you sought on April 12, it’s likely because they were on a Puget Sound Express boat visiting the public marinas at first Friday Harbor and then Anacortes as part of a fact-finding tour. The Port group of many customer service representatives and administrators wanted to see how other ports handled their business. Deputy Director Eric Toews reported they gained many insights, which included the clarity of signage directing transient boaters at Friday Harbor and the quality of ladders on the docks at Anacortes. Facilities Director Matt Klontz was impressed with the fact that the breadth of operation at the Port of Port Townsend is substantially different than those other ports, which by comparison have only small or no boat yards, and few building tenants. They are primarily marinas, he said. “We are more diversified in terms of services,” he said.