Port of Whitman approves fiber pact with Pomeroy port

Two proposed agreements to assist the Port of Garfield with its fiber optics project were approved at the Feb. 21 meeting of the Port of Whitman board. The service agreement is expected to take effect on March 1, 2019. The proposed agreements were presented by Kara Riebold, the Port operations officer.

The Port of Garfield approved the proposals at its Feb. 19 meeting.

The project and agreement are the result of funding received by the Port of Garfield from the Community Economic Revitalization Board to build fiber to the home in Pomeroy.

One agreement was for project services of overseeing the design process, planning efforts for development, growth of its system and connectivity to other systems, assisting with permits and bid documents. The second was for management of the fiber system. The two agreements are similar to the agreements the port has with the ports of Lewiston and Clarkston, with a few changes.

Riebold proposed a cap of $12,000 annually for the management fees because the anticipated staff hours are so low compared to the other ports.

A proposed one-time fee over two years will cover the initial ramp up of the build going into the mapping system, Riebold explained.

The Port of Whitman will already be working with design processes, permitting, and bid documents for its own fiber project.

One of the reasons for the separate agreements is because the Port of Garfield’s initial build at Pomeroy will be fiber to the home, and, unlike Lewiston and Clarkston, is expected to have few additional builds after the initial build is completed.

“This agreement will allow both ports to further develop local telecommunications offerings while realizing the cost advantages associated with partnering on the Port’s established systems and services,” says Joe Poire, executive director for the Port. “We are proud to be part of a regional collaboration that will result in an improvement in services for business and in the quality of life for the residents of Pomeroy and Whitman County.”