Port will seek grant fund for planning Boyer dock project

The Port of Whitman is moving closer to the planning phase for the replacement of docks at Boyer Park & Marina. At the last Port meeting, Port Properties and Development Manager Debbie Snell said an application and powerpoint have been submitted to the Washington state recreation and conservation office boating and facilities program. She recently made the powerpoint presentation to the office.

The Port decided to hire a consultant to help with the presentation and planning process.

“We hired a consultant to help with budgeting for the application,” said Snell. “That will help get the budget set and get the project scope of work and other items that might be needed.”

The consultant will work with the Port for about a month to fine tune the application, which is due Jan. 6.

The state office will have approximately 75 projects to consider, and the Port is seeking a planning grant. If awarded, the Port would receive the grant in the summer of 2017 and immediately get to work on the planning phase.

“The purpose of that is to get drawings and the scope of the work,” said Snell.

That will help the Port then be able to apply for a building grant.

“It's a multi-step project,” Snell explained.

In February this year, the Port conducted a series of public meetings to receive input from the public regarding potential future projects at Boyer. Approximately 15 people attended the meetings.

“People want the docks improved,” Port Executive Director Joe Poiré told the Gazette in February. “Some want covered slips, but the majority like the sunshine and the view and don't want covered slips.”

People also suggested building indoor storage for boats so that people could leave their boats there instead of trailering them.

Poiré said in February if everything goes according to plan and the Port is successful in receiving grants, construction could start in two years.

The Port has received state recreation and conservation grant on two previous projects – the river trail at Boyer and handicapped rail and dock system at the docks.