Commissioners Present: Benye Weber, Bruce Bryson and Ann McDonald

Others Present: Jim Patton (Executive Director), Amber O'Brien and Molly MacLeod-Roberts (Edwards & Associates), William Bell (KWPA Radio), Karen Hutchinson (GFMG President), Tom Baenen (GFMG Treasurer), Long Bechard (Port Harbor Master), Jerry Jones (Oak Harbor resident), Mike Williams (Coupeville resident), Don Meehan (WSU-Extension Chairman) and Graham Johnson (Langley resident).

Call to Order: The regular meeting was called to order at 10:34 a.m. by Commissioner Weber in the Port Office located at 24 Front Street in Coupeville, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

Weber stated that the Minutes for the regular meeting of May 9, 2007 were available for approval and signatures.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bryson and seconded by McDonald to approve the May 9, 2007 regular meeting Minutes as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: None.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Port Executive Director's Report: (Patton)

Review of business plans and proposals for rental spaces on the Wharf: Patton noted that the two vacant properties on the Wharf have been advertised for the last couple of months, and reported that the advertisements resulted in two sets of proposals and business plans: one from Bechard for the restaurant space and one from Bell for the retail space. Patton provided the Board with the business plans for both of those proposals. Patton had prepared leases and emailed them to Bechard and Bell. Radio Station: Bell, representing KWPA Radio, indicated he was satisfied with the lease. The space will be a retail space for marine supplies and boater sundries, but it will also contain an automatically operated radio station, and Patton wanted the record to show how the space will be used. The Town of Coupeville had reservations regarding the space being used solely for a full-fledged radio station, as that would be inconsistent with their Shoreline Management Program. Patton has reviewed the draft lease with Bell, and set the rent at just under $500.00 per the Board's instructions. The rent, including the leasehold tax, will be $498.75. Bell has said he is satisfied with that amount. Patton said there is also a $350.00 security deposit. Bell has told Patton that he and his Board are ready to move in and set up the retail operation. Patton then turned over the discussion to Bell. Bell said that his board met with the Mayor's Office of the Town of Coupeville to ensure that there would not be any violations of the Town's shoreline restrictions. There were none noted except that KWPA will need to obtain approval from the Town's Design Review Board for the small antenna that will go underneath the building's eaves. KWPA Radio provided photographs and affidavits showing that it would not be obtrusive. The Town of Coupeville's requirements have been satisfied, and the Board's signing of the lease is the final step. Bell stated that the radio station will not comprise more than 15%-20% of the total floor space. The Town required that the radio station not be manned, and Bell stated it will be under remote control from KWPA's operations facility in Langley, so the automated radio station will not conflict with the marine retail operation. Connection with the CWYC: Patton suggested that Bell explain the connection between KWPA Radio and the Central Whidbey Youth Coalition (CWYC). Bell said KWPA Radio had discussed the possibility of a coffee shop in the space, providing opportunities for youth training in retailing. KWPA has spoken with Mike Diamanti, Director of the CWYC, and he expressed interest in participating, but no final decision has been made. Bell hopes that could be developed over time. Bell feels that once KWPA is operating and established, it will be easier to find young people interested in such training on the retail side of the space. Bell said KWPA also has an Ameri-Corps volunteer who will be working with young people and teaching them how to do radio programs and build their own programming. These young trainees would not actually be broadcasting from the Wharf. Bell added that another part of KWPA's mission is the high school is producing Public Service Announcements (PSA) as a written exercise, and KWPA would broadcast the PSA live on the radio. Bell said KWPA is very kid-focused, and having young people involved in the radio station is part of the radio station's fundamental mission. Board comments: Weber asked if the Board had any questions for Bell. McDonald said she just had a comment, and said she was excited about the opportunity for the community and welcomed KWPA. Bryson agreed and added that KWPA had done a good job on their Business Plan. Weber agreed. Patton then submitted two copies of the lease to the Board for signatures and explained the co-signer from KWPA would be Michael Nutt, who is Chairman of the Board of Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA). Patton asked Bell to take the signed leases to Nutt for signature, and to bring one copy back to the Board and retain the other copy once it was signed. Bell said he would do so. Patton added that the Board received an email from Larry Kwarsick that states the Town of Coupeville approved the lease. Weber affirmed the Board had received the email. The Board thanked Bell for his presentation. Vietnamese Restaurant: Patton said the 2nd lease proposal for consideration was from Bechard, who is also the Harbormaster and owner of the gift shop business on the Wharf. Bechard proposed opening a Vietnamese restaurant, renting 1,400 square feet plus a loft of 500 square feet. The Board had instructed Patton to advertise the space for the same rent amount as the previous tenants had paid ($1,009, including the leasehold tax), and Patton did so. Bechard's proposal was the only one received. Patton said Bechard had followed the Board's instructions and contacted the Economic Development Council (EDC) to help prepare a Business Plan. The Board has copies of that Business Plan. Lease options: Patton said Bechard's proposed lease had blanks that needed to be filled in regarding the term of the lease, the option to renew, and for the period of the renewal. Patton noted that the recently completed Comprehensive Plan targets the Wharf eventually for a Marine Education Center (MEC), and rentals of the retail spaces in the meantime need to be integrated with that project. Patton asked Bechard to tell the Board her requests for the term of the lease and the time period for the option to renew. Bechard said she would like a 5-year lease with the option to renew for 5 years. Patton reminded the Board that the option to renew is subject to the mutual agreement on terms and conditions, which could obviously change over time. Patton feels those terms and conditions will change due to the development of the MEC and that needs to be considered and explained to any potential tenants. Weber said the information had been made available to Bell, but asked if it had been made available to Bechard. Patton noted Bell only wanted a 2-year lease, but Bechard has asked the Board to consider a 5-year lease with the option to renew for 5 years. Board comments: Weber asked the Board for their thoughts. Bryson said he had concerns with a 5-year lease. He feels the lease should be for no more than 3 years with a renewal option. McDonald asked what the renewal option would be with a 3-year lease - would it also be for 3 years? Bryson said he felt it should be for only 1 year. Bryson said he was trying to consider Bechard's needs along with the direction of the Port's Comprehensive Plan. McDonald agreed that a 3-year lease with the option to renew for 1 year would be reasonable for the Board's short-term and long-term goals. Patton stated he had looked very carefully at the Comprehensive Plan and what it called out for the MEC. He said it was not a detailed description because the Port is a long way from the point where details are required. However, Patton pointed out the plan for the MEC does include a place to eat and it is possible that when the Port works with WSU-Extension on a Master Plan for the Wharf, that plan could encompass an operational restaurant. Weber said the MEC is not only the WSU-Extension's vision, but also the vision of the Historical Society and the Trust Board and any other organization that wants to be partners in that project. Weber said Meehan is acting as the facilitator, and added that the Board needs to make sure that everyone is aware that the MEC is not solely a WSU-Extension program. Bryson stated that is understood. WSU comments: McDonald asked if Meehan could give some input as to the plan and timeline for the MEC. Meehan expressed reticence about sharing plans as it has not reached that stage, but his personal opinion was that he tended to support the Board's plan in terms of the vision of providing food services as well as gift shop capabilities and a major exhibit that would be a joint effort among the community entities reflecting the cultural and maritime heritage of the area. Meehan said he didn't know if WSU-Extension would be ready within 2 years, but felt that it was reasonable that it could be, noting that WSU-Extension had a lot of steam going right now. Meehan said Johnson was present to talk about what WSU-Extension is currently doing on the Wharf. Meehan feels the Board needs to look at all the spaces on the Wharf and the contractual obligations that exist, and added that WSU-Extension needs to know what those obligations are, including Bechard's gift shop. Meehan said it could be that it is contractually locked up for 5 or 6 years, which would mean WSU-Extension couldn't do anything more than place displays in the foyer of the wharf as they are presently doing but the that space is pretty much maxed out. Weber agreed. Meehan added that there is also the Radio Station, but that is not going to be using the space that WSU-Extension has in mind for the MEC.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bryson and seconded by McDonald to extend a 3-year lease to Bechard with a 1-year renewal option.

Board discussion: Weber asked the Board if there was any discussion. Bryson indicated he had made his thoughts known, but asked if there was any discussion about the renewal option. Patton said it was a sort of negotiation as well, because the Board's decision might not be acceptable to Bechard. Patton said his understanding is that this would be a 3-year lease with an option to renew for 1 year, with the prospect of going to a year-to-year rental after that. That would give the Port maximum flexibility for the MEC, but Patton added that the Board also needed to hear from Bechard. Bechard said she was okay with the 3-year lease, but asked if it meant she would only have a total of 4 years. Bryson said not necessarily. Weber explained it meant Bechard would have a lease for 3 years with an option to renew for one more year, depending upon the language that is in the lease. Weber added that the Board would need to look at the lease again, and asked if the Board and Patton had copies. Patton said he did and it just needed to have the blanks for the periods filled in. Patton pointed out that Paragraph 6 stated, Lessee shall have the option to extend the term of this lease for an additional term of ______ years, on terms and conditions mutually agreed with the Lessor, provided the Lessee is not then in default of any provision herein and notifies the Lessor in writing of the intent to renew not later than 60 days prior to the lease termination date. Patton said the paragraph is in all of the Port's leases. Weber said she did not see a problem with that and thought Bechard would have the 4 years unless there was something that didn't meet the Lease Agreement. Patton said that was correct and the Terms and Conditions would be discussed at the end of 3 years, and he hoped by that time the Port would have its arms around the plan for the MEC, which might in fact integrate Bechard's restaurant. Patton said at this stage we just don't know, and it's impossible to know at this stage. Patton said this gives the Port maximum flexibility while noting that Bechard might be disappointed. Weber asked Williams for his comments. Williams asked whose option it was to renew at the end of 3 years: a mutual option or just Bechard's option. Weber said it would be Bechard's option to request a renewal but it would be a mutual decision to proceed with it, depending on mutual agreement with the Terms and Conditions determined at the time. Weber asked Bechard if she understood, and Bechard indicated that she did understand and added she had been at the Wharf for 15 years and had never had any problems. Weber asked if there were any other questions from Williams or Bechard. There were none. Williams' comments: Weber asked Williams if he had anything else to say. Williams stated he had discussed the matter with Bechard at length and was speaking for her. Williams feels a little compromise on the part of the Port would be appropriate because there has not been much interest in renting the space and it is currently not generating any revenue. Bechard is the only one with a successful track record of running a restaurant and Williams feels that is worth a great deal to the Port. Weber agreed. Williams said the longer the term of the lease, the more it is worth to Bechard. Williams asked the Board to consider a 2-year option to renew at the end of the 3-year lease, perhaps followed by another period of 2 years, assuming that it doesn't interfere with the development of the MEC. Weber said, as Patton had commented, the Board is hopeful Bechard will want to stay and her restaurant could be incorporated in the future plans for the MEC.

The motion passed unanimously.

Meehan's comments: Meehan asked if he could comment, and Weber said that he could. Meehan said he felt it is a great advantage to have Bechard on the Wharf looking after things, noting that WSU-Extension has an investment there with its displays. Meehan feels there has been a mutually beneficial relationship between Bechard and WSU-Extension and Bechard has been a very good steward of the Wharf. Weber agreed with an Amen and thanked Meehan for his comments. Signing the lease: Patton said he would fill in the blanks in the lease with the 3-year term and option to renew for one year. Weber indicated she would sign it and said she appreciated Bechard's dedication to having a business at the Wharf and Bechard's helpful assistance to many community organizations with activities and the security of the Wharf. Weber feels Bechard does a marvelous job and she is appreciative of that. Bryson added that Bechard's stewardship extends way beyond the Wharf. Weber then said the Board wishes Bechard success. Weber signed the completed lease and Patton told Bechard he would meet with her later for her to sign the lease.

Letter to WSU regarding plan for Marine Education Center (MEC) on the Wharf: Patton referred the Board to the letter he had sent with their approval to Meehan, Chair of the WSU-Extension Faculty. Patton read aloud the 2nd paragraph of the letter for the record: The Comprehensive Plan states that the Port will cooperate with WSU-Beach Watchers, Island County Historical Society Museum, Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve Trust Board and other interested organizations in the planning and implementation of the Marine Education Center. As a first step in this cooperation, the Board of Commissioners has instructed me (Patton) to address this letter to you (Meehan), requesting that you chair a working group composed of appropriate organizational stakeholders in the MEC, and with their input and assistance, draft a basic plan for transitioning the Wharf from its current retai- renter configuration into a center for marine-oriented science and education. Ideally this plan will identify major benchmarks in that transition, as well as the costs associated with alterations, equipment and installations. It would be helpful also to identify potential sources of funding to defray costs and provide a rough schedule for implementation. Patton noted the letter also said he and the Board would work hard to facilitate the effort. Patton then gave Meehan the opportunity to respond to the letter. Meehan's response: Meehan said the Board had a very good Executive Director working for them, noting he had worked with Patton for quite a while throughout the development and approval of the Comprehensive Plan. Meehan then stated he agreed to try to bring the community together to focus on developing a plan for the MEC. Meehan said he was happy to convene the community on the MEC, and that with the help of the Board and Patton, a plan will be developed. Meehan feels this should be a collaborative effort between the Port and his office, which is actually not the Beach-Watchers, as on this matter he is representing WSU-Extension. Meehan said he is happy to join forces with the Board and work on the project for the betterment of the community. Meehan praised the Board for its Comprehensive Plan. Meehan feels it is innovative and bold, and expressed that he wants to be a part of making it successful. He said more would need to be done at the Wharf than currently exists on the breezeway in order to make it successful. Weber thanked Meehan and indicated the Board was also happy to be part of that working group, noting the Board had provided their time and effort as well as Patton's time. Weber feels sure it will continue. Meehan stated that Graham Johnson was at today's meeting to report on present day progress, but Johnson was also an integral part of the development of the MEC. Weber asked the Board if there were any questions regarding Meehan's verbal response to the letter. There were none. Weber thanked Meehan.

Public input: Bryson reminded Weber that there had not been an opportunity for public input as called for in the agenda. Weber apologized and opened the meeting to public input.

MEETING OPEN TO PUBLIC INPUT:

There were no public comments.

CLOSURE OF PUBLIC INPUT: Weber closed the meeting to public input and invited the public to stay for the remainder of the regular meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS (continued):

Status of WSU-Beach Watchers' displays on the Wharf and MRC's displays on the causeway: Patton introduced Johnson to report on the status of the Beach Watchers' displays. Johnson expressed his appreciation to the Board for the opportunity to put an environmental display at the Wharf and to try to facilitate some of the goals and objectives of the Beach Watchers. Johnson noted that the Board had requested the Beach Watchers to have some information up for the Coupeville Water Festival and said the first three panels of their display were up for the event. Johnson said by the close of business today a 32 flat screen TV would be mounted to the wall for the primary purpose of displaying video fed from the underwater camera installed by Dick Tackett and Dick Johnson a couple of weeks ago. Additionally, Johnson said there would be a DVD/VHS player for viewing video of underwater and marine scenes during low tides when the underwater camera would not be showing activity. Johnson said the camera would be a learning or teaching tool in addition to microscopes and bringing in docents on the weekends as the project evolves. Johnson said by next Wednesday there would be 4 additional panels for the walls that complete the story of the Orcas in the area begun by the first 3 panels, showing how the Orcas have gone from being feared to revered, and the current difficulties the Orcas face with the lack of food, etc. Johnson said having just toys at an exhibit doesn't really accomplish anything, but story telling and the use of interactive tools can be successful. This exhibit will be in place by next Wednesday. Premier Event: Johnson invited the Board to the Premiere Event at the Coupeville Recreation Center that will be for Beach Watchers only, but the Board will be considered Beach Watchers for the event. The event will begin at the Wharf between 5:30 pm and 6:45 pm to view the displays before adjourning to the Center at 7:00 p.m. where a video recording will be made of the recollections of Wally Funk, who took hundreds of pictures of the Orca captures in Penn Cove in 1970 and the recollections of John Stone and some Beach Watchers who were present and wished to share their stories, including Vern Olsen. Weber said she was there as well, it was more than one day and it was the scariest thing she had ever heard in her life. Johnson said they just might get Weber in to share her recollections. In making this video, the Beach Watchers are trying to capture some very significant history. The Beach Watchers have arranged for Jim Rainey to professionally record the video that can then be played at the Wharf, the museum, etc. Johnson again extended an invitation to the Board to attend the event on Wednesday evening and also invited the Board to attend the Wharf Festival on June 23-24, 2007. The Orca Network has helped the Beach Watchers plan a special public reception for the opening of the exhibit on Saturday, June 23rd, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and the Board is welcome to attend that event as well. Johnson feels this exhibit offers a peek for the Board of the kinds of things that can be anticipated as they progress towards the MEC. Board comments: Weber and Bryson thanked Johnson for his presentation and Weber added the hallway displays are phenomenal. Bryson asked the status of the interpretive display for the walkway. Meehan thanked Johnson for all his efforts. Patton added a comment about the kiosk and the pictures the Beach Watchers had displayed there. Originally, there was no description beneath the pictures and Bechard fielded some questions from the public as to when the next Orca capture would occur. Patton then called Kristen Cooley, who quickly supplied the explanatory language of the event, but two days ago a Japanese lady who couldn't read English knocked on the Port Office's door and asked what time the next Orca capture would take place. Weber said she was amazed that there were no laws against the capture when it took place. Video of the Orca capture story: Johnson noted that the new TV and DVD/VHS player will be used to show the marvelous video the junior high school students made as part of their history project a year or so ago. Johnson said that video does a beautiful job talking about the capture and the enactment of laws that followed it. MRC interpretive panels for the causeway: Johnson said the panels might arrive today and Dick Tackett plans to install them when he returns on June 18th or 19th. Patton added that Sarah Schmitt has done a great job with that operation and she is a pleasure to work with. Weber and Johnson agreed. Johnson then showed the Board an article from the Everett Herald about WSU's book, Getting To The Water's Edge. He explained that 5,000 copies will have been sold in less than a year. Johnson added that in addition to the great color photo alongside the article, the front page had a photo with the cover of their book on it. The Board thanked Johnson for his presentation and Weber said she would see him Wednesday at the Premier.

GFMG and WSU Master Gardeners Agreement: Hutchinson then asked to jump out of order before Johnson left. Weber said that would be fine. Hutchinson said she wanted to comment that she believed they were on the end run of putting the formal agreement together between the GFMG and WSU. The agreement has been signed by the GFMG and Hutchinson believes the final WSU signature was obtained this morning. The signed packet has been mailed to the Port and Weber's signature will be the last signature to makes it a formal document. Hutchinson indicated she had asked WSU to mail it directly to Patton, and told Meehan that she considers that they got the job done. Meehan and Weber both said they were glad the job was done. The Board then thanked Meehan, Johnson and Hutchinson.

Boating and fueling activity: Patton said May's fuel sales were $6,999, which compared pretty favorably with May 2006's total of $7,900. Although the total for May 2007 was a little shy of the total for May 2006, it was seven times as much fuel as was sold in May 2005 so it is a significant start for the season. Weber asked if the fuel sales were attributable to the Mystic Sea. Patton said yes, the sales were largely due to the Mystic Sea staying at the Port through the month of May. Patton reported the moorage for May was $1,846. Patton added that when the June fees for the vagrant houseboat and tug are rolled in, the Port will net $2,100 from them.

Status of the vagrant houseboat and tugboat: Patton stated, A picture is worth a thousand words, and held up the newspaper photograph taken of the houseboat and tug going to Canada through Deception Pass. Weber said she had been concerned about the whitecaps and she had received phone calls about the houseboat rocking. Patton followed it from under the bridge to Rosario Beach. There were whitecaps on the route that was a straight shot to Victoria, but they opted for the Rosario route that has a lot of curves but there were no whitecaps that day on that route and the houseboat rode fine. Patton said 4 men from Seattle had spent 12 hours putting flotation underneath the houseboat and strengthening it. Patton noted the most interesting thing was that it wasn't a tugboat that towed the houseboat, but a fishing boat. The Canadians had referred to it as a tug when they submitted the tow plan to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard had called Patton and let him know the Canadians were sending a tug with proper documentation and the Port could now allow them to leave. Patton was surprised to see a fishing boat, but they knew what they were doing and they got the houseboat to Victoria. Weber then asked if the Coast Guard wasn't present to observe. Patton said no, that the Coast Guard was depending on the Port, a state institution, to check it out and let them know if there was anything amiss. Patton telephoned Victoria and verified the houseboat had arrived safe and sound after a 25-hour trip. The Canadian agent for the owner told Patton, I will never understand Americans. This was just a very simple thing.

Status of strengthening the Port office basement - permitting process with the Town of Coupeville and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW): Patton reported that one hour prior to the start of today's meeting, he had met with Doug Thompson of the DFW and they spent half an hour going through the basement comparing what Thompson saw with the Port's plans for repairing it. Patton said he has an email from Larry Kwarsick that says as soon as the Town of Coupeville has received written authorization from the DFW, a building permit will be issued. Thompson said there are no showstoppers and he will be giving the written authorization as soon as he can get to it. Patton has already emailed Kwarsick with Thompson's comments. Patton said that the Board needs to take the next step in terms of locking up the contractor. He referred to the contractor's proposal and the Board indicated they had copies of that proposal. The total bid was for $12,662. Weber asked if it was still good. Patton said yes, for 60 days but the clock was ticking. The contractor requires 1/3 of the total to get started, and Patton noted that the Board would not be meeting again for another month to approve vouchers. Patton asked the Board to sign the voucher for $4,200 (which is one-third of the total) and asked Weber to sign the Board's acceptance of the proposal. By doing this, the Port will be ready to go as soon as the permit is issued. Patton feels it was very thoughtful of Thompson to come from La Conner today prior to the meeting. Thompson is also a volunteer fireman, and Patton said they spent 20 minutes looking at the dry fire suppression system. Thompson was most impressed that the spur from the city's fire main was resting on a cinder block in the basement and is supported by a wedged-in ceramic block. Thompson told Patton the Port needs to fix that, and it is part of the repair plan.

Increase in Washington Government Entity Pool (WGEP) property insurance rate: Patton said WGEP, the Port's insurance carrier, sent a letter informing the Port the coverage cost on buildings had gone up 9% in the State of Washington and WGEP sent a new property schedule for 2008 which is about $200,000 higher in insurance coverage than 2007. Patton suggested the prudent thing to do would be to go with the higher coverage; however, the important item to consider since the Port is budgeted is how much it will cost in September when the annual payment is due. WGEP researched that and promised the Port that the increased coverage will not cost any additional amount due to the lack of claims over the last year. Patton has asked WGEP to send him an email to that effect. Patton said it looks like the Port will be getting the 9% increase in coverage for the same amount previously paid. Currently the Port is covered for $3,567,000, which includes the caretaker's cottage at Greenbank Farm that has been rehabilitated and reoccupied. Patton said the replacement coverage for that cottage will be increased to $110,000. Weber asked if that wasn't a huge increase. Bryson said it wasn't previously covered at all. Weber asked if there had even been an appraised value. Patton said no, the WGEP based it on square footage and not an appraisal. Patton asked the Board for permission to sign acceptance of the 2008 property schedule.

ACTION: A motion was made by Weber and seconded by Bryson to authorize Patton's acceptance of the 2008 property schedule in the form it was submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

Patton said he would sign his acceptance and return it to WGEP.

Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) comments on the Comprehensive Plan: Patton said it's always nice to get a pat on the back, but he didn't anticipate getting one from the WPPA which tends to be a little critical about comprehensive plans. Patton said the Port received a letter from the assistant director of the WPPA and he read the letter aloud. (A copy of the letter is attached to these minutes.) Copies of Comprehensive Plan: Patton said the 50 copies of the Comprehensive Plan had all been distributed within a week's time. The Board had signed the forwarding letter to most of the people, and the Island County Commissioners and all the State departments received their copies, but Patton needed additional copies so he had another dozen printed up, two of which Weber had requested as a result of phone call requests. Weber said the Board may need to have additional copies made in the future, noting that the cost for copying was now more than $750, but the Board must inform the public. Bryson said the Plan belongs to the District, so the public needs to see it

Letter to GFMG amending the sublease template to permit rent increases up to the CPI: Patton said last month Hutchinson had provided a formal request to modify the GFMG's sublease template. Patton reiterated what Hutchinson said in her letter: Paragraph 4 of the template was written and approved by the Port to permit annual adjustments not to exceed a 1% per year increase. This was done to make the rentals more appealing. Now that some of the original leases are expiring, the GFMG would like to modify the sublease template to allow annual rent increase 'up to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).' This is in keeping with the current practices of the Port and also allows the GFMG flexibility to evaluate tenant situations on a case-by-case basis. Patton said that at the Board's last meeting there was an approved motion that instructed him to provide the change requested by Hutchinson. Patton wrote a letter to that effect and provided it to Hutchinson. Hutchinson thanked Patton and the Board.

Greenbank Farm Management Report: (Hutchinson)

GFMG General Operations

Hutchinson noted that GFMG continued to meet separately with Patton and Bryson, and she feels that has been very positive and very helpful.

Administration

June Board Meeting Thursday, June 21st

April Financials. The Board received the April Financials last month for review and Hutchinson indicated an additional copy of the April Financials is attached.

Volunteer Program. Volunteer hours in all aspects of the Farm, including Wine Shop, Markets, Administration, and Managed Property are steadily increasing. Hutchinson was very pleased to report the Farm had over 140 volunteer hours in April.

Wine Shop. Bob Molitor is back pouring wine for the Farm, and 23 or 24 of April's volunteer hours were his. Weber said that Molitor is very knowledgeable and Bryson and Hutchinson agreed.

Financials

April 2007 financial statements have been reviewed in some detail. Year-to-Date Port Fee is $15,000 and Year-To-Date GFMG Expenses are $15,112.

GFMG paid $600 for a used Brush Hog and the question is whether that amount is capitalized or expensed. It has not been classified yet.

Hutchinson said she would address Site Planning after finishing her report. She had some diagrams for the Board to view at that time. Hutchinson is excited to work with the Board on a Master Site Plan for the Farm and to share additional details of the thoughts and preliminary work that has been done so far. Hutchinson stated the Farm did not have an approved proposal, but it is important to start considering the kinds of issues at the Farm and potential site development ideas that could provide additional future success for the Farm. Patton said he spoke with Hutchinson yesterday about where to begin with the Master Site Plan which is a major goal of the Comprehensive Plan. They agreed a good place to start would be after Bryson and Patton met each month with Hutchinson and Baenen, that Hutchinson would remain after the meeting and they could further discuss and put on paper how to proceed with the Master Site Plan. Patton would then report the information to the Board at the regular meetings each month under Unfinished Business.

Events

June 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2007 -- Sunday Markets

June 1 and July 6, 2007 -- First Fridays at the Farm

June 2, 2007 - Spring Fling Waif Dinner Auction. Very successful, the main Barn looked great.

June 16, 2007 -- Greenbank Car Show. Going to be very big. Oak Harbor Lions Club has put their car show on the back burner so all the focus will be on the Greenbank Car Show. It is estimated there will be 300-350 cars in the show.

June 23-24, 2007 -- Greenbank Artists Show and Sale

July 21-22, 2007 -- Spirit of the West Art Show

July 28-29, 2007 -- Loganberry Festival. The Farm is thrilled to have full sponsorships this year, including Whidbey Island Bank and Whidbey Telecom. The main reason they are willing to sponsor this event is that it an event for locals; a celebration of the community rather than tourists. Hutchinson provided the Board with flyers to distribute.

September 23, 2007 -- 10th Anniversary Celebration. Planning is underway. A meeting was held and Baenen said approximately 35 people attended, including some of the original founders of the Farm. McDonald asked if the hours had been set yet, and Baenen said no but it looks like it might be from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Baenen explained they were attempting to get as much public input as possible regarding the purchase of their Farm and how they want to celebrate it.

Leased Areas

Tenants

Beginning June 1, 2007, the Farm's hours increased and are now 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cheryl Sagmeister is conducting regular tenant meetings.

Still seeking new tenant for ex-Tacky Ladies location. The sign is up on the highway, there have been some nibbles, but nothing has been resolved.

The Whidbey Camano Last Trust's (WCLT) lease was increased to include the portion of the Jim Davis House, which has been significantly upgraded. There is now installation and heat in addition to new carpet, paint and lighting. It is very nicely done and GFMG has invested several thousand dollars into that upgrade. The WCLT also contributed to the upgrade.

Proceeding along with new sign at Highway 525 and Wonn Rd. Two GFMG Board members (Ken Bloom and Terry Rose) have taken on the project along with Richard Rhydes. The Farm will update the Board as progress moves forward.

Volunteer Organizations:

Master Gardeners' Lease has been signed by GFMG and mailed to the Board for final signature. No changes were made since the last copy. Hutchinson said the area covered by the lease was slightly modified so the Pergola Garden next to Whidbey Pies Café is not locked up for the period of lease. WSU is fine with that change. The reason for the modification is that if in the future the GFMG decides to modify the Barn and expand the Café, GFMG did not want to be locked into a lease with the Pergola Garden. WSU agreed they would move the Pergola Garden at their expense if the expansion should occur. Patton said that lease change may have been the 1st decision in the Master Site Plan. Hutchinson explained she was trying to leave room to accomplish future projects. Patton said it is his understanding that upon receipt of the final lease, it requires only Weber's signature. Patton asked Weber's permission to telephone her and leave the document at the Port Office for her to sign at her convenience. Weber said that would be fine. Hutchinson told the Board they would receive 3 originals in the mail for signature: one for the Port, one for GFMG and one for the Master Gardeners. Patton will distribute them accordingly after Weber has signed. Patton noted that lease will be a very good model for what the Port later does with WSU Beach Watchers.

Facilities/Repairs

Barn A painting is complete, and Hutchinson thanked the Board. She did leave a message for Patton: Seagull wire. Seagull Wire. Seagull Wire. Hutchinson said there were 20 seagulls when she was there. Patton told her that Dick Tackett does have a plan in mind and Hutchinson understands that Tackett is currently out of town. Weber asked if the bars of the big barn door had been repainted white after they were mistakenly painted red. Patton said Tackett had reported to him that the bars had been repainted.

Sprinkler system. Hutchinson feels that Barn A is such an historic icon that the sprinkler system needs to be seriously considered in the Master Site Plan and short-term thinking as well. Patton has requested an estimate from Commercial Fire but has not yet received it. Patton said after listening to Senator Mary Haugen the other day, he had taken the opportunity to lobby her a little bit and let her know how much the Board had leveraged the $1.5 million that was legislated as Capital Improvements for the Farm, and how successful that had been. Patton also informed Haugen of additional needs of the Farm such as restroom facilities, preserving the Barn with a sprinkler system, etc. Patton reported that Haugen was kind enough to say, Well, come back to us. Hutchinson said the Port and the Farm needed to look at all the possible sources of funding, noting that sometimes the Port is eligible for one funding source where the Farm is not and vice versa.

Men's Restroom. It has been repainted, for the first time since 1988. The painting was done with volunteer labor and the women's restroom is next. Hutchinson said there is still a request for baby changing stations in the restrooms. She said she doesn't have any money in the budget for it, and Patton said the first thing to do would be to get some pricing.

Pond Maintenance. Patton is working on it.

Renovation of Jim Davis House. Discussed earlier in the meeting.

Managed Areas:

General

Mowing

Mowing with 2 tractors

2 volunteers assisting Hank with mowing

22 volunteer mowing hours in April

Water/Drainage -Hutchinson thanked Patton for providing the information about the water source at the Farm. She is seeking additional information as to how the flow of water has historically come across the Farm, and some ideas about potentially using that sort of reparian stream as part of the entrance to the Farm. The Land Trust is very interested in working with GFMG to consider if there is some reparian habitat restoration that could be done in terms of how that stream feeds into the pond. Hutchinson also mentioned the large grove of alder trees in the corner of the Farm and questioned their impact and importance in the stream process. Patton reported that the Port and GFMG does own permanent water rights on that spring and he has provided Hutchinson with copies of the maps, certificates, etc for her records. Weber added that regarding hydrology reports and the runoff, the USDA Soil Conservation Service used to do that free of charge, and suggested Hutchinson should contact Steve Nestle in Mount Vernon. Hutchinson said GFMG thinks, The pond is such an important feature of the Farm that understanding the water source of that pond and making it a feature of the Farm, rather than a puddle, is a possibility.

Agricultural

Loganberry area

The loganberries are coming along and there were bees for pollination this year. The crops should be ready for the Loganberry Festival.

GFMG has commissioned the Whidbey Island Ice Cream Company to make loganberry ice cream from the Farm's own loganberries. Weber asked if that could be seen in local stores. Hutchinson said it would debut at the Loganberry Festival, and we'll see where it goes from there.

Market Garden area.

Turned up new this year. Expecting radishes, turnips, peas and beets this month and potatoes, garlic, carrots and more next month.

Recreation

Off-leash Dog Area

Very quiet. Weber asked if there were still a lot of people coming with their dogs and Hutchinson said there were. Hutchinson explained there is a lot more signage and she has noted more people are getting out of their cars with their dogs leashed. She has also noted there has been an increase in the amount of cars parked in the State Overlook Area, where the dogs can get directly from the car to the off-leash area without going through the Farm itself.

Hutchinson then noted the financial statements were attached and they've already been discussed. The Board agreed nothing further needed to be addressed. Hutchinson then asked when the next meeting for her, Baenen, Bryson and Patton was scheduled, and Bryson informed her that it would be Tuesday, June 19th at 11 a.m.

Hutchinson then presented the latest version of the Greenbank Farm sign for the highway that the Board previously approved. Bloom and Rose are working with Island County and Richard Rhydes and moving forward. Patton asked what the final height dimension is on the sign. Hutchinson thinks it will be about 18 feet. She added there are still some small modifications to be made and when they have a new design she will bring it to the Board. Patton asked where things stand with Phil Bakke and Island County and the signage situation. Hutchinson said Bakke had approved the concept but they had to discuss specifics as to square footage of the sign and how it would be measured. Hutchinson said when measuring, it's not the sign itself that is measured but the verbiage on it. Hutchinson said when she drove by the Farm earlier, there were a lot of signs and it was unsightly. Hutchinson understands that people need to do business and that GFMG needs to be able to tell the public about what's happening at the Farm and there's a real trade-off between the current mess of signs and letting people know what's happening at the farm. GFMG really wants to move forward on the new sign and is actively seeking donations for funding. Hutchinson noted there is conceptual agreement between the Board and GFMG, and feels the final design should be one that allows for announcing the Farm's happenings in a way that fits with the rural character of the Farm and get rid of the current sign proliferation. Hutchinson thinks all concerned would prefer one beautiful monument rather than all those signs.

Site Planning: Susan Lindsey-Cohen has been working with GFMG on Barn A, and Hutchinson reminded that the Board that at this stage there are only thoughts and concepts. In the next couple of weeks, Hutchinson plans to begin obtaining some ballpark estimates as to what some of these concepts would cost, and plans and priorities may change as that information is gathered. Conceptual drawings: Hutchinson then displayed to the Board the drawings for a possible future modification. The drawings showed changes to the current Pergola Garden and Hutchinson noted that explained why it had been removed from the WSU Master Gardeners' lease. The Café would need to expand in the direction of the pond. The drawings include a walkway between the existing GFMG offices and the loft area in the Barn. That walkway would do a number of things: 1) get the entrance to the office out of the Café, 2) connect the upstairs and 3) provide a beautiful birding platform looking out over the wetlands. Hutchinson commented that the wetlands are frequently considered the back of the Farm and the loading dock, but it was originally the front of the Farm, and if you look at the barns you will see they were designed to face the wetlands. Hutchinson feels more emphasis should be put on the world-class wetland and the heron rookery that are back there. There is an entire flock of heron there. Modifications: GFMG's thought for the long run is to move their offices to the loft in the Barn, which would connect their offices to the Event Area and open up another office space that could be used for another small business. Hutchinson said there is plenty of room in the upper loft of the barn and GFMG would like to use the open part of the loft area as an historical display/museum space. She noted there are two large storage rooms which could be converted to office spaces. Hutchinson said another possibility is to open up the aisle ways that go down the sides of the Barn. On the drawings, Hutchinson pointed out that the front entrance to the barn that currently leads into the Wine Shop becomes the front entrance to the barn and the Wine Shop moves sideways, keeping one half of its current space and the other half moving into the current catering kitchen. Hutchinson then called attention to the silo on the drawings. An elevator could be installed in the silo, there could be walkways in the tops of the barns linking them to the silo and each other, the upper floors of the barns could be made handicapped accessible, and it could all be done in a visually appealing manner. Patton said there was once a silo at the Farm, and Baenen agreed. Weber pointed out that if GFMG proves a need and a use for that silo, the State of Washington Arts Commission might have funding available. Hutchinson said both Barn A and Barn B are historic. Barn B: Patton asked if there were any plans for the upstairs of Barn B. Hutchinson said other than connecting the barns and making the space usable, there were no specific plans yet. Patton noted the upper part of Barn B had been looked into very carefully last year for possible light industry, but it didn't work out. Patton said it has a lot of room and should be utilized somehow. Hutchinson agreed and pointed out that GFMG has a limit on how many new square feet that can be built on the Farm, but there is no limit to the Farm's ability to maximize the spaces that exist. Hutchinson feels from a Master Site Plan point of view, the Port and GFMG need to consider the Farm's direction in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years so they have a vision. GFMG is fairly convinced the best way to go is to spend money up front maximizing the historic barns by making them the centerpiece of the Farm and very functional and usable prior to building any new buildings. Weber agreed the wise use of the existing space is important, and all the existing space needs to be utilized. Hutchinson then displayed another drawing that she described as a mindbender on purpose. Meeting on plans: She said it was one of many concepts and she would like to come back to discuss how they arrived at this drawing. Hutchinson feels right now the Farm has a strip mall atmosphere. Weber suggested the Board has a meeting with Hutchinson just to discuss this drawing and concept. McDonald said that was a good idea and Patton said it would be a special meeting or a workshop. Hutchinson said she would love that and they could discuss how to get people and traffic to flow and how to solve issues that are currently constraining the Farm. Hutchinson said she is certain this drawing is not the end product. Patton agreed he would work with Hutchinson to set up the meeting. Zoning issues: Hutchinson then brought up one more chart for display that shows overlays of the Zoning Odnance, which demonstrates the constraints that exist and will need to be considered. One concept is to change the parking from the front of the buildings to the end, but then that would be parking on agricultural land, which isn't allowed under current zoning. However, the zoning could be changed. Hutchinson said they started with lots of options and these were all laid over the zoning in order to see the current zoning and where there might be issues. Hutchinson indicated she would like a 2-hour session with the Board to discuss the site plan. Patton said she had excellent timing, because by week's end he will speak with Karen Boyle of Foster & Pepper (the bond attorneys) to prosecute the Conservation Easement. Boyle will want to see the Executionary Sales Contract and the zoning that was put in place after that contract. Historically, the Port has thought the simplest way to approach a Conservation Easement is to re-label the Zoning Ordinance and ask Boyle how it would affect the value of the Bonds, which is a critical issue. Patton says if we put the zoning into play then it would be dangerous to show Boyle the existing zoning, so Hutchinson's presentation is very timely. Hutchinson said when the Zoning Ordnance was laid out no one really knew how the Farm was going to be used. Patton pointed out that the Zoning Ordnance was extremely conservative and that was deliberate at the time. Weber said she had talked with Don Sherman and Mike Canfield, both of whom were on the Board at the time the Port purchased the Farm, and it was done to expedite the situation. Baenen noted the current Zoning Ordnance served to prevent overnight camping, for example. Hutchinson explained she brought these very preliminary plans to the Board because while GFMG's Board is very supportive of the Conservation Easement, they do not want an easement that will lock them up. Patton feels the record should show the GFMG Board and not the Port Commissioners have put forward the idea of creating a Conservation Easement with more flexibility than the existing Zoning Ordnance currently allows. Patton said the fact that relaxing the zoning is even on the table should be kept within the Port's Board and the GFMG's Board as it could easily be misunderstood. Weber agreed and said she had received phone calls regarding the Conservation Easement for some time. Hutchinson stressed that GFMG is clearly saying a Conservation Easement should be put on the Farm, and GFMG is providing some preliminary groundwork that should help define what that Easement should be. Weber added the key is the wording of the Easement. Bryson then suggested the Board move on and said the presentation was great and appreciated. Patton noted that he and the Board look forward to a special meeting or workshop on the subject. Hutchinson said she appreciated the opportunity to go into more detail at that time. The Board thanked Hutchinson and Baenen for their presentation.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: The commissioners will provide relevant reports as appropriate for attachment to these Minutes.

Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce: (Weber)

Marine Resources Committee (MRC): (Weber)

Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and Greenbank Farm Liaison: (Bryson)

SMP: Still on hold. The Town of Coupeville and the Department of Ecology are still working together.

Greenbank Farm Liaison: Bryson and Patton met with Baenen in May (Hutchinson was not available) and discussed finances, the upcoming planning meeting and the upcoming anniversary celebration for September. Baenen informed Bryson and Patton that there would be a planning meeting on June 6th, and showed them the work being done on the Jim Davis House. Tenth Anniversary Celebration: Weber asked the status of the planning, noting that the meeting had been held on June 6th. Patton said there were more than 35 people that attended. Bryson said, We don't know; it's a planning process. Patton said he expected they would learn more at their next liaison meeting on Tuesday, June 19th. Patton also suggested the Board may want to discuss whether they wanted to do anything to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Port and if they wanted to integrate that celebration with the Tenth Anniversary of the Port's purchase of Greenbank Farm. Bryson added that the anniversary planning meetings came up after the liaison meeting. Weber thanked him for that explanation.

Council of Governments (COG), Economic Development Council (EDC), WPPA Legislative Committee), and Regional Transportation Policy Organization (RTPO): (McDonald)

COG: The President of COG, Mayor Nancy Conard, discussed going green. The guest speaker was a former mayor of Bellingham, where the city has been very progressive with its green practices. The former mayor addressed the costs of implementing green practices and described the community challenge competition that was hugely successful. Conard is interested in implementing that kind of challenge on Camano and Whidbey Islands. The next COG meeting will be on the same topic and also discuss grants and possible funding.

RTPO: Twice per year the Island County RTPO meets with Skagit County RTPO for a regional meeting. The most recent meeting was held in La Conner at the site of the newly started Fredonia to I-5 Construction Project. Senator Mary Margaret Haugen was there. The project is one of her big babies. Including the press, there were approximately 50 people in attendance for the event, which was a combination of ribbon cutting and providing information on that project and other regional transportation projects.

EDC: Nothing to report. .

WPPA: No new meetings. McDonald will attend next week's meeting in Anacortes, but will arrive 1.5 hours late. Bryson said he wants to attend, but has a scheduling conflict to work through. Weber is unable to attend.

NEW BUSINESS:

Master Site Plan for Greenbank Farm: Bryson said considering that the new Comprehensive Plan has been approved and is in place, he proposes that the Board charge Patton to initiate the process of the Master Site Plan for the Farm. Bryson said there are multiple parts to that process and he would like to begin the very long process.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bryson and seconded by Weber for the Board to instruct Executive Director Patton to begin the process of creating a Master Site Plan for the Farm, working collaboratively with the GFMG.

Weber expressed her surprised at the amount of work, time and effort that had gone into Hutchinson's presentation. Bryson said the site plan is critical as all the concepts are put into place and Weber agreed the site plan is the key piece. Patton said he had met with Laura Blankenship, the former Executive Director of GFMG and Editor-in-Chief of the Port's Comprehensive Plan. Blankenship urged the Board to undertake the Master Site Plan by first conducting a complete inventory of the Farm and then sensibly juxtapose agricultural and commercial concerns before focusing on any new installations or any major modifications to existing installations. Patton believes the GFMG Board is not going to be very comfortable with that method, based on what has been presented so far. Patton feels this motion will help to discuss ideas and concepts at the regular meetings between himself and GFMG long before they become issues and arguments. Patton said he would report back to the Board monthly during the Port's regular meetings under Unfinished Business. Patton then noted that the GFMG expenses have been coming in nearly identical with the fee, but if that should change there could be some negotiating problems.

Motion passed unanimously.

Possible celebration of the Port's 40th Anniversary: Patton said the voters had approved the creation of the port district on November 17, 1966. Patton recommended that the Port arrange to celebrate the Port's 40th anniversary in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Port's purchase of Greenbank Farm. Weber added that would be in a cooperative spirit. Bryson believes that could work well, and noted that GFMG is trying to find all those who were involved in the purchase 10 years ago. Patton said the Port has a good record of all the former Port Commissioners, and suggests contacting them and honoring them with a dinner. The event could be publicized in the newspapers and the venue might be the Coupeville Recreation Center where there families could also attend. Patton suggests giving each former commissioner a nice package explaining where the Port is planning to go in the future, etc. and perhaps giving them a copy of the Comprehensive Plan. Weber feels that would be a nice way to say thank you and honor them. Weber asked if that would be part of the Tenth Anniversary. Patton said that is the question on the table: Would the Board like to keep the anniversaries separate or integrate them? Bryson feels there is an opportunity to highlight the Port's 40th anniversary at the Farm's 10th anniversary celebration, but the Port can do its own actual celebration separately. Weber agreed and suggested that a possible educational display of the Port's 40th anniversary could be exhibited at the Farm's 10th Anniversary Celebration. Anniversary planning workshop: Weber recommended the Board have a workshop and Bryson agreed. McDonald asked if the Board had $1,000 to spend. Weber said there is $700 in the budget that has not been allocated or earmarked for anything. Patton said he will set up a workshop. Weber said she prefers that the Port's 40th anniversary be a part of rather than apart from the Farm's 10th anniversary. Weber feels it is important for the Port to be supportive and not appear as if it is trying to infringe or encroach upon the Farm's celebration. Bryson said the 10th anniversary celebration is not the 10th anniversary of the GFMG; it is the anniversary of the procurement of the Farm. Weber said she understood that. Weber then added that in her opinion, GFMG could have extended an invitation to the Board for the June 6th planning meeting. McDonald agreed. Bryson said he and Patton had been invited. Weber said she was aware of that, but the entire Board should have been invited. Bryson said the fault lay with him and Patton for not disbursing the information and Weber accepted that. 40th Anniversary: Weber then asked Patton for his thoughts on the 40th anniversary. Patton said with the Board's permission he would like to research and identify all the former Port Commissioners, their location and their availability to attend an event. Patton would also like to begin planning a dinner celebration just for the Port Commissioners, current and past, and suggested Bechard's restaurant as a possible location for the event. McDonald said that was a great idea. Patton then said there is a whole year to plan the event and he doesn't need further guidance at the moment, he just wanted to surface the idea. Patton also said it was very important for the Board to make the point that the Port is not competing with whatever celebration GFMG is planning. Patton added that the Board is invited to participate in the planning for that celebration, and Bryson said Baenen had specifically told them that at their last liaison meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS:

Next Port regular meeting: The next regular monthly meeting of the Port's Board of Commissioners will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11, 2007, in the Jim Davis House at Greenbank Farm [later changed to the Service Alternatives Building in Coupeville].

Monthly Financial Status Report: (O'Brien) O'Brien submitted the 2006 Annual Report, April 2007 financial statements and preliminary May 2007 financial statements.

ACTION: A motion was made by Weber and seconded by McDonald to accept the final April 2007 financial statement as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

Approval of Current Vouchers: O'Brien submitted vouchers audited and certified by the auditing officer as required by RCW 42.24.080. She also submitted expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bryson and seconded by McDonald to approve by signature the May, 2007 vouchers, numbers #419 - #447, for a total amount of $41,455.38. The motion passed unanimously.
ACTION: A motion was made by Bryson and seconded by Weber to accept the 2006 Annual Report as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.

Annual Reports: Patton said the Port has all of the annual reports, save one, since the establishment of the Port and they are currently in a binder in the Port Office. Patton had researched through the annual reports to find what had historically occurred with the Operating Reserves and found the information very useful.

Report to L & I: Weber said she had a Port report to the State Department of Labor & Industry entitled Employer's Certification of Hazards Corrected in her file. Patton reported that a representative of the department had visited the Port and inspected everything related to safety matters. Her report showed only 4 minor violations and there were no penalties assigned. Patton was required to report to L & I by today that all 4 violations had been taken care of and he did that yesterday. Patton had waited until then to respond because he wanted to get the First Aid/CPR training completed for the new dockhand, Wyatt Johns, and Bechard. Patton added that Johns is a fine young man who has worked every weekend for the last 3 months or so. Johns' last day of school is Friday and he will be working for the Port throughout the summer. Bechard and Johns have an excellent working relationship. Bryson said the Port had been very fortunate last year and this year in employing excellent dockhands.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Board, Weber adjourned the meeting at 1:14 pm.