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Last Thursday, for the first time since December, something unprecedented happened. We held a regular meeting in our Mill Street office. I thumbed through a hard copy of the 17-page Commission packet. We discussed the agenda topics through masks, rather than thumbnails on a Zoom screen. Commissioner Kammerzell even banged the gavel on the cherry oak board table.&nbsp;It was the first time in several months that we’ve been able to hold a regular Commission meeting with an “in-person meeting component." This meant that we could sit six feet apart in the board room, while streaming the meeting on Zoom to give members of the public the option to watch and comment online.More people joined by Zoom than we had seated around the board table. And that is a critical takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic. Citizens need remote capabilities for accessing open government.Over the past year, the Port has transformed how we interact with citizens to meet the renewed call for digital inclusion in government. The shift to online meetings is just one example. We also moved from a static, one-page website to a mobile-responsive web presence outfitted with new communications tools. The Port’s website now features a media center with Port news such as press releases and blog posts that can be updated daily. We also launched our first e-newsletter, “Port Progress.”&nbsp;In addition, we enhanced our IT infrastructure to ensure a well-equipped remote workforce. Port staff have remained available to citizens by phone, email and video throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you live in downtown Colfax near our Mill Street office or 45 minutes away in Tekoa, you can quickly access a Port staff member without stepping into our building. (Unless, of course, you prefer face-to-face interaction…Port staff are happy to schedule in-person meetings by appointment).All of this is to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on open access government. Perhaps, when life returns to “normal,” these new digital tools – and more – will become a permanent fixture of your local public port district.In the meantime, if you have ideas for how we can improve our digital services, please do let us know.&nbsp;About the Author: Karl Webber is the District 1 Commissioner of the Port of Whitman County.

Commissioner Webber reflects on lessons in digital inclusion that will live on beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lessons Learned from COVID-19: A Port Perspective

On February 6, Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho unveiled a $33.5 billion proposal to breach the four lower Snake River dams by the end of the next decade.The $33.5 billion price tag attempts to replace the dams’ myriad benefits – from power to transportation – and end years of salmon litigation.The historic move marks the first time a sitting senior elected official has proposed breaching dams still in operation. Moreover, Simpson’s proposal calls to remove highly successful, run-of-river dams with nearly 100% effective fish passage. In exchange, the plan would grant “certainty” for fish-blocking dams in Idaho.&nbsp;Voices across the nation have since weighed in on the proposal, including ports, wheat growers and representatives in Eastern Washington. Here is a roundup of those regional voices considering what Simpson’s plan would mean for our communities.<ul><li>The Port of Whitman County issued a <a href="/press-releases/pnwa-port-of-whitman-county-react-to-simpson-proposal-to-breach-lower-snake-river-dams">statement</a> strongly opposing the proposal’s narrow focus on dam breaching. “Dismantling the river system that provides clean, reliable hydropower and the most environmentally-sound means of cargo transport runs counter to our nation’s climate change priorities,” said Executive Director Joe Poire. “We also know that real people up and down the Columbia-Snake River System risk losing more than their livelihoods. This plan doesn’t begin to offer our communities ‘certainty, security and viability.’” &nbsp;</li><li>The Port of Lewiston reiterated their support for the benefits of the Columbia-Snake River System and stated their opposition to Simpson’s plan. “Congressman Simpson’s proposal to end salmon litigation by breaching the four lower Snake River dams does little to restore abundant fish runs,” Manager David Doeringsfeld told the <a href="https://lmtribune.com/northwest/watershed-moment/article_3d1af393-63d7-5792-8434-2f3f74ff0c1c.html">Lewiston Tribune</a>. “His proposal throws billions of taxpayer dollars at unproven ideas and provides no explanation on how his ideas would be implemented. We hope Congressman Simpson will join with leaders throughout Idaho and support sound salmon recovery measures such as those recently outlined in Governor Little’s Salmon Work Group. The port is in discussion with the congressman on his proposal.” &nbsp;</li><li>Port of Clarkston Manager Wanda Keefer issued the following statement: “We have studied the benefits and impacts of the river system to our port and community in detail. Rep. Simpson's proposal puts politics over science and local jobs. The proposal does not even begin to address the many costs Southeast Washington and North Central Idaho will experience if we are forced to transition our entire culture and economy away from connection with the rivers. In order to understand our culture and values, Rep. Simpson should engage with community leaders from the entire region.” &nbsp;</li><li>The Washington Association of Wheat Growers weighed in on the Congressman’s proposal in a <a href="https://www.wawg.org/congressman-plans-to-breach-dams/?fbclid=IwAR3lQASFQHtdUbAeNs-XSF5jCfQBEuZJPTkSGkaW3GFixGAySYvSJqPzL8s">joint article</a> with the Washington Grain Commission. “It is frustrating and sad for the Representative to suggest that all of the work that has been accomplished to ensure salmon survival on the lower Snake River has been for nothing, and that his idea of forward progress is to breach four dams in Washington,” said Michelle Hennings, executive director of the association. “This plan does not comprehend the devastation removing the four lower Snake River dams would have on industries, the environment, the economy, safety, reliability in moving crops and crop inputs, and our communities. Even if possible, the price tag is likely far beyond $32 billion for the region and beyond. Rep. Simpson—who represents a large agricultural constituency in his district—should know better.” &nbsp;</li><li>The Washington Grain Commission asked the Congressman to consider the dams that block fish in Idaho. “First of all, if the Representative is so interested in dams and getting fish back to Idaho, I’d suggest he look at those within his state that were built without fish passage, cutting fish off from pristine habitat. Secondly, while a portion of the $32 billion may attempt to address a slice of the economic pain that would result from breaching the four dams, it cannot begin to address the economies of businesses and communities dependent upon the Columbia-Snake River System,” said Glen Squires, CEO of the Washington Grain Commission. “Making Simpson’s proposal even worse is a self-serving call to place a moratorium on any type of litigation for public and private dams, including those that completely block fish migration.” &nbsp;</li><li>Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers released the following statement: “Proposals that include breaching the Lower Snake River Dams in the name of protecting salmon populations are flawed and fail to account for the sweeping impacts that would be felt across the region. With greater than 95 percent passage, these dams are not the greatest threat to fish survival. Our oceans are, coupled with predation and habitat loss. We need to focus on solutions that will get results, like cleaning up Puget Sound and restoring salmon runs there. These dams are the beating heart of Eastern Washington and provide the entire Pacific Northwest with clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable energy. Spending more than $33 billion to breach them – with no guarantee that doing so will restore salmon populations – is a drastic, fiscally irresponsible leap to take. I look forward to continued conversations with my colleagues on the importance of the Lower Snake River Dams and solutions that will benefit all users of the Columbia River System.” &nbsp;</li><li>Along with McMorris Rodgers, Representatives Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Jaime Herrera Butler (WA-03) and Russ Fulcher (ID-01) signed a <a href="https://mcmorris.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MCMORR_028_xml.pdf">resolution</a> reaffirming their support for the United States’ use of clean, renewable hydropower. “The hydropower developed in the Pacific Northwest benefits every resident, family, and business in our region, and it’s an important component of the all-of-the-above energy strategy that will ensure the United States maintains energy independence and leadership on the global stage,” said the Representatives. “The clean, renewable power generated by the dams along the Columbia and Snake Rivers supplies half of the Pacific Northwest’s energy and is critical for a reliable power grid. Without it, life as we know it in our region would cease to exist.” &nbsp;</li><li>Rep. Joe Shmick, R-Colfax, also spoke out against Simpson’s dam breaching proposal. “I believe this to be a mistake. I do not support removal of these dams. There is no guarantee it will bring back any salmon in sufficient numbers, and currently there is no way to replace both the irrigation and power needs to the local agricultural communities.”</li></ul>About the Author: Sarah Highfield is the Communications Director of the Port of Whitman County.

Voices across the nation have weighed in on the proposal, including ports, wheat growers and representatives in Eastern Washington. 

Ports, River Users Respond to Simpson’s Dam Breaching Proposal

The Snake River is an incredible waterway. With 50-60 million tons of cargo moving through the channel each year, no other transportation route offers comparably efficient – or environmentally-sound – cargo transport options into the interior of the United States.As with many other river systems, accumulated sediment must be removed from time to time to keep the channel at its Congressionally authorized 14’ depth and 250’ width. Without dredging, loaded barges and cruise ships can end up “grounded” on sediment, posing major safety concerns for the operators, passengers and surrounding river users.&nbsp;The buildup of sediment not only stymies shipping, but it also hurts tourism and recreation. Neglecting basic channel maintenance discourages out-of-area cruise ships from carrying nearly 20,000 passengers and crew members per year to southeastern Washington.Compared to our nation’s other marine highways, dredging is needed fairly infrequently on the Lower Snake River to preserve a safe, efficient navigation channel. The amount of sediment removed is typically just a fraction of what is dredged in other U.S. river systems. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than 400 ports and 25,000 miles of navigation channels are regularly dredged throughout the U.S.&nbsp;Yet, groups repeatedly sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prevent dredging on the Lower Snake.They claim that dredging harms fish, including salmon, steelhead and lamprey.The latest court ruling by Judge James Robart of the U.S. District Court’s Western District of Washington in 2016 found no standing for this “generalized assertion.”&nbsp;Lower Snake River dredging is timed to protect fish species. This work can only take place during a 76-day fish window when migrating salmonids and lamprey are not likely present. In addition, the Corps conducts sediment analysis in the dredged areas to ensure dredging does not pose toxicity to fish. A biological opinion by the National Marine Fisheries Service found dredging is not likely to adversely affect migrating salmonids.Moreover, dredged materials have been used to improve fish habitat. In 2015, the Corps used the material removed from the Lower Snake River channel to create shallow water resting and rearing habitat for migrating juvenile salmon downstream near Knoxway Canyon.Of course, there are other environmental advantages to keeping our waterway in working order.In 2018, 3.8 million tons of cargo moved through the Snake River channel. It would have taken 38,966 rail cars or 149,870 semi-trucks to move those goods without barges.Barging reduces our carbon footprint – it is nearly 40% more fuel-efficient than freight trains and 270% more fuel-efficient than semi-trucks. Why would we trade our most efficient, cleanest, safest and lowest cost mode of transportation for anything else?About the Author: Tom Kammerzell is the District 3 Commissioner of the Port of Whitman County.

Commissioner Kammerzell explains how regular maintenance dredging keeps our waterway in working order. 

The Case for Snake River Dredging

You may know the Port of Whitman County Commissioners meet regularly on the first and third Thursdays of the month, but did you know the Commission also meets quarterly for “strategic planning” meetings? So how are these meetings different, and what should you expect?During a regular meeting, the Port Commission approves meeting minutes and vouchers and votes on routine matters, such as renewing leases or expiring contracts. Regular meetings also include discussion on topics important to the long-term success of the Port, but the agenda for a strategic planning meeting only includes these big-picture planning discussions.That’s why strategic planning meetings sometimes take five or more hours. In my 24 years as Executive Director, the longest strategic planning meeting I can recall lasted about 1.5 days. If you’re primarily interested in just one topic, I recommend taking note of its scheduled time on the agenda. Agendas are always posted on our <a href="/agendas-and-minutes">Agendas &amp; Minutes page</a> two business days prior to the meeting.Some examples of prior strategic planning meeting agenda items include state legislative session strategies, budgeting and capital projects.Other public port districts call these meetings “work sessions,” “study sessions” or “retreats,” but the purpose is the same: to give your elected officials the time to discuss the strategies that will propel the district’s economy into the next decade.The Port of Whitman County’s next strategic planning meeting will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, January 25, 2021. Depending on current public meeting restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting could be held remotely, in-person or by a combination of virtual and in-person meeting elements. The final location will be posted on the meeting agenda.For the dates and times of future strategic planning meetings, please visit the <a href="/port-calendar">Port calendar.</a>About the Author: Joe Poire is the Executive Director of the Port of Whitman County.

Strategic planning meetings vary from the Port Commission’s regular bimonthly meetings in a few key ways.

What to Expect at a Port Strategic Planning Meeting

From our first-ever virtual Port Commission meeting to the retirement of our longstanding Commissioner John Love, 2020 has been full of defining changes.&nbsp;Some were the result of strategic, long-range planning, while others were brought on by the unexpected: a global pandemic.For the first time in our 62-year history, we moved our board room entirely online to meet the new COVID-19 restrictions. Like other government agencies, we learned to bring our Port Commission meetings to the community, rather than vice versa, as we no longer had doors to open.We also celebrated the <a href="/press-releases/longtime-port-commissioner-john-love-announces-resignation">career of our longest-serving Commissioner</a>, John Love, who retired after 24 years of service to Whitman County. While bittersweet, this change led us to welcoming Karl Webber to a seat on our board.The Port also moved forward on several key projects in 2020:<ul><li>Along with five other ports, we formed <a href="/petrichor">Petrichor Broadband</a>, a publicly owned LLC dedicated to solving broadband issues across Washington State. Our other members include Port of Kalama, Port of Ridgefield, Port of Skagit County and Port of Pasco.</li><li>We signed an IRU agreement with Ziply Fiber to expand broadband access to Rosalia, Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield and Palouse. As of December 2020, the cities of Rosalia and Palouse have been designed and are in the permitting processes, and the other three towns are on track to have completed designs by the end of the month. The <a href="/press-releases/ziply-fiber-and-port-partner-to-bring-fiber-to-the-home-in-whitman-county">Ziply Fiber partnership</a>&nbsp;allows the Port to save about $1.5 million toward the fiber-to-the-home network. These savings will be redirected to fiber extensions in the rural areas around Tekoa, Lamont, Oakesdale, Garfield, Farmington and Plaza in 2021.</li><li>We welcomed a new tenant to Pullman Industrial Park, Veterinary Medical Research &amp; Development. VMRD is working on innovative solutions in the fight against COVID-19, including a new testing approach to safely keep businesses open.</li><li>We completed improvements to Port of Whitman Business Air Center, Pullman Industrial Park-West, Boyer Park &amp; Marina and Port of Central Ferry.</li><li>Individual Commissioners and the Port as an agency participated in a <a href="/press-releases/port-of-whitman-county-encourages-public-comment-of-river-system">public comment period</a>&nbsp;determining the fate of the lower Snake River dams. Along with many of the cities and towns across Whitman County, we submitted comments on the Columbia-Snake River System Draft Environmental Impact Statement. We also encouraged others to do so, and thanks to robust participation, welcomed the federal agencies’ decision to keep these critical dams in operation.</li><li>We redesigned our <a href="/port-planning">Port plans</a>&nbsp;– the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements – to better convey our strategic goals. We also published our first-ever report card to assess our progress toward meeting these objectives.</li><li>We published this <a href="/press-releases/port-of-whitman-county-launches-modernized-website">new website</a>&nbsp;and blog to keep you better informed of the Port’s work in real time – outside of our regular meetings on the first and third Thursdays of the month.</li></ul>It’s difficult to condense a year like 2020. If you’d like to read more about what we accomplished this year, please explore our <a href="https://portwhitman-web.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/files/2016-2020%20Comprehensive%20Plan%20Report%20Card.pdf">2016-2020 Comprehensive Plan Report Card</a>.&nbsp;About the Author: Kristine Meyer is the District 2 Commissioner of the Port of Whitman County.&nbsp;

From our first-ever virtual Port Commission meeting to the retirement of our longstanding Commissioner John Love, 2020 has been full of defining changes. 

2020 Year in Review - Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County recently finalized its 63rd annual budget. In the spirit of the budgeting season, here are five facts about the Port’s approach to financial responsibility and use of the tax levy:1. 100% of property tax revenues are invested back into Whitman County communities, funding local job creation and economic development. Tax dollars are not used to fund general Port operations. In 2020, the property tax levy was used for capital projects such as:<ul><li>Ongoing work on a fiber-to-the-home network in Rosalia, Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield and Palouse with fiber extensions in the rural areas around Tekoa, Lamont, Oakesdale, Garfield, Farmington and Plaza.</li><li>Improvements at Port of Whitman Business Air Center – one of only two airports in Whitman County – related to road access and drainage.</li><li>Repairs to the railroad at the Port of Central Ferry.</li></ul>In 2021, the property tax levy will fund:<ul><li>Completion of a fiber-to-the-home network in Rosalia, Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield and Palouse with fiber extensions in the rural areas around Tekoa, Lamont, Oakesdale, Garfield, Farmington and Plaza.</li><li>A bid package to rehabilitate and replace the original docks at Boyer Park &amp; Marina – the only public marina in Whitman County.&nbsp;</li><li>Rehabilitation of Wilma Road at the Port of Wilma, the largest and busiest of the Port of Whitman County’s on-water port sites.</li></ul>Other examples of past Port projects funded by property tax levies include:<ul><li>Development of Pullman Industrial Park, which is now home to some of the region’s top employers.</li><li>Construction of over 135 miles of middle-mile fiber optic infrastructure, spanning from Spokane to Clarkston, Washington.</li><li>Expansion of Boyer Park &amp; Marina to include four new cabins, 13 new RV hook up sites, a new drain field, sprinkler system and playground. &nbsp;</li></ul>2. In 2020, of the $34.5 million that Whitman County levied in regular property taxes, just 3.79% percent went to the Port of Whitman County.3. The tax dollars you give the Port every year are probably less than the cost of an oil change. In 2020, the median homeowner in Whitman County paid about $53.72 to the Port in property taxes for a home assessed at $182,500.4. The Port provides over a 600% rate of return on your investment. Every $1 of taxpayer investment creates $6.18 in local tax revenue.&nbsp;5. Even still, we’re working to minimize our reliance on local tax revenue. The assessed valuation for the county has increased by 22% from 2016 to 2020 while the Port has decreased its levy per $1,000 by $0.05 during the same time frame.&nbsp;For more, explore the Port’s <a href="/port-planning">2021 budget</a> or learn about the Port’s <a href="/economic-impacts">economic impacts</a> on Whitman County.About the Author: Brenda Stav is the Finance Director of the Port of Whitman County.

In the spirit of the budgeting season, here are five facts about the Port’s approach to financial responsibility and use of the tax levy.

It's the (Budgeting) Season: Five Facts about the Port's Finances

My name is Karl Webber, and I was recently appointed to the Port of Whitman County’s District 1 Commissioner seat.Since joining the Port Commission in early October, my activities have included a lot of reading, learning and studying of the various Port properties and operations.I’ve had the opportunity to tour the Port of Whitman Business Air Center, Port of Central Ferry, Port of Almota, Port of Wilma, Boyer Park &amp; Marina and Pullman Industrial Park. Each one of these properties is very impressive. The history and development that has been made over the years is exciting to see. I’m hopeful that I can be a part of the future progress in Whitman County and help carry on economic development activities across the region.&nbsp;My background consists primarily of working as a consultant and manager of manufacturing companies across the state. I currently own and operate a consulting firm, KB2 Performance Management Systems, and a small business, Statera Fly Rods—both in Tekoa. To be honest, having worked in the private sector for 30 years, I was a little hesitant to venture into the public arena, but the level of professionalism, knowledge and skills that the Port staff and other Commissioners possess has been extremely helpful in this first month.&nbsp;In the next couple of months, I plan to spend time getting to know the business leaders in our community, the representatives of organizations that partner with the Port, the Whitman County Commissioners and the political leaders of each city and town of Whitman County. Meeting with people and listening to their ideas and concerns can only help me to be successful as a Port Commissioner.&nbsp; If you or someone you know would like to meet with me and discuss the future of the Port of Whitman County, please contact the Port by phone at 509-397-3791 or by <a href="emit:modal-form-contact-open">email</a>&nbsp;, and we will set something up. Thank you all for this opportunity, and wish me luck!About the Author: Karl Webber is the District 1 Commissioner of the Port of Whitman County.

New Port Commissioner Karl Webber introduces himself to the citizens of Whitman County.

Meet Your New Port Commissioner, Karl Webber

Port Commissioners Tom Kammerzell and Kristine Meyer joined in the ground breaking of the LaCrosse Rock Houses restoration project on Friday, September 18.Clenching golden shovels, the Commissioners, along with members of LaCrosse Community Pride,Whitman County Library, the Ice Age Floods Institute, McGregor Company and the Whitman County Commission, celebrated the impending restoration of three historic buildings in LaCrosse.In July, the Port Commission unanimously approved a $50,000 funding commitment for the first phase of LaCrosse Community Pride’s project. Plans for this phase include restoring two bunkhouses and the service station along the north side of Main Street in the small community of LaCrosse (population 324). A second planned phase includes restoring the remaining two bunkhouses on the south side of Main Street.LaCrosse’s rock houses trace their history back to the Great Depression. Local businessman Clint Dobson built the structures between 1934 and 1936 using basalt stones deposited by the Missoula Ice Age Floods. The stones, which Dobson gathered from surrounding fields, provided an affordable construction material for farm and railroad worker housing.Now, the rock houses are destined for a rebirth as overnight accommodations for tourists and a Heritage Museum and Ice Age Floods Visitor Center. Read more about LaCrosse Community Pride’s plans for these historic structures in the <a href="https://www.wcgazette.com/story/2020/09/24/news/ground-breaking-on-ice-age-flood-museum/33694.html">Whitman County Gazette</a>.About the Author: Sarah Highfield is the Communications Director of the Port of Whitman County.

Port Commissioners Tom Kammerzell and Kristine Meyer joined in the ground breaking of the LaCrosse Rock Houses restoration project on Friday, September 18.

Port Commissioners Celebrate Groundbreaking of LaCrosse Rock House Project

As you explore the Port of Whitman County’s new website, you’ll likely notice some significant changes. For one, we created this blog to give you another window into the Port’s latest efforts to drive economic growth and improve quality of life in Whitman County. This section will live alongside press releases and frequently asked questions to give you a complete view of “Our News.”We also added a new page exploring “Our Rivers.” This section shares facts about the Columbia-Snake River System and its immense value to our community and region. In addition, this is where you’ll find information about our annual Snake River Family Festival at Boyer Park &amp; Marina.Other changes to our website include a mobile-friendly design, improved navigation and updated graphics. Most importantly, we designed the website to better serve you. For instance, we retained the preferred features of the website, such as our real estate pages, while replacing the old static images with drone videography to give you a more complete, first-person point of view of our properties. You’ll also find a new page featuring our available commercial properties.We want you to know that we will keep striving for improvement. Every effort has been made to review and update content prior to the launch, however additional content editing and updating will continue on a regular basis. We encourage your input as we continue to enhance our website. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 509-397-3791 or share your comments by email to <a href="mailto:communications@portwhitman.com">communications@portwhitman.com</a>.&nbsp;About the Author: Sarah Highfield is the Communications Director of the Port of Whitman County.&nbsp;

As you explore the Port of Whitman County’s new website, you’ll likely notice some significant changes. For one, we created this blog to give you another window into the Port’s latest efforts to drive economic growth...

Welcome to the Port’s New Website: A Window Into Our World

The Port will hold its regular Commission meeting. The public is encouraged to attend.

Regular Commission Meeting

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

New Year's Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Port will hold a strategic planning Commission meeting. The public is encouraged to attend.

Media Center

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Media Center

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Port Calendar