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PORT OF LOPEZ |
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No tax increase for Lopez Portposted 11/21/05
Port of Lopez awarded
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PORT BOARDBob Porter - Chair Larry Hendel Dan Post Helen Cosgrove MEETING TIMEThe regularly scheduled meeting of the Port of Lopez is held at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month at the Lopez Airport Terminal Building. | |
Lopez wins Port of the Year 2003posted 12/06/03
The improvements in the facility in security and safety In the past four years exceed any done in the past 20 years," Porter said. Community volunteers made the improvements possible. The Port now has short, intermediate and long term goals. The WPPA stated the citizens and volunteers of Lopez Island that contributed towards this award are to be especially congratulated. The plaque will be displayed in the port's Lopez Village office. There are 76 member ports in the State of Washington. This year, for the first time the award was given to both a small and large port. The Port of Tacoma also received the award. Lopez Port Commissioners are: Bob Porter, chairman - Larry Hendel and Dan Post. Secretary/clerk of the Board is Helen Cosgrove, Charlie Walker is Citizen Aircraft Advisor. Press release from WPPAposted 12/09/03 "Despite the obvious difference in size, these two ports share an enthusiasm for community development," said Judy DeVaul, Port of Chehalis commissioner and WPPA president for 2003. "Each port has found ways to help meet important needs, like creating jobs and ensuring that critical resources remain viable." The Port of Tacoma, located in Pierce County and one of the largest ports in the state, has had a remarkable year in 2003. The port has built a new, $40 million, 146-acre auto handling facility and has started construction on a new container terminal for Evergreen Line. The port started cleanup work on a major portion of the Hylebos Waterway. The effort represents the final major environmental cleanup project for the port, having previoiusly completed major cleanups on its Blair and Sitcum waterways. The port also has expanded community outreach efforts, creating and distributing a schoolbook on ports to third graders throughout the county, producing a cable TV show on the port in conjunction with the city of Tacoma and increasing citizen participation in its annual open house and port boat tours during the Commencement Bay Maritime Festival. "By focusing on its strategic priorities, the port has undertaken major new construction projects that have created jobs, expanded its commitment to communications and partnerships with the community, and continued to show environmental leadership in the cleanup efforts on Commencement Bay," said Commissioner Dick Marzano, president of the Port of Tacoma Commission. "We've had a great year in 2003 and we have a great staff that helped make it all happen. We appreciate being recognized by the WPPA for our efforts." The Port of Lopez, located in San Juan County and one of the smaller ports in the state, operates an airport with a 2,900-foot runway that provides an essential public service for emergencies besides being a vital transportation link to the island. "It's an honor to be receiving the award with Tacoma," said Commissioner Bob Porter, chairman of the Port of Lopez Commission. "We're similar because we each have enthusiasm and community support - I don't think you can be an effective port district without that community support." For the Port of Lopez, marshalling volunteer community support has been a cornerstone of its efforts in maintaining the airport. Volunteers planted 215 drought-tolerant, low-growing evergreen trees; an adjacent property owner donated an easement for a stormwater runoff system which enabled the port to proceed with safety and security improvements while helping the drainage for adjacent property owners; and a new rotating beacon was installed, with local help, which is less intrusive into neighbor's properties. The port also recently completed a runway resurfacing project and installed airport directional signs. New runway lights and an upgraded runway approach lighting system for aircraft will be installed in 2004. The port is also looking into the transfer from the San Juan County Land Bank of a dock that would provide the first public boat moorage for recreational boats for the island at the entrance to Fishermen's Bay. Volunteers have already stepped forward to offer planking and contract services without charge. "If that's not enthusiasm and community support, I don't know what is," Porter said. The Port of Tacoma has annual revenues of more than $80 million and 225 employees. The Port of Lopez has annual revenues of $412,000 and no employees. This is the first time the Port of Lopez has received the award, given annually and won last year by the Port of Sunnyside in Yakima County. The Port of Tacoma has won the award previously. The association's Executive Committee selects the award winners. Bob Edwards, recently re-elected to the Port of Seattle Commission, is the incoming WPPA president for 2004. He said he will focus his term as WPPA president on bringing attention to economic development, environmental protection and security funding issues facing ports statewide. "Now, more than ever, investments by Washington ports can help get our economy moving again, producing family-wage jobs and helping us be more competitive," said Edwards. The WPPA was created in 1961 by the state Legislature as the coordinating organization for Washington's 76 public port districts, about a third of which are located in Eastern Washington. The annual meeting is an opportunity for port representatives to hear about critical economic development, environmental and other issues facing the industry and this year included keynote speakers Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) and R. Lee Cheatham, executive director of the Washington Technology Council. |
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