Port gets updates on Boyer, Wilma

Port of Whitman County commissioners heard several reports at their Oct. 24 meeting.

Marshall Doak, executive director of the Southeast Washington Economic Development Administration, introduced Robin Ohlgren as the new Whitman County managing director.

Doak reported SEWEDA is working on entrepreneur development and new and emerging businesses. He also said they are making connections with prospective financial partners. He noted future businesses could occupy port space.

Port manager Joe Poire declined to identify applicants for the Boyer concessionaire position until an agreement is concluded. He added they now are employed in Lewiston.

Port staffers are now conducting an inventory and will consult with the applicants when they are finished.

Boyer manager Dave Peterson will retire at the end of December.

The board also voted to reject all contractor bids for the proposed Hinrichs building at the Port of Wilma because the bids were higher than budgeted. Poire said he has not heard from Hinrichs. He said Hinrichs can build a building or the port can re-bid the project with different specifications.

In July, port commissioners and Hinrichs signed a 20-year site lease for Hinrichs to build a warehouse on port property at Wilma.

The 18,000-square-foot building would be used to store, process and ship garbanzo beans. The engineer’s estimate for the building was between $550,000 and $650,000. Four bids were received with the low bid at $1,063,497 and the high bid at $1,398,900.

Poire said the cost is higher partially because steel construction costs have increased and additional specifications made the project more expensive.