Port properties doing well

DAYTON–Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and the board of Commissioners reviewed the 2018 approved plans for Lyons Ferry Marina RV Park as part of the Comprehensive plan acknowledging Lyons Ferry has come a long way since the time she took her position with the Port 14 years ago. According to Dickinson, "The Corps of Engineers told me on Monday that this is the best facility that they inspect every year."

The Port leases the property from the Corps and in turn, the Port subleases to a concessionaire. The Port's role is to help with maintenance and capital improvements.

The RV Park has been operating as a KOA. To remain a KOA, the current minimum requirement is to have 10 pull-through RV sites with patios. The current plan would need the approval of the Corps to move forward. The Port's portion is estimated at $150,000 with the other portion to be paid for by the concessionaire. Then the plan has to be submitted to KOA.

Once approved, a design would be drawn up which would include a proposed cost and funding sources. Because the land is terraced, it would require some excavating. Dickinson and the Commissioners discussed the benefits of remaining a KOA which includes brand recognition and advertising. KOA also provides camp supervisors, inspections and customer feedback. Commissioner Earle Marvin suggested they review progress every quarter.

The Port is discussing the possibility of partnering with Columbia County Health System (CCHS) and Walla Walla YWCA to provide a child care center at the Blue Mountain Station property. The location is not official but grants are being sought after for a center in Dayton by Paul Ihle, CCHS Community Health Worker. Ihle said, "The hope is with funding we could build something beautiful and turn this childcare desert into an oasis for children and families." He added CCHS would be an administrative partner where the YWCA would be the operational partner.

Tabitha Haney Director of My Friends' House childcare center operated by the YWCA in Walla Walla said that with not enough childcare in Columbia County, kids will receive subpar care because parents have to work. Haney's passion is "ensuring that all children and families have equal opportunities for high quality childcare" according to the childcare center website. The current lack of childcare according to Ihle is because of the regulations in place for licensing particularly for infants and toddlers. He also said it would be ideal if the facility would provide care for children whose parents work the night shifts and weekends.

Another topic of discussion was railroad use. As talked about in previous meetings, Dickinson and the Commissioners are concerned about the rail return on investment especially with $16 million in maintenance needs just in the first phase. Dickinson has been gathering information from shippers about their preferred mode of transporting grain–whether it be rail or road.

She also plans on speaking with the Port of Walla Walla to "discuss opportunities and challenges." They discussed the possibility of considering a "rail to trail" rather than a "rail with trail."

Commissioner Shawn Brown spoke of the reduced cost because no longer would two-foot bridges be needed to be built. Dickinson wanted to be open to other uses of the rail including Rail Riders pedaling rail cars and to explore all viable uses for the community.

Joy Marie Smith, Waitsburg Commercial Club President, left a comment in the Zoom chat of her ideas. "I think a tourism or passenger aspect of the railroad is an interesting viable option. Wine dinners on a train, wine tasting, short line passenger service between Dayton, Waitsburg and Walla Walla."

When Dickinson has enough information, the Port may question Anderson Perry about a plan for "rail to trail" but in the meantime allow them to continue on the current design.

The comments and questions with answers about the Touchet Valley Trail will be posted on the Port of Columbia website after the Commissioners review and approve the content.