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From the Washington Public Ports Association |
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MARCH 2011 |
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Upcoming Events May
18 – 20, 2011 Governor Gregoire Speaks
at Port Day Gala Washington
Tourism Alliance and Port of Seattle Work to Keep Washington Tourism Alive Port Timelines Now Posted
on HistoryLink State
Auditor’s Office Announces Trainings The
Washington SBDC Opens Two New Export centers Public
Invited to Comment on Draft Communication Plan for Aviation Economic Study State Updates
Environmental Protections at Boatyards
The Centennial Port Day Gala on
March 14th was a success with nearly 300 guests in attendance,
including many legislators and state agency directors. Governor Christine Gregoire stopped by
to give a speech honoring the 100 years of service by our state’s public
ports. For those who were unable
to attend, here is what she said: Good
evening, and thank you Scott (Walker) for that introduction. I’m
happy to be here celebrating 100 years of public ports. This is where we see our economic recovery
taking shape. Our ports kept our
economy going when many other sectors have been down. The
two best years ever for the Port of Olympia were 2009 and 2010. Today, the port supports over 7,000
jobs. That
story has been repeated at other ports across Washington. As I travel our state, the nation, and even
the world I tell people – our ports are leading the way. The docks are busy;
the airports are busy; the business parks are busy. Our
geography, deep ports and safe harbors make us natural traders. We
trade more per-person than any other state.
We have 2 percent of the U.S. population, and our ports handle 7
percent of all U.S. exports – and 6 percent of all imports. Seattle
and Tacoma are both in the top 10 national ports, and combined, they are the
third largest container-shipping complex in America. One in three jobs in
Washington state is either directly or indirectly tied to trade. We
often say that Washington is the most trade dependent state in the nation,
but I think you could also say we’re the most trade-dominant! In
a tough time, our ports are making recovery real. In fact, this year two of our ports are
celebrating both their centennials and enormous success. The
Port of Seattle hit record volumes last year, congratulations! In
fact, I stood under a crane last month in Seattle to do an interview for CNBC
– talking about how trade makes Seattle one of five cities showing strong
signs of growth. But
it’s not just Seattle. In Grays
Harbor, they saw an 85 percent increase in exports last year! In
a community that needs jobs, consider the story of the Port of Grays Harbor. Five
years ago, 19 vessels called at Grays Harbor.
In 2010, 106 vessels made a call – hauling the timber that has always
supported our economy, as well as fuel and a full third of all West Coast US
car exports. That’s
right – in Washington, we don’t just bring in imported vehicles; we ship
American cars to China! And
we’re literally building the future of Washington at the port, constructing
the pontoons that will support a new 520 Bridge over Lake Washington. In
Vancouver, we handle wind turbines for clean energy. In Clarkston, river
cruise ships call, delivering tourists to local businesses. We
have a lot to celebrate at our ports.
But the credit doesn’t all go to geography; the real credit goes to
the people of Washington. One
hundred years ago, the Legislature passed and the governor signed the Port
District Act – and a transformation began.
No other state has given its communities this kind of control over
critical infrastructure and facilities. We
have the largest locally-controlled public port system in the world. Our 75 port districts continue to operate
docks and railroads, but they also run airports, industrial sites, provide
recreational facilities – and here in Olympia, a very popular farmer’s market! The
same kind of community spirit that created the Port of Grays Harbor a century
ago has allowed the people of Benton County to create Vintner’s Village,
where today you can taste and buy the world’s best wine! It’s
that spirit that allowed the people of Moses Lake to turn a former Air Force
Base into Grant County International Airport – and to develop what promises
to be the largest carbon fiber plant in the world! It’s there that we’ve already broken ground
for BMW and SGL to build the carbon fiber car of tomorrow. At
the airport in Bellingham, we helped ensure a secure 2010 Winter Olympics by
bringing 40 public safety agencies together through the Olympics Coordination
Center. But
our ports are more than just our history.
They are also our future. They
are leading the way in sustainability – at the Port of Tacoma, they’re
clearing the air by powering ships with dockside electrical power and
shutting down on-board diesel generators. US
Trade Ambassador Ron Kirk came to see the Port of Seattle first hand –
because we are poised to serve as America’s gateway to growing markets in
Asia. President
Obama’s National Export Initiative seeks to double
American exports in the next five years – and that can’t happen without
Washington! Ports
are critical to our Washington Export Initiative – that’s why we made
investing in our freight infrastructure part of that initiative. We
set our goals – to increase the number of Washington companies exporting by
30 percent in five years, to 10,500 businesses engaged in international
trade. And
we will help 5,000 Washington businesses achieve $600 million in new export
sales, whether in agriculture or medical devices. We
can’t meet those goals without the ports and infrastructure to move the goods
and people that keep our economy going. They open new doors for
our businesses. During my fall trade
mission to Asia we reached an agreement to make the very first shipment of
fresh Washington potatoes to Vietnam. Our
ports directly create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Last year they handled
$145 billion in goods – that’s the foundation on which we begin the next
century for our ports! Tonight
I want to thank all of you for your work in building Washington’s
future. We’re
known the world over for our innovation in planes, software and coffee. It’s the ports that make that innovation
and trade possible. And
tonight I also want to thank our communities, because they made our ports the
engines of growth that they are. The
commitment and innovation of local Washingtonians has opened the way to prosperity
in every corner of the state, from the mountains to the sea. Congratulations
on a job well done. And
now, I’d like to read from a proclamation… Thank
you. With the State
Tourism Office set to close its doors on June 30 due to state budget
considerations, Washington is set to become the only state in the union
without a statewide tourism initiative.
The Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) and the Port of Seattle hope to
keep that from happening. The WTA is made up
of several trade and government groups, including the Port of Seattle, which
are not only interested in continuing the current tourism initiative, but in
strengthening promotion of statewide tourism. “The hope is that
the WTA will serve as a ‘bridge’ organization to maintain the momentum of the
state office’s promotion activities, to maintain the website, database, call
center, and photo files,” said Jane Kilburn, Public Affairs Director at the
Port of Seattle. “The WTA is intended
to bridge the time it will take to develop a long-term sustainable model for
statewide tourism promotion,” she said. The port’s role in
the WTA makes sense; the Port of Seattle’s Alaska cruise business adds $1.9
million into the local economy each time a home port ship arrives at the
dock. That is only one example of how
tourism and port business coincide. Together with the State Tourism Office and
Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Port of Seattle has helped fund
tourism promotion to international markets for many years. With the closure of the state office, the
port will continue to provide such funding while the WTA builds a membership
base which will help it take the state office’s place as a funding partner. “Our goal in
supporting the WTA is to help breathe life into a new and sustainable funding
model for tourism promotion,” said Kilburn. “And to ultimately increase the numbers of
visitors who visit our county and our state.” For more
information or to get involved in these efforts, visit www.watourismalliance.com.
All 75 port
timelines and 9 cyberpedia essays are now available for view at www.HistoryLink.org. Please visit the website and provide
HistoryLink.org with your feedback. 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.
Washington Small
Business Development Centers has opened two new export centers. The new centers are located in Spokane and
South Seattle and each will be staffed with four experienced Trade
Specialists to assist companies that are new to exporting and new to
market. The new centers will work in
conjunction with 24 existing centers to help new companies develop and
implement export plans. Terry L.
Chambers, the International Trade Program Director, will be speaking at the
WPPA Spring Meeting to inform WPPA members about the Ports’ potential roles
in implementation of export plans. The
public is invited to provide feedback on the draft communication plan for the
statewide Aviation Economic Impact Study. The 15 day public comment period
extends from March 18 to April 7. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has issued a new,
updated Boatyard General Permit that increases environmental protection from
pollution caused by work at approximately 80 boatyards in Western Washington.
The permit is a key tool to control the flow of toxic stormwater
runoff and waste water at boatyards that are adjacent to Puget Sound and
other Western Washington waters. Activities at boatyards can produce copper, lead, zinc and other
toxic substances that harm aquatic life. Once the chemicals get into our
waterways, they are difficult and expensive to remove. Copper is a common ingredient in antifouling paints used on boat
hulls. The new permit requires control of pollutants in stormwater and
wastewater produced by the boatyards. New control levels in the permit are
based on proven treatment technologies. “Permitted boatyards are already decreasing the amount of copper
coming off their sites, so we think the new permit requirements are doable.
Reducing toxic chemicals is important to the health of Puget Sound,” said
Kelly Susewind, manager of Ecology’s Water Quality Program. In 2005, boatyard permit data showed an average of 400
micrograms per liter of copper in water discharges. In 2009, the boatyards
averaged about 100 micrograms per liter in their discharges. In developing the permit, which is required under the federal
Clean Water Act, Ecology considered extensive comments from many interests,
including Northwest Marine Trade Association and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. Boatyards have different options to capture and treat their
stormwater and wastewater. The options include use of best management
practices; multimedia filtration; sending the polluted water to soil
treatment away from any receiving waters; sending the water to a nearby
wastewater treatment plan; or covering painting areas so they are not exposed
to stormwater. Ecology conducted a full public process in May 2010 to develop
the permit, and has posted the comments it received online. Find the comments, the permit and other related
documents on Ecology’s website. Activities at boatyards include pressure-washing hulls; painting
and coating; repair and replacement of engine and propulsion systems; hull
repair; bilge cleaning; fuel and lubrication system repair and replacement;
welding and grinding of hull; buffing and waxing; and repair and replacement
of marine sanitations. The new permit goes into effect June 1. Port of Walla Walla Receives Energy Efficient Grant from
Pacific Power Pacific Power recently presented the Port of
Walla Walla with an energy efficient grant recognizing the Port’s energy
efficient upgrade of its Dodd Road water system. New energy efficient equipment will save
369,558 kilowatt hours of energy per year which equates to $18,509 per year
in savings to the Port. Pacific Power, through its Energy FinAnswer
program, provided the Port with a $53,008 grant which allowed the Port to
accelerate its pay back of the energy efficient equipment. Port Commission President Mike Fredrickson
said, “We appreciate Pacific Power’s proactive approach in working with the
Port through the Energy FinAnswer program.
They provided the necessary technical support to ensure the Port
invested in the most energy efficient equipment available in the marketplace. The grant made it easy for the Port to
justify the increased investment in energy efficient equipment.” The Port is the lead economic development agency
in Walla Walla County focused on attracting new investment and the creation
and retention of family-wage jobs. The
Port owns business parks and associated water systems throughout the
county. The Port’s Dodd Road water
system currently serves the Railex produce distribution center and Tyson
Fresh Meats. Port of
Anacortes Begins Final Phase of Environmental Cleanup The
Port of Anacortes has kicked off the third and final phase of an extensive
environmental cleanup project on the Anacortes waterfront. In partnership with the Department of
Ecology and Kimberly-Clark, work at the former Scott Paper Mill site began
back in June of 2009, with the Phase 1 and 2 elements focusing on the removal
of debris and sediments that contain contaminants from historical wood and
paper mills, which operated at the site until the 1970’s. Over 140,000 cubic
yards of material was removed from the upland and marine areas of the site,
and replaced with clean material. With
the environmental cleanup activities now complete, the Phase 3 upland
restoration is now underway. The
restoration work includes the replacement of the shoreline esplanade, including
sidewalks, lighting, picnic tables, benches, interpretive signs, and
landscaping. Pavement and landscape
restoration for all disturbed areas will also be accomplished, as well as the
rehabilitation of the existing Park building which was earlier removed from
the site to allow for the soil remediation work to be completed. The building
had been stored on an adjacent site since the fall of 2009, and on February
10 was returned to the site and reinstalled on a new concrete slab
foundation. Restoration
work is expected to last through April 30, 2011. A re-dedication ceremony of
the Seafarers’ Memorial Park is planned for May 20, 2011 to celebrate the
re-opening of the Park as well as the completion of the cleanup of the former
Scott Paper Mill site. 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. Port of Sunnyside Wins Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting The Government Finance
Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Port
of Sunnyside for the port’s comprehensive annual financial report. This is the highest form of recognition for
government accounting and financial reporting. An impartial panel made the decision to
award the Port of Sunnyside with this honor because the report demonstrated a
constructive spirit of full disclosure.
This is the port’s 12th consecutive award. The
GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500
government financial professionals. Port of Benton Executive Director Earns Professional Port Management
Certification Scott D. Keller, Executive Director, Port of Benton has completed
the American Association of Port Authorities Professional Port Manager (PPM®)
program. Mr. Keller is the first from his port and the 83rd candidate in
North, Central and South America to be certified since the program's
inception in 1995. His PPM® paper, Transfer of Government Property to Port Districts– Pros and Cons,
has been posted on the AAPA web site where it is free for downloading by
members and available for purchase by non-members. To read this paper, visit www.aapa-ports.org. Mr. Keller will be receiving his certification at a
formal presentation during the AAPA Annual Convention this September in
Seattle. Ridgefield:
Pioneer Street Rail Overpass Project at 90% Design Completion The
Port of Ridgefield has announced that the Pioneer Street Rail Overpass
project has reached 90% design completion and plans are being submitted to
Washington State Department of Transportation and the City of Ridgefield for
review. “The Pioneer Street Rail
Overpass is now considered shovel ready, and construction could start next
year if funding for the project is included in this year’s federal transportation
bill”, said Randy Mueller, Director of
Business Development for the Port.
“This overpass means a great deal to the community with regard to
improved public safety and continued redevelopment of the City’s waterfront.”
Major
benefits to the community and to the region include: allowing closure of up to three at-grade
railroad crossings, including the Mill Street crossing which has been ranked
the 5th most dangerous crossing in Washington State, improved visitor and
tourist access to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Furthermore, this project will increase
railroad mainline capacity through the Portland metro area - where 70-80
trains pass through Ridgefield on a daily basis and enabling the
extension of the high speed rail corridor between Eugene, Oregon and
Vancouver, BC and provide safe access to the Port of Ridgefield, a major job
center for the city of Ridgefield. Total
cost of the project is estimated at approximately $12.5 million including:
final design, engineering and administration, right-of-way acquisition,
environmental impact mitigation, construction, contingency and mobilization. Port of Bremerton Becomes an
Energy Star Partner The Port of Bremerton has renewed its
commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency by becoming an
Energy Star Partner. The Port of Bremerton is the second port in Washington
to become a Partner. A number of months ago, Port CEO Cary
Bozeman noted "Many of the Port's buildings are old and in need of
energy efficiency improvements".
At the beginning of 2010, the Port published its Action Plan for
Energy Efficiency and Environmental Stewardship, and actions taken throughout
last year have given the Port a solid baseline from which to start from. The Port now has a better
understanding of energy use and patterns at its facilities. Energy Star gives the Port an opportunity
to further develop its performance goals and cultivate energy efficiency
improvements in its day to day business Cline,
Holmberg report on Partnering for Success Business is better at the Port of
Woodland, as reported in the State of the Port address during the Woodland
Chamber of Commerce Lunch today. A full‐house
crowd of 55 heard Commission President Paul Cline and Executive Director
Nelson Holmberg share the current chapter in the port’s history. “The port is making the effort
to be proactive in our thinking and our decision‐making,
being more transparent, and being more supportive of the Woodland community,”
Cline said. “We’re also continuing the original intent of the formation of
the Port of Woodland and port districts statewide, which is to attract
family-wage jobs and sustainable industries to our area and maintain the
quality of life we’ve come to know in our community.” While the port struggled during
the recent recession, Holmberg said things are beginning to look better now. “At our North Pekin Road
Industrial Park, a year ago, we had a 100 percent vacancy rate,” he said.
“Today, I’m proud to say that we have a 100 percent occupancy rate.” Holmberg said the port has hopes
of filling its only vacancy at the Down River Drive Industrial Park within
the next 30 days, as well. He also reported that there’s significant interest
for a recently‐vacated
building in the Schurman Way Industrial Park. “The interest in space is heating
up,” he said. Interest in the port seems to be
“heating up” as well. Cline said the port commission
now holds one of its regular monthly meetings in the Yale Valley, to reach
the residents of the eastern stretch of the port district. He also noted that
the port has ramped up its outreach efforts. “Our commission and staff goal
is to be as open and transparent as possible with those in our port district
by being more visible in the community,” Cline said. “I hope we have shown
that we will always listen and even act upon good sound advice. We want
Woodland to be a quality place to live, and a place where businesses can
build and be sustained.” Paulson
Announces Retirement Plans; Commissioners Select Coleman as Next Port of
Vancouver Director. Port
of Vancouver Board of Commissioners announced today the selection of Deputy
Executive Director Todd Coleman as the port’s next executive director when
Larry Paulson retires in April 2012. Paulson announced his decision to step
down from the executive director position he has held at the port since 1999
at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, March 8. Paulson’s
announcement was followed by the commission’s endorsement of Coleman.
“We are more than confident that Todd’s the right person to serve as our next
executive director,” said Brian Wolfe, commission president. “The board has
spent more than a year thoughtfully working through a process to determine
how we transition leadership of the port in a manner that’s best for the port
and the community.” Coleman
was identified early in the process as a strong internal candidate.
Joining the port in 2001, Coleman served as director of facilities before
being promoted to deputy executive director in 2005. Prior to joining the
port, Coleman was a partner in an engineering consulting firm, Coleman &
Davido Engineering Consultants, in Estacada, Ore. He also held positions with
Oregon companies URS, Inc. and Parametrix, Inc. “I’m
very pleased to see Todd move into this position,” said Paulson. “He’s done a
superb job guiding the port successfully forward in what can only be called a
very challenging economic environment; and because he knows our organization
inside and out he’ll bring continuity along with his own innovative ideas to
the position.” Upon
retirement, Paulson will have served the port for twenty years. Beginning in
1992, he acted as the primary attorney to the port while with the law offices
of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt. He was named successor to retired
Executive Director Byron Hanke in April 1997, and officially took the helm at
the port as executive director in January 1999. “Working
at the port under Larry’s leadership has been an honor,” said Coleman. “I am
humbled by the support I’ve received from the staff and the community through
this process, and I look forward to partnering with the commission in
continuing to deliver economic benefit to our region.” Paulson
and Coleman will continue in their currently held positions through April 30,
2012. Parks selected for Port of Douglas County position Port of
Douglas County commissioners this morning chose East Wenatchee consultant
Lisa Parks as new port executive director. Parks was
chosen above former Chelan County PUD manager Joe Jarvis and two executive
directors of other Washington ports. Parks is
founder of Alliance Consulting, a land use and development firm. She has
worked with both public and private sectors. Mark
Spurgeon, spokesman for the port commission, said Parks verbally accepted the
post this morning, pending successful negotiation of a contract. The job
pays $74,000 to $104,000 a year, depending on experience. “We think
Lisa will be the person to best meet the challenges faced by the Port of
Douglas County,” Spurgeon said. “She’s well-rounded in her experience and has
extensive experience in the public and private sectors.” Parks
replaces former port Executive Director Pat Haley, who resigned in August
after 10 years at the helm. Spurgeon
said her job priorities will include carrying out the port’s strategic plan,
overseeing expansion of Pangborn Memorial Airport and working to attract
investment to the county. Parks
beat three other finalists for the post: • Joe
Jarvis, president of Town Toyota Center’s advisory board and a 31-year veteran
manager at the Chelan County PUD who was fired in February following a flap
about fiber-optic costs. • Jeffrey
Bishop, executive director of the Port of Coos Bay. • Marc
Thornsbury, executive director of the Port of Klickitat in Bingen. Spurgeon
said the port received 42 applications for the post. Environmental Study of Shipyard Begins March
14 Environmental sampling
will begin March 14 at the Port of Bellingham’s Harris Avenue Shipyard
cleanup site in Fairhaven and will continue for several weeks. The Washington
Department of Ecology (Ecology) will oversee work that will identify the type
and extent of contamination from past shipyard operations. The field work is part
of an environmental study of the site, required by a legal agreement between
Ecology and the Port of Bellingham. The property at 201
Harris Ave. has been used as a shipyard since the early 1900s. Past
shipbuilding and ship maintenance operations contaminated portions of the
property. Two companies, All American Marine and Fairhaven Shipyard’s Puglia
Engineering, now lease the property from the port, but they did not cause the
contamination. All cleanup
alternatives considered for the site will be based on the port’s intent to
continue using the property for shipyard operations. Contractors working
for the port will install wells to collect groundwater samples and study the
effect of tides. They also will collect soil and marine sediment samples.
Information collected will supplement earlier sampling at the site. Crews will analyze
samples to characterize soil, groundwater and sediment conditions. After the work is
complete, the port will develop and evaluate cleanup options with Ecology
oversight. In about a year, Ecology will invite the public to comment on the results
of the study and evaluations. Environmental
consulting company Floyd-Snider is performing the work for the port. Ecology
is overseeing cleanup activities at the site under the state’s voter-approved
cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act. This portion of the
environmental study, plus analysis of cleanup options and generating a draft
report, are expected to cost about $350,000. Ecology will reimburse up to
half the port’s costs through the state’s remedial action grant program,
which helps pay to clean up publicly owned sites. The state Legislature funds
the grant program with revenues from a voter-approved tax on hazardous
substances. The Harris Avenue
Shipyard site is one of 12 cleanup sites in the Bellingham Bay Demonstration
Pilot, a multi-agency collaborative effort to combine cleanup, control of
pollution sources, habitat restoration and land use. The pilot program is a
major step toward restoring Puget Sound, and it is a model for other
large-scale cleanup initiatives. Port of
Skagit Sponsorship Supports Inaugural Kneading Conference The Port of Skagit has approved
a $5,000 sponsorship to support Kneading Conference West, a three-day
workshop designed to encourage grain cultivation and utilization in the
Skagit Valley. Kneading Conference West,
scheduled for Sept. 15-17, will bring together Northwest grain farmers and
millers, agricultural researchers, novice and professional bakers, wood-fired
oven enthusiasts and eaters for talks and hands-on workshops. Participants
will exchange traditions, cutting-edge research and practical skills,
resulting in a strengthened community of grain producers, millers, artisan
bakers, and consumers. Dr. Stephen Jones, renowned
wheat breeder stationed at the Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center
in Mount Vernon, and Jeffrey Hamelman, master baker and author, will headline
the roster of agricultural and baking experts. Workshops span topics from
small-scale grain growing, milling, and artisan bread and pastry baking to
wood-fired oven construction and a field trip to a bakery, grain mill and
local farms. “Getting as much of the value
from local crops as possible is a model that is gaining acceptance
nationwide. Wheat and barley are important parts of that model that are often
overlooked,” Jones said. “The port’s interest in this effort is unique and
demonstrates the forward thinking required to strengthen our region’s farming
communities. “The Port of Skagit is well
ahead of other port districts in terms of recognizing the importance of agriculture
as a clean and vital industry. Working together with them on this and other
projects will lead to a strengthening of our local farm and food systems.” Jerry Kaufman, chairman of the
port commission, agreed. “Agriculture is an important
element of the Skagit Valley economy,” Kaufman said. “As a port, we think
it’s important for us to do what we can to help farming remain viable here
long-term. This conference could unlock some big opportunities for local
farmers.” Kneading Conference West grows out of the very successful
kneading conference held annually in Skowhegan, Maine, now in its fifth year.
Hamelman and Jones are regular presenters at the eastern conference.
Organizers anticipate people will come to the Skagit Valley from as far away
as British Columbia and Los Angeles to attend the conference. Director of Engineering, Port of
Tacoma Harbor
Operations Supervisor, Port of Seattle Manager
of Recreational Boating Services, Port of Seattle © 2006 Washington Public Ports Association. All rights
reserved PO Box 1518 * Olympia, WA 98507 |
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