Port board approves budget

The Port of Whitman at its Nov. 22 session approved its 2017 operating budget. The budget remained the same as when it opened for public comment in early November.

“We passed it with no changes,” said Port Properties and Development Manager Debbie Snell.

The budget totals $4,037,000 with $1,094,500 slated in operating expenses and $1,546,000 in estimated capital expenses

The capital expenses include potential projects at the Pullman Industrial Park and Henley Court, Boyer Park and possible fiber line installations.

Those projects are not yet out to bid, so that line item is an estimate.

The Port in its budget also has about half a million in its reserve fund.

Snell also reported that no public comment was received in regard to the budget.

“It's pretty typical,” she said.

Also a point of discussion during the meeting was airport funds for the Port's Business Air Center at Colfax.

Snell reported that the Federal Aviation Administration designates funds each year for the center, as it does for other airports.

“Funds are assigned to our airport every year,” she said.

The funds total $150,000, and they are not factored into the budget.

The commissioners and staffers last week discussed how they wanted to use the $150,000. It can be requested or turned back to the FAA to use elsewhere – with or without the expectation of repayment – or banked.

Snell said with construction and additional planning and projects being planned for the future, it was decided to bank the money.

“You can save up to four years running,” said Snell, noting the Port did this in the past prior to the large runway realignment project undertaken at Colfax last year. “We'll plan to continue to bank.”

Snell said the Port will eventually plan road access improvements at the airport as it expands, including draining and paving improvements and eliminating potential vehicle and aircraft conflicts.

There is no timeline at present for the potential improvements or the planning phase.