Commissioners Present: Benye Weber, Marshall Bronson and Ann McDonald

Others Present: Jim Patton (Executive Director), Molly MacLeod-Roberts (Edwards & Associates), Nathan Whalen (Whidbey News-Times), Michael Stansbury (GFMG President), Virginia Bloom (Greenbank Farm Operations Manager) and Donna Keeler (Master Site Plan Coordinator).

Call to Order: The regular meeting was called to order at 10:35 a.m. by Commissioner Weber in the Service Alternatives Building, located at #20 N.W. First Street in Coupeville, WA, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: Weber stated that the Minutes for the regular meeting of July 8 and the special meetings of June 29 and July 1 were available for approval and signatures.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to approve the meeting Minutes as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: None.

MEETING OPEN TO PUBLIC INPUT: Weber opened the meeting to public input. No one wished to speak and Weber closed the meeting to public input and returned to the public meeting.

Weber noted that a request had been made to reorder the agenda and the Board agreed.

Greenbank Farm Management Report: Michael Stansbury, President of the Greenbank Farm Management Group (GFMG), was on hand to answer any questions the Board had regarding the July Report previously emailed to the Board, which is included in these Minutes as follows:

The annual Loganberry Festival occurred on July 25 and 26. This is the major Farm celebration each year and it was a huge success this year. Weather was perfect for the two days. We estimate that more than 5,000 people attended, probably the most ever. The event was the best organized in recent memory and a new layout of vendors was tried, which contributed to better flow of attendees to all areas of the festival. Wine and beer sales exceeded sales from last year. Financially, the festival was more successful than prior events, in part a tribute to the organizational efforts of Virginia and her staff. Summer interns (discussed in the June report) contributed greatly to the success. All in all we are very pleased with this year's Loganberry Festival and look forward to improvements next year.

The CSA training project continues to produce weekly produce for subscribers and Sunday farmers' markets continue on a weekly basis.

The Farm's facilities will be the site for a number of events put on by other Whidbey organizations, featuring the Highland Games and the Whidbey Island Music Festival.

Several improvement projects are planned for the fall.

First, French doors will be installed in Barn A to provide direct access to the side yard. This will allow event participants direct use of a semi-private outside area without the necessity of traversing the public areas and crowds. We believe it will make Barn A more attractive for private parties, such as weddings, and for performance events by expanding the utility of this event venue. The doors have been purchased at a steep discount, grant money obtained from the SW Rotary and some volunteer labor from Richard Epstein and his crew.

Second, we expect to upgrade the Jim Davis House by replacing the carpet with an easy-to-clean wood laminate product, improve the ventilation and vapor barrier under the house and repaint the interior. Much of the work can be done by volunteer labor from the groups that use the JDH and we have received an in-kind donation of 30 gallons of paint. These improvements should make the JDH a more attractive venue as a paid event venue.

First half financial results show that operations have improved substantially from 2008, which will improve the financial base for the Farm.

The Board thanked Stansbury for his report.

GFMG proposal for management fee adjustment - April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014: Stansbury referred the Board to the GFMG Proposal to Adjust Management Fee dated August 12, 2009 (previously submitted to the Board and on file at the Port office). Under the terms of the Management Services Agreement, signed on April 1, 2004, the second and last opportunity to adjust the fee paid to the GFMG will occur on April 1, 2010. Stansbury said that this past year, as a consequence of focusing on costs of overall farm management, the allocated cost for the managed area has come down as dramatically as the other GFMG costs. Stansbury believes that was attributable to Virginia Bloom's excellent management. As a result, the GFMG is not asking for a change in their fee at this time. They feel they can fulfill their management responsibilities with the current fee until at least April 1, 2011, but, after that date, they propose that the GFMG be permitted to make an annual request that the fee be adjusted in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Patton recommended approval of the GFMG proposal. On Board approval, a suitable Memorandum of Agreement would become part of the Management Services Agreement.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to accept and approve the Greenbank Farm Management Group/Port of Coupeville Proposal to Adjust Management Fee as submitted. The motion passed unanimously. Patton will draft the Memorandum of Agreement for signatures at the next Port meeting.

The Board thanked Bloom for "a job well done."

Weber noted that the monthly report said that the Loganberry Festival was a financial success, and asked if that meant it was self-supporting. Stansbury said, "Yes, as a matter of fact it is more than self-supporting and provides contributions to other Farm activities throughout the year."

Patton referred the Board to the beautiful tri-fold brochure that the GFMG has produced and asked Bloom about it's cost. She explained that Susan Prescott put it together (volunteered her time) and the GFMG printed it on their own color copier. The Board agreed the brochure was very well done.

Greenbank Farm Master Site Plan final draft: Board discussion and Resolution #151 (on file at the Port office) re: adoption: (Patton and Keeler)

Bronson noted that the Master Site Plan is the result of "the work of a whole lot of people and covers most areas." It is a guide plan for the Port and provides a good, solid base for acceptable use and direction of Greenbank Farm. He added that Keeler has been the essential agent and melded it all together.

Keeler recapped the process of the last month, including the two public briefings on June 29^th in Greenbank (30-35 people attended) and on July 1^st in Coupeville (5-6 people attended). There were some great comments provided, and Keeler and Patton reviewed all the comments and incorporated them into the final draft where it seemed practical and feasible to do so. Once the Board has approved the final draft, the Resolution of adoption will be incorporated into it and additional language inserted regarding the adoption of the Master Site Plan and the Asset Inventory, which will be an appendix to the plan. The final document will then be published, and Keeler recommended that the volunteers who contributed their time and input receive a copy of the completed plan along with a thank you letter from the Board. The Board agreed with her recommendation.

Stansbury complimented Keeler on how she conducted the process over a long period of time, and said that he fully supports the result.

The Board thanked Keeler for the outstanding job she did. Keeler thanked the Board for the opportunity to work on the project. She said it had been a lot of fun and that it was an honor working with the volunteers, a diverse group of people with a shared passion for the Farm.

Patton referred the Board to the Introductory Remarks he previously prepared and submitted, and MacLeod-Roberts read them aloud (on file at the Port office).

ACTION: A motion was made by Weber and seconded by McDonald to approve the Introductory Remarks for inclusion in the Master Site Plan as presented. The motion passed unanimously.

MacLeod-Roberts read Resolution No. 151 into the record.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to approve and adopt Resolution No. 151 to adopt a Master Site Plan for the Greenbank Farm.

For the record, Patton explained that when Island County government established the Farm as a Special Review District in 1998, there wasn't yet a Master Plan that provided for the future uses and activities of the farm. In January 2002 the Port Board of Commissioners and the board of the GFMG reviewed and approved a Master Plan for the farm that had been prepared by Laura Blankenship, then the farm manager employed by the GFMG. The purpose of that document was to include it with an application to Island County for an ordinance establishing subzones for agriculture, recreation, commercial activities and environmentally sensitive areas and laying out the permitted, conditional and prohibited activities within those areas. Patton and Keeler have studied that plan and have found no inconsistencies between it and the Master Site Plan adopted today. Since the two plans are consistent, Patton said that he believed that there is no need to amend the Special Review District Ordinance to include the new Master Site Plan. Patton also pointed out that no legal boundaries had ever been established for the four subzones. He and Keeler discussed these matters with Keith Higman, Island County's Acting Planning Director and they plan to discuss them with the new county planning director, Bob Pederson, as soon as he has settled into his job. Patton said that the development of a Conservation Easement for the farm will be the next action item for the Port and boundaries for the four subzones established by the Ordinance will be reviewed as part of that process. He said that the 13 existing tax parcels that comprise the farm all have legal descriptions and if the subzones are coincident with parcels there will be no need to survey new boundary lines for the subzones.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Port Executive Director's Report: (Patton)

Boating and fueling activities: Patton reported there was a real uptick in both moorage and fuel sales in the month of July. Moorage revenue was $3,300 (nearly $1,000 more than July, 2008) and 3,697 gallons of fuel were sold (1,000 gallons more than July, 2008).

Short-term Sublease Agreement for Jerry Saia, owner and operator of the sailing vessel "Andiamo" and Leisure Yacht Charters: Patton referred the Board to the draft short-term lease agreement for the use of the Port's mooring floats by the Andiamo to embark paying passengers (on file at the Port office). He prepared the lease in accordance with the Port's new agreement with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) which provides for use of the floats by profit-making concessionaires. An annual rent must be paid to DNR for allowing concessionaires to use the mooring floats and Patton noted that the Board previously approved a similar short-term lease agreement for Monty Hughes and his vessel, the Mystic Sea. Saia has signed the document and provided the Port with the required $50.00 deposit. Patton recommended approval of the sublease.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to approve the Short-term Lease Agreement with Jerry Saia as presented. The motion passed unanimously.

Status of grant request for pumpout station and status of permit request for piling repairs: Patton referred the Board to the letter of transmittal to Larry Kwarsick, the Town of Coupeville's Planner (on file at the Port office). Kwarsick required the Port provide Coupeville with a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) application for the installation of a pumpout station on the wharf and the replacement of five failed pilings under the causeway. The Town has agreed that one SEPA application will suffice for both projects, so Patton submitted the SEPA application with the letter of transmittal. He noted that the Town will invoice the Port in the amount of $1,000 for that SEPA application. Also included with the letter were two Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Application (JARPA) forms. The Town has changed the procedure, and Kwarsick wants the JARPA forms in hand as well as the SEPA application before they do anything. Patton reported that one of Kwarsick's requirements was that the Port must recognize in some way the Town's requirement for prohibiting the discharge into the Town's sewer system of a long list of hazardous chemicals and materials. Kwarsick agreed that a Resolution prohibiting improper discharge into the sewer system and monitoring the sewage would satisfy the requirement. Patton referred the Board to Resolution No. 150 (on file in the Port office) and recommended its adoption and approval. MacLeod-Roberts read the Resolution aloud.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to approve and adopt Resolution No. 150, recognizing the Board's compliance with the Town Of Coupeville's prohibition of discharge of listed chemicals and materials into the Town's sewer system as presented. The motion passed unanimously.

Wharf, causeway and park upkeep: schedule for removal of exterior of 905 N. Main and replacement of Wharf siding: Patton reported that he met yesterday with Malcolm Bishop, Coupeville's Public Works Director, and the Town has contracted to begin the demolition of the building on September 8^th. Patton has alerted the volunteers and they will schedule the removal of the wood siding as soon as possible.

Status of formal agreement with Washington State University (WSU) Extension Beach Watchers: Patton referred the Board to the email he received this morning from Judy Feldman of WSU in response to the draft agreement he had prepared for the use of the Wharf breezeway and other facilities (on file at the Port office). Patton said the document appears to protect the interest of the Port in every way possible. He asked the Port to note and consider the following language from the 1^st paragraph of the draft: "The breezeway of the Wharf indicated on Exhibit A is made available to the WSU Beach Watchers by the Port of Coupeville without charge, for the installation of educational interpretive displays." Patton noted that the breezeway is identified and preserved in the agreement as "a common area." He also pointed out that the draft agreement states that WSU is to pay for the labor and materials for any installation, and they are also responsible for any repair and damage that might be caused by the installation or the displays.

Bronson expressed concern that the Beach Watchers appear to have exclusive use of the breezeway, but Patton explained that the only exclusive use by the Beach Watchers in the agreement is that of the counter storage cabinets that the Beach Watchers themselves provided. Patton added that any portable displays used by the Beach Watchers need to fit into those cabinets when the docents are not there to use them.

After additional discussion, Patton was directed to add language to the agreement regarding 1) no taping of signs on walls/doors, 2) Beach Watchers are not entitled to exclusive use of the breezeway, only the counter storage cabinets are for the Beach Watchers' exclusive use. Patton said he would make the changes and keep the Board informed via email.

Publication of Wharf history written by Roger Sherman: Patton reported that he and Commissioner Bronson spoke with Carol Molitor of Big Rock Designs, who provided Bronson with 6 pages of text in triple columns. Bronson said it needs to be abbreviated and re-edited and he will make an attempt to do that prior to the next meeting.

Requests for consideration of Wharf and Greenbank Farm Barns A & B for inclusion in the Heritage Barns Program: Chris Moore, a representative of the Heritage Barns Program, emailed a response to Patton's request for inclusion of the Wharf and Barns A & B in the program. Moore stated they required additional pictures and documentation before they will even come and look at the Wharf and barns. Patton said he would put the package together and send it prior to going through with the full application. He noted that the Wharf's inclusion would be a very close call, since it appears that the heritage rules say that any barn selected must still be involved in agriculture.

Greenbank Farm Management Report (continued):

Status of signs, etc. for off-leash dog park: Patton reported temporary signs stating the rules for use of the area have been posted. They have not yet posted a sign inviting dog owners to park in the area off the highway.

Suitability of Navy surplus barn for Greenbank Farm: Patton and Bronson viewed the barn at the Navy base that is being considered for disposal, and Bronson described it as a classic barn (the original owner was Clover Valley Farms) with a Dutch-type roof that is more than 80 ft. long and about 45 ft. high. The barn has a large wing, it is built on a concrete foundation and it has 1 ft. x 12 ft. beautiful, hewn upright beams. Bronson added that it is all covered with concrete asbestos siding, but noted that asbestos abatement is simple. The big issue is that the scale of the barn is so large that to move it would require it first be disassembled and then reassembled at the Greenbank Farm. He said it is a magnificent building, but it appears to be beyond the Port's capacity to handle it at this time. Bronson said the National Parks Service might be interested in saving the barn. He said his honest opinion was that the barn is too big for the Port to handle.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Greenbank Farm, Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), Economic Development Council (EDC), Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO): (Bronson) Greenbank Farm: Bronson said he was very impressed with the much improved Loganberry Festival and the Highland Games. PSP: No meeting. EDC: No meeting. RTPO: No meeting.

Penn Cove Water Festival Committee (PCWF), Marine Resources Committee (MRC); Northwest Straits Commission (NWSC) and Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce (CWCC), Council of Governments (COG): (Weber) COG: Weber attended the meeting on July 22^nd. An overview of the County-funded Senior Services program was provided. There were several speakers regarding the Green Power Challenge in Island County, and Puget Sound Energy's (PSE) representative, Walt Blackford, made a presentation on the Green Power Program. (The Board agreed to reorder the agenda to discuss Item #2 under New Business, the Green Power Program, at this point in the meeting.)

Support for Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Green Power Program: Patton referred the Board to their copy of PSE's request for support (on file at the Port office). The goal of the program is get more people committed to renewable energy and bring Whidbey Island closer to receiving a $25,000 grant from PSE for a solar demonstration project. Weber said it is a wonderful program and she would like the Port to participate if possible.

ACTION: A motion was made by Weber and seconded by McDonald to participate in Puget Sound Energy's Green Power Program at the Partnership Level ($20/month).

Bronson said the Port has to be fiscally responsible, but it also should set a leadership example. He suggested they should therefore participate at the next level up - the Leadership level ($50/month; $600/year), demonstrating more of a commitment. Patton pointed out that the improvements to the Port basement resulted in a savings of $600/year, since the Port no longer has to pay for monthly pest control services and that savings could be reallocated to support the Green Power Program.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by Weber to amend the motion to read "…at the Leadership level ($50/month)." The motion passed unanimously.

Weber then called for a vote on the original motion, as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

Patton said he would notify PSE of the Board's action. Bronson said he would discuss the program with the GFMG and encourage their participation in it as well.

COG (continued): Weber reported that COG had also discussed the Joint Tourism Advisory Board (JTAB) and the City of Oak Harbor's request to change the InterLocal Agreement. She explained that the Port of Coupeville and the Port of South Whidbey were not members of the COG when the JTAB met and agreed on the percentage Island County and each group would pay from the lodging tax collected, so the ports did not have a vote on it. Weber indicated that the ports would not have a vote on it now either and she didn't understand why that is the case. Bronson provided additional background information on the lodging tax and the tourism money. Weber noted that the matter would be discussed further at the next COG meeting. CWCC: Weber reported the next event would be August 13^th at the Captain Whidbey at 5:30 p.m. (wine and hors d'oeuvres, $20/person). MRC: Weber attended the most recent MRC meeting (Minutes - at http://www.islandcountymrc.org/minutes/2001/8-1-1.htm). She noted that in September the MRC will start meeting twice a month again. PCWF: Weber shared some newspaper articles about the wonderful tribal canoe journey the PCWF had worked on in cooperation with the Town of Coupeville and the WSU-Beach Watchers. The groups provided the canoers with lunch as they traveled through Puget Sound. She explained that some of the canoes were equipped with water quality testing and monitoring equipment.

Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA): (McDonald) No meeting.

NEW BUSINESS:

Purchase of 9.35 ft. Zodiac and 9.8 HP outboard motor for the marina: Patton reported that Mariners Haven near the Oak Harbor Marina is offering a used Zodiac and outboard motor for sale for $1,500. The owner lives in California and had recently sold the boat that he had kept at the marina. Both items were in excellent condition. West Marine sells a new, comparable dinghy for $1,800 and a new, comparable outboard motor for nearly $2,000. Patton recommended that the Port purchase the Zodiac and outboard motor for use at the Wharf. McDonald noted that it was not only practical, but it is necessary for safety purposes as well.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to authorize Patton to spend up to $1,500 to purchase the 9.35 ft. Zodiac and 9.8 HP outboard motor for the marina.

Bronson asked about the existing dinghy, and Patton explained that the Port owns it, but it is too light to mount a motor on it. Bronson said he would like to amend the motion to add, "conditional upon the disposal of the Port's existing dinghy concurrent with the arrival of the Zodiac and motor." The Commission agreed to modify the motion.

Weber called for a vote, and the motion, as modified, passed unanimously.

Resolution #152 concerning remote deposit services: Patton added this item to the agenda at the request of Port Accountant Chuck Edwards. If approved, the resolution would provide a more expeditious and beneficial means for depositing payments. MacLeod-Roberts read the proposed Resolution No. 152 aloud. (A copy is on file at the Port office.)

ACTION: A motion was made by Weber and seconded by McDonald to approve and adopt Resolution No. 152, to authorize remote deposit services by Port Accountant Charles W. Edwards, as presented. The motion passed unanimously.

Budget Status through 2^nd quarter of 2009: Patton provided the Board with the current report (on file at the Port office) and provided a brief summary. He noted that he would be submitting the Preliminary Budget for 2010 at the next regular meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS:

Next Port regular public meeting: The next regular monthly meeting of the Port's Board of Commissioners will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, in the Coupeville Recreation Hall, located at 901 Alexander Street in Coupeville, WA.

Monthly Financial Status Report: MacLeod-Roberts submitted the final June 2009 financial statement.

ACTION: A motion was made by Bronson and seconded by McDonald to accept the final June 2009 financial statement as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

Approval of Current Vouchers: MacLeod-Roberts 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 Bronson and seconded by McDonald to approve by signature the August 2009 vouchers, numbers #1095 - #1117 for a total amount of $29,493.49. The motion passed unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Board, Weber adjourned the meeting at 12:37 p.m.