DAYTON–Port of Columbia Commissioners approve resolution 2024-03; signed a one-year lease for new business; and were advised of lighting program cost during the meeting April 10.

Executive Director Jennie Dickinson and the Lyons Ferry concessionaires gave a presentation to the board with the recommendation to apply for a RCO Grant. The board approved Resolution 2024-03 to authorize Dickinson to apply for the grant with a unanimous vote.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1.3 million and funds will include a 30% match from the concessionaires and the Port. The funds will help KOA Holiday with required upgrades to the facility. Upgrades include adding in 10 pull-through sites with patios and a new bathroom facility. The concessionaires are committed to contributing approximately $300,000 in-kind match as well as a cash match to fulfill the match requirements. Dickinson suggested the Port put in 50-100 thousand dollars with a half to one percent rent increase for the concessionaires.

The commissioners signed a one-year lease for the new business Mountain Man Sourdough to move into the last vacant unit at Blue Mountain Station next month. The company will sell breads, cinnamon rolls, and sourdough crepes and hope to open by the first of June.

Rock Hill Industrial Park is participating in a Lighting Incentive Program to upgrade the lighting in seven of the buildings. The port would pay the net project cost after the incentive plus the sales tax. Dickinson estimates the cost to the port for all seven buildings to be approximately $23,818.94 which is 38% of the total project cost. There was money in the budget allocated for this type of project. The commissioners agreed to move forward with the project for all the buildings to take advantage of the bargain.

Dickinson applied for the CERB grant and loan package for the Malt processing plant project. She received an immediate response that they have met the threshold and are invited to the May 16 CERB meeting in Olympia. Both Dickinson and the Malt business owner will attend and present to the grant board. "This is a funding agency that normally doesn't invite you in unless they are pretty sure they are going to fund you. So, this is very good news," said Dickinson.