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From the Washington Public Ports Association |
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February 2011 |
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Upcoming Events January
10 – April 24, 2011 March
14, 2011 Port Day 2011 –
Celebrating 100 Years Show Off Your Port at the
100 Year Gala Reception Is
Your Port’s Online History Ready for Ink? WPPA
Accepting Holcomb Scholarship Applications DAHP
to Distribute $1.2 Million in Transportation Enhancement Grants State Auditor’s Office
Offers Finance Classes Upcoming
Stormwater Conference
Scheduled events are as follows: Legislative Briefing Please join us in the Cherberg Rooms A,B and C for an update of WPPA’s legislative
items and talking points for the day. Complimentary coffee and pastries
provided! Can’t make it to the morning briefing? Be sure
to stop by the Cherberg Rooms anyway and pick up a Centennial logo button to
wear throughout the day. Make Appointments with your
Legislators WPPA strongly encourages ports to use this time to
visit with their legislators and discuss the issues of importance to their
port as well as ports statewide. Box lunch If you do not use this time to meet with your
representatives or senator, please join colleagues, legislators, and WPPA
staff for a legislative briefing in Cherberg
Rooms A,B and C. Gala Reception We sincerely hope everyone will join us at the Port
of Olympia’s Terminal Warehouse to celebrate this momentous
occasion. Governor Gregoire is confirmed as our speaker and has issued a
proclamation declaring March 14, 2011 as Washington
Public Ports Day. Port colleagues and Associate Members
MUST register on our website by March 1. Because the reception is on port property,
federal regulations dictate that we provide port security with a list of
attendees prior to the event and that all attendees show government issued
photo I.D. in order to enter the premises so please be sure to register by
March 1. We’re honored that the Governor has agreed to be
our speaker. We’re equally honored that so many legislators and special
guests will be joining us at the reception. And we extend sincere thanks to
BNSF Railway, PMSA, the Port of Olympia, SSA and UP Railway for partnering
with us to sponsor the reception. Join them,
and us, in Olympia for this once in a lifetime event as we celebrate the
wisdom and innovation of Washington citizens 100 years ago – the signing of
the Washington Public Port Districts Act. Ports are encouraged to set up displays during
the Gala Reception portion of this year’s Port Day. The Port of Olympia’s
Terminal Warehouse has plenty of room so there are no limits on the displays.
The ports of Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Olympia, Ridgefield and
Skagit will have displays set up to showcase their port. Just let WPPA know
if your port would also like to take advantage of this opportunity. WPPA is assembling 300 Centennial logo gift bags
for our honored guests at the reception. Ports are invited to donate small
trinkets for the gift bags – just send them to WPPA by March 1. We currently
have items from the Ports of Kennewick, Tacoma and Seattle – thank you!
And Bellingham, Camas-Washougal, Ridgefield, Longview and Whitman
County will be sending items as well – thank you! We can always use more, so
please let us know if you’d like your port represented in the gift bags. WPPA mailed invitations to your state
legislators, members of the Washington state Congressional team and
Washington state elected executives – and we’ve been getting many of the RSVP
cards back. Extra printed invitations were mailed to your port to invite your
local civic leaders, business partners, etc. Contact WPPA if you have more
people you’d like to invite and would like an electronic copy of the
invitation. We’ve signed the contract for the
Timeline book on the history of Washington Ports and HistoryLink is already
hard at work. They will be using the online port essays as the basis for the
book entries. They have the difficult task of taking those 1,000 plus word
essays and editing them down to 400 words for print. They need your help. If you haven’t already read your
port’s essay online, it’s important that you do so soon. If there is anything
inaccurate in the story, we need to know before it gets laid out in print. If
there are parts of the story you absolutely want to see in the book, tell us
what they are. And if there are parts you don’t think warrant being in the
book, we’d like to know that too. The topical essays were finished at
the end of 2010 and all 75 individual port essays will be online by March 1, 2011. To find your
port’s essay, simply enter portassociation10
in the search box on www.historylink.org. In addition to reading the essay for
content, take a look at the photos. Is there one you really love and want in
the book? Have a better one at your port that you’d rather they put in the
book? Just tell us. The book is all about you! But unlike the online edition,
once it’s printed, it’s permanent. In 1988, the Washington Public Ports Association's
Trustees established a college scholarship in the name of Lewis R. Holcomb,
who served for nineteen years as WPPA Executive Director. The $1,500 scholarship is available to employees
and commissioners of a Washington public port, their spouse, children or
grandchildren who demonstrate a need and intend to pursue studies in academic
areas related to port district purposes, including international trade,
foreign languages, finance, business, engineering, environmental sciences,
and other port related fields. The Association will accept scholarship
applications until February 25, 2011. Only complete scholarship
application packets will be considered for award. Additional applications are
available online at www.washingtonports.org. Complete application
packets must be received in the WPPA office no later than 5:00 p.m.
Friday, February 25, 2011. The Executive Committee will determine the
winner. Announcement of the 2011 scholarship recipient
will be made during the business meeting in May as part of the WPPA Spring
Meeting at Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine. After 11 years, Kathleen Olson,
multimedia and outreach coordinator will be leaving the Association. Her last
day is March 1. Olson has taken a position with the
U.S. Dept. of State and will report to the Foreign Service Institute in
Arlington, VA for training before being posted at an embassy or consul
abroad. “I have really enjoyed working with
ports all these years and will miss too many people to name,” said Olson.
“While I’m sad to leave all of you in the port family, I am looking forward
to adventures that lay ahead.” The State of Washington
is disbursing $1.2 million in transportation enhancement grants focused on
archaeological planning and historic preservation. The goal of these grants
is to improve the state’s cultural resources related to transportation. A
wide variety of projects can accomplish this goal. To find out more,
go to http://wadahp.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/dahp-to-distribute-1-2-million-in-transportation-enhancement-grants/ In conjunction with the
Washington Finance Officers Association, the State Auditor’s Office is
teaching the following classes during 2011: BARS, Cash Basis Accounting
& Reporting, Federal Grants Requirements & Management, and GASB 54 Overview
Webinar. For a more detailed description of each class and to register
online, go to www.wfoa.org. Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System
(BARS): Applies to all government types except ports,
transits and PUDs. This class provides an overview of BARS for GAAP and
cash-basis governments.
Cash-Basis Accounting & Reporting:
Applies to all cash-basis governments. This class will cover basic
governmental accounting with an emphasis on fund structure. This is not a
BARS class but will include selected areas in BARS coding. Cash-basis
financial statements, notes and schedules will be reviewed. Online filing
will also be covered.
Federal Grant Requirements and Management: This
course provides an overview of auditing and accounting requirements related
to federal grants.
GASB 54 Overview Webinar:
This course is designed for local government employees who have not taken a
college-level accounting classes but have an accounting background. The focus
is on funds, their types and purposes, revenue and expense/expenditure
recognition and some elements of reporting. This course is most applicable to
GAAP-basis entities that use double-entry accounting.
Now in its fourth year, Managing Stormwater in the
Northwest, is a one-day specialty conference on March 2, presented by NEBC,
that focuses on the business side of stormwater regulation and compliance.
Sessions cover the compliance landscape and how companies can implement
cost-effective prevention and control practices that save money in the long
run – while doing the right thing. This event brings together regulated parties, solutions
providers, and regulators to provide a unique forum for learning and
networking. This year, the conference is extending beyond Tri-Cities
Airport Director Jim Morasch died earlier this month. He suffered multiple
injuries after his car was hit head on by a pickup driver who lost control of
his pickup on a patch of ice. Morasch had worked as the airport director at
the port since 1980. "He
was the best," said Port of Pasco Executive Director Jim Toomey.
"It's just a huge loss at every level -- for the airport industry, the
port industry and, of course, friends and family. It's terrible." Toomey
remembered Morasch as someone who had "high integrity, high personal
standards. He was well liked by everybody." Toomey
said Morasch's aviation connections stretched back to the Vietnam War, during
which Morasch flew rescue missions as a helicopter pilot. "They'd
go in when somebody was down," he said, "and Jim went and got him.
That's the kind of person he was." Morasch
earned several honors in his field and in the port community. He served as
President of the American Association of Airport Executives and as the Chair
of the WPPA Aviation Committee for many years. In 2007,
the federal Transportation Security Administration honored Morasch with an
award for his leadership. In 2008, the Port of Pasco commissioners honored
him by changing the name of Airport Road to Morasch Lane. He will
be greatly missed by all of us in the
port community. Seattle, Moses Lake Ports Explore Ways to Partner on Jobs,
Economic Development
The Ports of Moses Lake and Seattle met today to discover
possible partnerships in economic development for King and Grant Counties. Commissioners
and executive staff from Port of Moses Lake joined their Seattle counterparts
for a roundtable that highlighted recent successes for both ports and ways
the two agencies could work together to promote economic growth across the
state. The Port of Seattle had a record cargo year in 2010 and is
beginning to see signs of growth in all of its business
divisions. "We are partnering with ports across the state to ignite
Washington's economic recovery," said Seattle Commission President Bill
Bryant. "We are committed to finding ways to increase exports and
jobs." Like Seattle, Port of Moses Lake operates an airport, the
Grant County International Airport, and has a thriving industrial park within
the agency's Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). The port is also working with
WSDOT to study and fund the North Columbia Basin Railroad Project, which
would increase access to rail for businesses in surrounding areas. In addition, BMW recently broke ground on a facility
shared with SGL, manufacturer of automotive carbon fibers. The plant is
expected to create 200 jobs and is sparking economic renewal in the region. "For a century, ports in Washington have shared the
mission of creating economic opportunity," said Port of Moses Lake
Commission President D. Kent Jones. "By exploring partnerships in
tourism and economic development with Port of Seattle, we hope to spur
business growth on both sides of the state." The Port of Seattle has recently increased efforts to work
with Eastern Washington businesses, including agriculture exporters, by
hiring Mark Wen as manager for inland cargo and
business development. Wen has extensive
experience in Eastern Washington, including managing international business
development for Key Tronic Corporation in Spokane. Click here
for more information about the Port of Moses Lake's vital role in Grant
County. For more information about how the Port of Seattle has
been driving the region's economy for 100 years, visit www.portseattle.org. Port of
Seattle Welcomes new Inland Cargo and Business Development Manager The
Port of Seattle welcomes Mark Wen as its new Inland
Cargo and Business Development Manager. Wen
recently started this new position tasked with building relationships across
the inland Northwest, and boosting Washington exports, especially agriculture
products destined around the world. “Mark
is a great addition to our team,” said Linda Styrk, Managing Seaport
Director. “He brings abundant enthusiasm and knowledge of agriculture issues
and of our customers in Eastern Washington.” Wen comes to the Port of Seattle
with 20 years of experience in the import/export business and international
business development in Eastern Washington, including managing international
business development for Key Tronic Corporation in Spokane. Wen received his MBA from Gonzaga University and also
managed international marketing and trade relations for the Port’s Department
of Economic and Trade Development from 2007 to 2010. “Increasing
exports from Eastern Washington means increasing jobs for our entire state,”
said Wen, “I look forward to bringing more export
activity to our region.” Port OKs lease for Town of La Conner
public works facility The Port of Skagit Board of Commissioners approved a 10-year
lease agreement Tuesday that will allow the Town of La Conner to relocate its
public works department to a port-owned building at the La Conner Marina. The 6,600-square-foot warehouse will be renovated with improved
lighting, heating and other features. A portion of the town’s
$2,850-per-month rent will be in the form of in-kind services such as regular
street sweeping and annual lane striping on the port’s marina property. It is the intent of the port and the town to share public works
services and facilities long-term to promote the efficient use of public
resources by reducing duplication of public works services, equipment and
facilities. To that end, the port and town also developed an interlocal
agreement holding that both entities would work to co-locate on a new site at
the marina when and if the property is needed for a different use or reaches
the end of its useful life. Export cargoes increase
at Port of Grays Harbor Record cargo shipments, over $60 million in
private investment and increasing waterfront jobs; these were the
measurements of success for the Port of Grays Harbor in 2010. As export
volumes of dry bulk agricultural products like soybean meal and distillers
dried grains (DDGs) topped one million metric tons, the Port of Grays Harbor
also became a major player in the US auto export market, handling one-third
of all automobiles exported through US West Coast ports. Combined with the
return of log exports and additional over-high and over-wide cargoes, the
Port of Grays Harbor on Washington's Pacific Coast celebrated a record year. To put this in perspective, five years ago a
total of 19 vessels called Grays Harbor, moving just over 276,000 metric tons
of cargo. In 2010, 106 vessels transported more than 1.5 million metric tons
of cargoes and 21,000 autos. "Diversifying our cargo base through
partnerships with companies who have an investment in their own facility has
proven to be a successful business model for Grays Harbor," reports
Executive Director Gary Nelson. "By leveraging local, state and federal
investments in public infrastructure we have generated long-term private
investment in our community, creating jobs and opportunities for our
citizens." Shipping activity kept Grays Harbor citizens
working on the waterfront. In 2010, ILWU Local 24's fulltime roster
increased 35% while Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad increased their
workforce 15%. Log truck drivers, foresters and others also benefited from
the return of log exports to Grays Harbor. In addition, hundreds of
construction jobs were created by road, rail and dock improvements at the
port and construction of new facilities by the shippers. Grays Harbor's growth spurt is not by accident.
Located only one and half hours from open sea, the Port of Grays Harbor has
developed strategic partnerships that resulted in more than $150 million in
private investment over the past five years. With access to both Class 1
railroads, Grays Harbor's location provided a competitive advantage to those
who developed facilities. Ag Processing Inc (AGP), the primary shipper of
soybean meal and DDGs, began the expansion of their Terminal 2 facility, with
plans to more than triple their export volumes. Westway Terminal Company
completed their $20 million liquid bulk storage facility at Terminal 1 in
early 2010 adjacent to the Imperium Grays Harbor biodiesel plant. Willis Enterprises,
a forest products company specializing in barge shipments of wood chips,
became fully operational at Port of Grays Harbor Terminal 3. Pasha Automotive
Services processed 21,000 vehicles at their Terminal 4 facility. Working to increase capacity for all shippers,
the port completed a widening project on the freight corridor serving the
marine terminal area as well as major upgrades to Marine Terminals 1 & 3
in 2010. Currently, Grays Harbor is working on an $18 million rail
improvement project to increase storage and efficiency within the port's
marine terminal complex. "Our increased capacity will ensure our
customers will have the facilities and transportation network to grow well
into the future," stated Mr. Nelson. "As we begin
celebrating our 100th year as a port district, increasing export cargo
handling and creating local
jobs are priorities we will continue to focus on," summarized Commission
President Jack Thompson. "As our partners continue to invest in our
facilities, we will focus our investments on public infrastructure that
strengthens their competitive global position, therefore strengthening our
community and country." Economics Firm Documents Port’s Contributions to Local Economy
Late last month, Dr. John Martin of Martin Associates presented
information about the Port of Olympia’s impact on local jobs, wages and
salaries, business revenue and taxes to the commission. Martin is the chief
analyst and author of Economic Impact of the Port of Olympia which is
based on 2009 financial data, the most recent figures available. Martin commented that the report confirms excellent economic results,
and that “it is also a tool for making good business decisions going
forward.” “The port commissions an economic impact study every five or six
years,” said Ed Galligan, port executive director. “What sets this study
apart from most is that Martin Associates survey by speaking directly with
100% of port tenants, giving a 100% participation rate. Martin is known
nationwide for this method which gives their economic impact studies high
credibility. It is a major reason they were selected over other firms who
submitted proposals for this project. We are confident about the reliability
of Martin’s results.”
After the port’s public Request for Proposals process, the support
team recommended Martin and Associates as the contractor to conduct the
study. Following staff’s negotiations with the contractor, the port
commission authorized Executive Director Ed Galligan to contract with Martin
for a total of $41,000. Among the entities that commission economic impact studies are ports,
colleges and universities, businesses and industries, chambers of commerce,
associations and non-profit organizations. While the port commissioned the study and it focused on port
operations, the port also released the full study to all local communities
for their use as well.
See the full report at www.portolympia.com.
Director
of Environmental and Engineering Services, Port of Grays Harbor
© 2006 Washington Public Ports Association. All rights
reserved PO Box 1518 * Olympia, WA 98507 |
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