December 2008

Ocean Shores

A proposed new Medical Complex

David J. Freeman, an architect of Snodgrass Freeman & Associates, announced that he is working with a developer to build a $7.8 million, 42,000 square foot urgent care clinic at a 1.5 acre site at the corner of Point Brown Avenue and Magellan Avenue. Dr. John Holmes, of Coastal Family Medicine, has decided to merge his practice with the proposed medical complex set to open in early 2010.

The new facility could employ up to 30 people, including three family practitioners, two physician assistants, four nurses and a few specialists. Plans are to include a health spa, a drive-through pharmacy as well as classroom space for students in the nursing and medical technician programs at Grays Harbor College.

Seniors join the Virtual World

OCEAN SHORES The game is being played in a virtual bowling alley on a wide-screen television at the Harbour Pointe Shores assisted living facility via a Nintendo Wii. Community members raised more than $400 to purchase the console, games, four controllers and charging stations. Volunteers installed the game system at Harbour Pointe and last week, residents got a chance to experiment with it.

The Ocean Shores facility is one of the latest in a growing number of senior communities to get a Wii console. The Wii is gaining popularity among seniors because it operates using a remote control equipped with a motion detector that not only makes it easy to use, but gives senior citizens a welcome break from a sedentary lifestyle, says Wolf, the facility’s executive director.

New Energy Project in the Country

Grays Harbor Ocean Energy has filed new federal permit applications in seven states, hoping to create the largest new energy project in the country. The company already has a preliminary permit to do a feasibility study off Grays Harbor to see if it’s possible to make money by converting wave and wind energy into electricity.

The company has filed applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for projects in Rhode Island, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. Project founder Burton Hamner told that off shore oil platforms that use the movement of the ocean to pump air through turbines, creating electricity and that all of the potential sites could be managed as one project by the company. The total construction cost would be $20 billion to $30 billion and net cash flow would range from $3 million to $5 million annually.

This past summer, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a preliminary permit to grant the Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Co. the exclusive right to conduct a feasibility study for generating power from wind and wave energy on a 28-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast from Ocean Shores to Grayland over the next three years. The permit does not authorize any construction. The company’s proposal for the Ocean State includes building 100 structures resembling of.

The Grays Harbor project foresees as many as 90 260-foot tall steel wind turbines, as well as wave energy converters to convert ocean waves and wind into a renewable source of energy. Hamner has previously said the project could supply enough energy to power the entire Olympic Peninsula and make Grays Harbor one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the world.

On Grays Harbor, the feasibility study will seek to find out if the turbines would affect gray whale migration patterns and flight patterns of birds, according to Hamner. Hamner said the study will also examine whether or not the locations of the turbines could limit the areas in which fisherman can fish.

Winter in Ocean Shores

On December 13-14 the residents of Ocean Shores woke up to the beautiful sites of fallen snow.  Seldom does Ocean Shores to get snow, especially snow that stays on the ground for a few days. One resident said that she lived here for 17 years and never sow anything like it. It was a treat for Ocean Shores.

The Chamber of Commerce helped the community by providing free snow clearing assistance to snowbound merchants during the pre-Christmas storm. Leslie Reedy, Executive Director, was able to get a large piece of equipment donated by a local community person, Bill Sisco. Her husband Steve Reedy donated his time to do some sorely needed snow removal. The service was provided so that the residents of Ocean Shores could more safely complete their holiday shopping and chores.

Clam dig starts Thursday to Sunday

The first clam dig of 2009 is set for Thursday, Jan. 8, to Sunday, Jan. 11, on Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches. Long Beach will be open from Friday, Jan. 9, to Jan. 11. As with previous weekends, beaches will only be open from noon to midnight.

Ayres, Fish & Wildlife coastal shellfish manager said the best time to start digging at all beaches is an hour or two before low tide. He suggests that clam diggers take lights or lanterns with them for safety purposes. He also recommends checking weather and surf forecasts before heading out.

Dig dates and evening low tides are:

  Thursday, Jan. 8 (4:13 p.m., -0.2 ft.) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

  Friday, Jan. 9 (5:07 p.m., -0.8 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

  Saturday, Jan. 10 (5:58 p.m., -1.1 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

  Sunday, Jan. 11 (6:45 p.m., -1.2 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

Beaches scheduled to open are:

  Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.

  Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.

  Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.

  Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.

Additional digs are tentatively scheduled for Feb. 6 to 8. Those openers will depend on the outcome of marine toxin tests closer to those dates, Ayres said.

Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.

A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.

Ayres also reminded diggers that Washington’s beaches, which are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, are considered state highways and all rules of the road apply. Seatbelts must be worn at all times, the speed limit on the beach is 25 mph and pedestrians have the right-of-way and vehicles must yield at all times.

Also, visitors should not park on approaches to the beach in order to provide clear passage for vehicles that are entering or exiting.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE HARBOR

Economic Stimulus Package.

Local economic leaders are discussing how and if they can get a piece of the economic stimulus package Gov. Chris Gregoire is hoping to bring back to Washington state. County Public Services Director Paul Easter and Aberdeen Public Works Director Larry Bledsoe said they’ve already submitted road and infrastructure projects to the state to be considered for the package.

Deputy Port Director Leonard Barnes said the Port is already in the permitting process for a marina vessel haul-out and boat repair work yard in Westport, which could generate 50 construction jobs and may add 150 permanent new jobs to Westport. That project costs $7.3 million. Barnes said the Port is also trying to get permits to upgrade its Terminal No. 1 at a cost of $4 million, which would generate more than 50 construction jobs and another 50 permanent new jobs.

Other projects mentioned by economic development leaders include barge slip improvements at Satsop Development Park to give a tank manufacturer access to the Chehalis River, a research & development laboratory and riverbank improvements near Mary’s River Lumber Co. in Montesano, which is looking to expand.

Temporary lay off for Hoquiam Plywood Company

Hoquiam Plywood managers have decided to cease production, shut down the plant temporarily and lay off about 120 workers in a strategic effort to “sit out” a stagnant housing market. General Manager Mark McFeely said

prices and demand for plywood have dropped so low that the company’s seven-member board has concluded that manufacturing new inventory is not in the plant’s best interest and it cannot continue to operate at a loss when no one is buying plywood.
 
As workers wait to return to the plant, they and their families will not receive benefits. McFeely said most workers know the closure is an investment in making sure the company remains financially secure instead of operating at a loss until it goes bankrupt. Most workers are OK with the closure, he said, but it’s still difficult.

Wind-Wind Project

In 2001, Craig Dublanko, the chief financial officer for the Coastal Community Action Program began thinking about using wind turbines to generate electricity of low-income housing. It includes the construction of four 1.5-megawatt wind turbines on 29 privately owned acres in the hills off County Line Road where Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties meet. The energy produced will be sold to the Grays Harbor PUD and the profit used to fund CCAP’s many social service programs.

After approval by the Pacific County Board of Adjustment, all permits for the project are now in place and CCAP can move forward to complete financial arrangements. It can also sign a contract with General Electric for the turbines, which are tentatively scheduled to be delivered by July 2009 and up and running two months later. During the lifespan of the turbines, which is expected to be 25 years, it is predicted that as much as $720,000 will be generated annually.

CCAP received $2.7 million in new markets tax credits from Shorebank/Wells Fargo and $3.5 million in renewable energy tax credits from Midwest Wind Finance. With the help of state Sen. Jim Hargrove it also received a $5 million state grant for the project, which will cost between $13 and $14 million.

The original idea was to equip low-income houses with smaller, individual turbines that would turn the meter backwards. When this idea wasn’t feasible, Dublanko and CCAP went back to the drawing board and decided on using larger turbines. With grants from the Renewable Energy Assistance Clearing House and A World Institute for Sustainable Humanity, CCAP set up a test tower in Moclips in 2002 to track wind and then shifted the study to Grayland in 2004 on undeveloped property owned by Randy Rust who supported the project.

“There was a huge learning curve,” said Dublanko. “We aren’t in the wind energy business, so we had to educate ourselves.” “Most of the concerns surrounded noise the turbines would generate and how they would impact wildlife, especially raptors and migratory birds such as the marbled murrelet. But CCAP was able to show that there would be no detrimental impact. Not only was the State of Washington Department of Wildlife convinced, so was the Greater Grayland Neighbors Association.

As Dublanko sees it, the turbines won’t only benefit CCAP. He hopes the 256-foot-high turbines, each with three 145-foot blades, will produce opportunities for tourism in Grayland, that they will promote awareness and education for sustainable energy and will help to re-brand the area as a green hub.

Small Electricity Bills for November  

This month, Grays Harbor PUD customers will have a little more for the holidays thanks to a smaller electricity bill.

The public utility district decided to give the $5 million refund it received from the Bonneville Power Administration this fall back to ratepayers by reducing charges on November’s utility bills. The $5 million Bonneville repaid to Grays Harbor in October covered overpayments in 2007 and 2008.

Bonneville plans to refund money collected from 2001 to 2006 by reducing its power bills to the public utility districts over the next several years. In 2007, the court ruled that Bonneville had overcharged the public utility districts and ordered them to come up with a way to return the money.

 

Hoquiam envision Downtown over the next Decade

As 2008 comes to a close, the Hoquiam City Council is looking at its downtown with visions of the past and the future. City officials praised new plans to renovate the historic La Vogue’s Department Store into a 20-suite boutique hotel and restaurant next year. Many members seemed anxious to see how the $4 million project could boost downtown business.

And the council voted unanimously to approve the building’s addition to the Hoquiam Register of Historic Places, which mandates historical preservation while allowing certain financial and construction benefits. Mayor Jack Durney said the council needs to think about what Hoquiam will look like in five or 10 years.

City Administrator Brian Shay also announced a new $400,000 grant to install or improve sidewalks along U.S. Highway 101 through the city, the sidewalk project was considered one of the two most essential transportation projects in the county as the city prepares to redo sidewalks throughout town this year.

 
Riverfront Development

Aberdeen’s first major waterfront development, complete with eight 80-foot tall condominium buildings along the Chehalis River, cleared its first permit hurdle.

The proposed waterfront development could feature as many as 252 new housing units in eight, 80-foot-tall buildings intended for “middle income residents,” according to the permit. The bottom level of the buildings would feature commercial storefronts. The permit mentions the possibility of a marina in the future and some kind of public access.

In fact, the only way the hearings board would approve the project is under condition that the public have access to the waterway. The developers said they planned to do this by creating some kind of wooden boardwalk, using examples of the boardwalks found in Bremerton and Nanaimo, British Columbia.

$900,000 split between Port, Satsop and City of Westport

The county commissioners approved splitting $900,000 in state economic development dollars between three projects benefiting the Satsop Development Park, the Port of Grays Harbor and the City of Westport.

The Port gets $300,000 to help build a rail switch and crossing for incoming tenant Westway Terminals, a liquid bulk handling and storage company. Another $300,000 will be used for dredging work at a barge slip located on the outskirts of the Satsop Development Park so a tank-manufacturer can use it to float giant steel tanks down the river. The last $300,000 will be used to help upgrade the sewer system in Westport’s marina district.

All three All three projects have the potential to attract or create dozens of jobs, the commissioners said. The money comes from the county’s distressed area capital funds — .09 percent of the state’s sales tax generated locally that the state then returns to the county specifically for economic development projects. Projects qualify for the funds so long as their proponents can prove that jobs will be created or retained with the state’s money.

Logo Contest for Seaport Landing

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority is holding a contest to design the logo for Seaport Landing, a proposed new port for the tall ships The Lady Washington and The Hawaiian Chieftain, on the Aberdeen waterfront. The project is currently in the design and fundraising stages, and the logo will be a key component in communications for the project, according to Joe Follansbee, communication director for the GHHSA.

Follansbee said Seaport Landing will serve as a multi-use visitor destination and ship maintenance facility that will “transform a degraded, industrial shoreline on the Chehalis River into a vibrant attraction and anchor point for Aberdeen revitalization efforts.”

The logo design contest is open to anyone. Rules, an entry form and Seaport Landing Materials can be found at http://www.historicalseaport.org/. The public will get their chance to vote on submitted logos on the Historical Seaport Web site. Prizes include gift certificates for a sailing package on the Lady or the Chieftain and a certificate for two youths ages 11 to 17 to sail aboard the tall ships next summer to the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound.

Deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Monday, Feb.2. Judges will select three finalists for online voting, which will take place Feb. 5 through Feb. 15. Winners will be announced Feb. 17. For more information, call Follansbee at 589-0766, or e-mail jfollansbee@historicalseaport.org.

Timberland Bank receives Bailout

On Tuesday, Timberland Bancorp, Inc. announced that the U.S. Treasury had purchased $16.6 million in senior preferred stock, with a related warrant to purchase up to $2.5 million in common stock sometime in the next 10 years. The money was purchased using the billions of dollars authorized by Congress to bail out financial institutions in the wake of the economic meltdown impacting the country.

Michael Sand, Timberland’s President and CEO, said Wednesday that his bank certainly didn’t need the funds, but the bank applied for it in order to increase the financial institution’s capital reserves. Sand said some local residents may be feeling the economic pinch when they get turned down at larger banks that don’t have the capital to invest in new loans. That’s why the federal government is investing in community banks that are already financially solvent to pick up some of that slack. Sand said while the economic crisis is impacting nearly all facets of the economy including his own bank, Timberland is doing better than a lot of other larger banks out there.

Timberland operates 21 branches in Washington state, including branches in Hoquiam, Aberdeen, Ocean Shores, Montesano and Elma.