fall 2019 – news from the port of columbia county port in
TRANSCRIPT
– FALL 2019 –
Port of Columbia County 100 E Street PO Box 190 Columbia City, OR 97018
– FALL 2019 –
4 Be sure to like us on Facebook!
The Port Commissioners approved a long‐term ground lease with NEXT Renewable Fuels (NEXT) in September for a 90‐acre industrial site at Port Westward for an Advanced Green Diesel production facility.NEXT will invest more than $1 billion to build an advanced biofuels facility that will convert organic feedstock (used cooking oil, animal tallow, seed oil and soy oil) into Advanced Green Diesel ‒ a renewable biofuel and drop‐in replacement for petroleum‐based diesel.The facility will initially produce 37,500 barrels per day (“bpd”) of Advanced Green Diesel with room to expand to 50,000 bpd at full capacity.Specifics of the ground lease include an initial 30‐year term with options to renew out to 80 years, annual post‐construction rent payments to the Port in excess of $1.2 million per year, and use of an existing dock at Port Westward generating up to an additional $3.6 million per year paid to the Port. “It has been a very long and deliberate process in securing a lease that will not only provide well‐paying jobs to the community but will also produce a renewable energy commodity that will protect the environment and significantly reduce our carbon footprint,” said Doug Hayes, Executive Director of the Port.The planned NEXT production facility is projected to create more than 200 full-time, family‐wage jobs, generate more than $12 million a year in local property tax revenue, and employ 800 workers during construction. While the new site is in an enterprise zone, NEXT has committed in writing that it will not accept any tax breaks and pay the full amount to the local community.“This lease is an important step in the economic development of Columbia County and the Port is eager to partner with NEXT as they work through getting all of the required permits necessary for this project to succeed,” said Port Commissioner Robert Keyser. Currently in the permitting phase, the facility is scheduled to begin commercial operations in early 2022.
PRESIDENT'S LETTERDear Citizens:This past summer has been a busy season at your Port as we continue to invest in our properties and work to attract new businesses to the region. Columbia County voters elected two new Port Commissioners in the May 2019 election, and it is my pleasure to welcome Nancy Ward and Chip Bubl to the Port of Columbia County Commission. I’m also pleased to welcome Caleb McMahon to the Port staff as the new Real Estate & Business Development Manager. At the Port, we are committed to recruiting new businesses to our properties that will enhance the region’s economy and bring much needed family‐wage jobs to the county. In September, the Port Commission approved one of the most important lease agreements we have ever considered. The NEXT Renewable Fuels project at Port Westward will bring over 200 needed jobs to north Columbia County, along with significant tax revenues for the entire county. It has been a long process with numerous opportunities for public input, much of which was incorporated into the final lease agreement, making it one of the most compre-hensive that the Port has entered into.As we work to grow and diversify our region’s economy, we encourage the public’s inter-est in proposed development projects. Your comments and input do make a difference! Please visit our website at www.portofcolum-biacounty.org, follow us on Facebook, and communicate with staff and your five elected commissioners as we keep you updated on Port activities. Sincerely, Larry Ericksen, PresidentPort of Columbia County Commission
News From the Port of Columbia CountyA Leading, Innovative Port
Focused on Economic Opportunityfor Future GenerationsThe Compass
Port Commission Approves 90-
Introducing Our New Port Commissioners ................. pg 2 Commissioners Adopt Budget ................. pg 3Welcome New Employees .......................................... pg 2 Port In The Community .......................... pg 3ORPET Named "Port Tenant of the Year" ................... pg 3 Port Westward Rezone Update ............... pg 4International Pacific Coast Conference ....................... pg 3 Port by the Numbers ................................ pg 4
13 Nights on the RiverThe Port sponsored the first 13 Nights on the River concert of the season in June featuring Hit Machine, with Port Executive Director Doug Hayes emceeing the event. The City of St. Helens presents the free concert series at Columbia View Park on Thursday evenings all summer long starting in June through the end of August.
St. Helens Kiwanis Community ParadeIn July, the Port entered their first float in the annual St. Helens Kiwanis Community Parade. A big thank you to all the Port staff, friends and family who volunteered their time for a fun and successful event, and to the Scappoose Bay Paddling Center for lending us their boat...and the Port won the third-place ribbon our first time out!
Wings & WheelsClassic cars, antique airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft brought nearly 4,000 people together in August for Wings & Wheels at the Scappoose Industrial Airpark.The Port co-hosted the annual event with the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Highway 30 Cruisers, and the Northwest Antique Airplane Club (NWAAC).
The event kicked off with a half‐marathon in the morning, and included great local food, music, kids’ activities, plane rides, and vendor booths where area businesses showcased their products and services.
Port In The Community
Port by theNumbers
Operating Revenues (FY18) $4.450 million
Capital Projects Additions (FY18)$627,650
Capital Projects Additions (FY11-FY18)$26.427 million
Approximate Tax Revenue (FY18) $379,781
Commercial Tenants as of June 201842
Marina / Airport Tenants as of June 2018226
Port Staff as of May 201816
Inside thisIssue
Acre Ground Lease With NEXT Renewable Fuels
Port Westward Rezone
The Port has been working to rezone 837 acres at Port Westward for dock‐dependent rural industrial uses, which would address the need, both at the local and state level, for industrial land. Opponents of the rezone challenged the county’s approval of the rezone on nine separate points. The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) rejected eight of those arguments, remanding one point about compatible uses for more information. In May, the State Court of Appeals upheld the LUBA decision. The Port is now working on answering the one remaining question, demonstrating that the five allowed uses can reasonably be made compatible with neighboring farms, and will bring this new information to the Columbia County Board for consideration.
More at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/discover-port/page/port-westward-rezone-faqs
Update
– FALL 2019 –
2 Port of Columbia County 100 E Street PO Box 190 Columbia City, OR 97018
Introducing Our New Port Commissioners
– FALL 2019 –
Phone: 503–397–2888 Fax: 503–397–6924 www.portofcolumbiacounty.org.
The Port awarded ORPET as our 2019 “Port Tenant of the Year” at the annual Columbia-County Economic Team (CCET) breakfast in September. ORPET is a state‐of‐the‐art PET beverage bottle recycling facility in St. Helens that produces post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flake. ORPET’s exclusive supply stream comes from the Oregon Bottle Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), which handles the logistics of the Oregon Bottle Bill by gathering the plastic bottles from over 3,000 redemption centers across the state each week. The PET bottles are compacted into bales at OBRC locations across Oregon then shipped to ORPET for processing. Over 3 million pounds of Oregon’s redeemed plastic bottles were shipped to ORPET in August 2019—approximately 60 million plastic beverage bottles.The recycle rate of PET beverage bottles in Oregon is over 90 percent vs. 30 percent nation-wide. ORPET’s recycling process sorts, granulates, and washes the PET material for reuse in a wide variety of applications. The company now processes over 30 million pounds of Oregon’s PET beverage bottles each year and employs up to 40 workers in St. Helens. More information at www.orpet.net
The Port of Columbia County extends a warm welcome to our newest Port Commissioners.
The Port of Columbia County is pleased to welcome two new members to our staff. Caleb McMahon, Real Estate & Business Development ManagerCaleb McMahon joined the staff in July as the Port’s new Real Estate & Business Development Manager. Caleb came from Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he was the Director of Economic Development at the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County, and previously spent several years in China working for engineering and contracting firms. Caleb has a degree in International Business from Missouri Southern State University and a law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. “I love working in economic development and developing real estate, so this position is an excellent fit for me. I look forward to bringing new and expanding businesses to Columbia County,” said Caleb.
Caleb is currently residing in Hillsboro with his wife, who is expecting their first child, and is looking to settle in Columbia County. Caleb enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking and says, “We moved to the Pacific Northwest because my wife and I are both big outdoor enthusiasts and this is where we want to raise our family.”
Tabitha Tolsma, Planning CoordinatorTabitha Tolsma is the latest addition to the Port staff. This position was made possible in cooperation with the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) program, an AmeriCorps program, through the University of Oregon. Tabitha will be working with the Port for about a year as the Planning Coordinator in the Port’s planning department. Tabitha grew up in the Mojave desert of southern California and recently earned her bachelor’s degree in City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. In her free time, she loves to trail run, hike, camp, and ride her commuter bike around town. “I think I’ll be picking up some more
cozy indoor hobbies here in Oregon this fall and winter,” said Tabitha. “I enjoy coffee and a good book, so that’s a start!”
LARRY ERICKSENPresident
term: 2019-2023 [email protected]
ROBERT KEYSER Vice Presidentterm: 2017-2021
[email protected] CHRIS IVERSON2nd Vice President
term: 2017-2021 [email protected]
NANCY WARD Secretary
term: 2019-2023 [email protected]
CHIP BUBLTreasurer
term: 2019-2023 [email protected]
Port of Columbia CountyCommissioners
ORPET Named “Port Tenant Of The Year”
Port Hosts International Pacific Coast
The Port of Columbia County hosted the 106th Annual Conference of the Associa-tion of Pacific Ports (APP) in July. This is the first time the international conference has been held by the Port. Over 75 delegates were in attendance, including port pro-fessionals, dignitaries, and maritime industry leaders from ports along the Pacific Rim in the U.S., British Columbia and Asia.“It’s a big deal that we were selected to host this conference,” said Doug Hayes, Execu-tive Director of the Port. “It allowed us to display the unique qualities of our Port and show that we are a highly diversified driver of the economy in this region.”This year’s busy conference agenda focused on port initiatives and technical presen-tations around Energy Efficiencies, Deteriorating Infrastructure, Financing, Environmental Impact, Logistics in the Pacific, and Sustainable Infrastructure.APP is a trade association founded in 1913 for the purpose of bringing together leaders from ports and businesses from across the Pacific to build partnerships, share best practices and learn what is working and what is not, as ports throughout the Pacific often face similar challenges in different environments.
Conference
Port Welcomes New Employees
Commission MeetingsCommission meetings are held on the second Wednesday (8:30 a.m.) and fourth Wednesday (TBD as needed) of the month at the Port office: 100 E Street, Columbia City, OR. Telephone: 503-397-2888.Meetings are subject to change. To verify, go to www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/calendar.
Chip Bubl Position 2
Port Advisory Committee MeetingsScappoose Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee:1st Tuesday of every other month, 5:30 p.m. at the Port officeScappoose Industrial Airpark Advisory Committee:Last Monday of every other month, 5:00 p.m. at the Port office
Commissioners Adopt 2019 – 2020 BudgetThe Port of Columbia County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the 2019 ‐ 2020 fiscal year budget at their June board meeting. The Commission voted to hold the property tax levy steady at $0.0886 per thousand of assessed value, meaning the annual taxes on a home assessed at $250,000 will be approximately $22.15 in 2019. Of the port’s $18.5 million budget, less than 2.5 percent of overall resources are generated from the property tax levy.At $18.5 million, the port’s 2019 ‐ 2020 budget is an increase of $2.9 million from the 2018 ‐ 2019 budget. This increase is attributed largely to the capital projects planned for this fiscal year.Budget highlights include:
• Beginning balanceis $6million,which is an increaseof $325,000fromthistime lastyear.• There are42industrial/commercialtenants spread throughout the port’sfacilitiesandover 100individualtenants
at both the airport and marina. Combined budgeted revenues for all tenant leases, permits, and licenses are more than $4.2 million.
• Investment of $10.4millionincapitalprojectsat selectedportsites.• The porthasinvestedover $26millionover the pasteight fiscalyearsthroughout the district.
A copy of the budget is available at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/finance/page/budget-and-audit-reports.
Nancy WardPosition 1
Doug Hayes presenting the “Port Tenant of the Year” award to Tim Tyler of ORPET
Executive Director Doug Hayes showing the OMIC site to conference attendees.
– FALL 2019 –
2 Port of Columbia County 100 E Street PO Box 190 Columbia City, OR 97018
Introducing Our New Port Commissioners
– FALL 2019 –
Phone: 503–397–2888 Fax: 503–397–6924 www.portofcolumbiacounty.org 3
The Port awarded ORPET as our 2019 “Port Tenant of the Year” at the annual Columbia-County Economic Team (CCET) breakfast in September. ORPET is a state‐of‐the‐art PET beverage bottle recycling facility in St. Helens that produces post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flake. ORPET’s exclusive supply stream comes from the Oregon Bottle Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), which handles the logistics of the Oregon Bottle Bill by gathering the plastic bottles from over 3,000 redemption centers across the state each week. The PET bottles are compacted into bales at OBRC locations across Oregon then shipped to ORPET for processing. Over 3 million pounds of Oregon’s redeemed plastic bottles were shipped to ORPET in August 2019—approximately 60 million plastic beverage bottles. The recycle rate of PET beverage bottles in Oregon is over 90 percent vs. 30 percent nation-wide. ORPET’s recycling process sorts, granulates, and washes the PET material for reuse in a wide variety of applications. The company now processes over 30 million pounds of Oregon’s PET beverage bottles each year and employs up to 40 workers in St. Helens. More information at www.orpet.net.
The Port of Columbia County extends a warm welcome to our newest Port Commissioners.
The Port of Columbia County is pleased to welcome two new members to our staff. Caleb McMahon, Real Estate & Business Development ManagerCaleb McMahon joined the staff in July as the Port’s new Real Estate & Business Development Manager. Caleb came from Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he was the Director of Economic Development at the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County, and previously spent several years in China working for engineering and contracting firms. Caleb has a degree in International Business from Missouri Southern State University and a law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. “I love working in economic development and developing real estate, so this position is an excellent fit for me. I look forward to bringing new and expanding businesses to Columbia County,” said Caleb.
Caleb is currently residing in Hillsboro with his wife, who is expecting their first child, and is looking to settle in Columbia County. Caleb enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking and says, “We moved to the Pacific Northwest because my wife and I are both big outdoor enthusiasts and this is where we want to raise our family.”
Tabitha Tolsma, Planning CoordinatorTabitha Tolsma is the latest addition to the Port staff. This position was made possible in cooperation with the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) program, an AmeriCorps program, through the University of Oregon. Tabitha will be working with the Port for about a year as the Planning Coordinator in the Port’s planning department. Tabitha grew up in the Mojave desert of southern California and recently earned her bachelor’s degree in City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. In her free time, she loves to trail run, hike, camp, and ride her commuter bike around town. “I think I’ll be picking up some more
cozy indoor hobbies here in Oregon this fall and winter,” said Tabitha. “I enjoy coffee and a good book, so that’s a start!”
Larry Ericksen President
term: 2019-2023email: [email protected]
Robert Keyser Vice President
term: 2017-2021email: [email protected]
Chris Iverson2nd Vice President
term: 2017-2021email: [email protected]
Nancy Ward Secretary
term: 2019-2023email: [email protected]
Chip Bubl Treasurer
term: 2019-2023email: [email protected]
Port of Columbia CountyCommissioners
Port Advisory Committee
Scappoose Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee:1st Tuesday of every other month, 5:30 p.m. at the Port officeScappoose Industrial Airpark Advisory Committee:Last Monday of every other month, 5:00 p.m. at the Port officeMeetings are subject to change. To verify, go to www.portofcolumbiacounty.org. and click on Public Notices.
ORPET Named “Port Tenant Of The Year”
Port Hosts International Pacific Coast
The Port of Columbia County hosted the 106th Annual Conference of the Associa-tion of Pacific Ports (APP) in July. This is the first time the international conference has been held by the Port. Over 75 delegates were in attendance, including port pro-fessionals, dignitaries, and maritime industry leaders from ports along the Pacific Rim in the U.S., British Columbia and Asia.“It’s a big deal that we were selected to host this conference,” said Doug Hayes, Execu-tive Director of the Port. “It allowed us to display the unique qualities of our Port and show that we are a highly diversified driver of the economy in this region.”This year’s busy conference agenda focused on port initiatives and technical presen-tations around Energy Efficiencies, Deteriorating Infrastructure, Financing, Environmental Impact, Logistics in the Pacific, and Sustainable Infrastructure.APP is a trade association founded in 1913 for the purpose of bringing together leaders from ports and businesses from across the Pacific to build partnerships, share best practices and learn what is working and what is not, as ports throughout the Pacific often face similar challenges in different environments.
Conference
Port Welcomes New Employees
Commission MeetingsCommission meetings are held on the second Wednesday (8:30 a.m.) and fourth Wednesday (TBD as needed) of the month at the Port office: 100 E Street, Columbia City, OR. Telephone: 503-397-2888.
Chip BublPosition 2
Meetings
Commissioners Adopt 2019 – 2020 BudgetThe Port of Columbia County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the 2019 ‐ 2020 fiscal year budget at their June board meeting. The Commission voted to hold the property tax levy steady at $0.0886 per thousand of assessed value, meaning the annual taxes on a home assessed at $250,000 will be approximately $22.15 in 2019. Of the port’s $18.5 million budget, less than 2.5 percent of overall resources are generated from the property tax levy.At $18.5 million, the port’s 2019 ‐ 2020 budget is an increase of $2.9 million from the 2018 ‐ 2019 budget. This increase is attributed largely to the capital projects planned for this fiscal year.Budget highlights include:
• Beginningbalanceis$6million,whichisanincreaseof$325,000fromthistimelastyear.• Thereare42industrial/commercialtenantsspreadthroughouttheport’sfacilitiesandover100individualtenants
at both the airport and marina. Combined budgeted revenues for all tenant leases, permits, and licenses are morethan $4.2 million.
• Investmentof$10.4millionincapitalprojectsatselectedportsites.• Theporthasinvestedover$26millionoverthepasteightfiscalyearsthroughoutthedistrict.
A copy of the budget is available at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/finance/page/budget-and-audit-reports.
Nancy WardPosition 1
Doug Hayes presenting the “Port Tenant of the Year” award to Tim Tyler of ORPET
Executive Director Doug Hayes showing the OMIC site to conference attendees.
– FALL 2019 –
Port of Columbia County 100 E Street PO Box 190 Columbia City, OR 97018
– FALL 2019 –
4 Be sure to like us on Facebook!
The Port Commissioners approved a long‐term ground lease with NEXT Renewable Fuels (NEXT) in September for a 90‐acre industrial site at Port Westward for an Advanced Green Diesel production facility.NEXT will invest more than $1 billion to build an advanced biofuels facility that will convert organic feedstock (used cooking oil, animal tallow, seed oil and soy oil) into Advanced Green Diesel ‒ a renewable biofuel and drop‐in replacement for petroleum‐based diesel. The facility will initially produce 37,500 barrels per day (“bpd”) of Advanced Green Diesel with room to expand to 50,000 bpd at full capacity.Specifics of the ground lease include an initial 30‐year term with options to renew out to 80 years, annual post‐construction rent payments to the Port in excess of $1.2 million per year, and use of an existing dock at Port Westward generating up to an additional $3.6 million per year paid to the Port. “It has been a very long and deliberate process in securing a lease that will not only provide well‐paying jobs to the community but will also produce a renewable energy commodity that will protect the environment and significantly reduce our carbon footprint,” said Doug Hayes, Executive Director of the Port.The planned NEXT production facility is projected to create more than 200 full-time, family‐wage jobs, generate more than $12 million a year in local property tax revenue, and employ 800 workers during construction. While the new site is in an enterprise zone, NEXT has committed in writing that it will not accept any tax breaks and pay the full amount to the local community.“This lease is an important step in the economic development of Columbia County and the Port is eager to partner with NEXT as they work through getting all of the required permits necessary for this project to succeed,” said Port Commissioner Robert Keyser. Currently in the permitting phase, the facility is scheduled to begin commercial operations in early 2022.
PRESIDENT'S LETTERDear Citizens:This past summer has been a busy season at your Port as we continue to invest in our properties and work to attract new businesses to the region. Columbia County voters elected two new Port Commissioners in the May 2019 election, and it is my pleasure towelcome Nancy Ward and Chip Bubl to the Port of Columbia County Commission. I’m also pleased to welcome Caleb McMahon to the Port staff as the new Real Estate & Business Development Manager. At the Port, we are committed to recruiting new businesses to our properties that will enhance the region’s economy and bring much needed family‐wage jobs to the county. In September, the Port Commission approved one of the most important lease agreements we have ever considered. The NEXT Renewable Fuels project at Port Westward will bring over 200 needed jobs to north Columbia County, along with significant tax revenues for the entire county. It has been a long process with numerous opportunities for public input, much of which was incorporated into the final lease agreement, making it one of the most compre-hensive that the Port has entered into.As we work to grow and diversify our region’s economy, we encourage the public’s inter-est in proposed development projects. Your comments and input do make a difference! Please visit our website at www.portofcolum-biacounty.org, follow us on Facebook, and communicate with staff and your five elected commissioners as we keep you updated on Port activities. Thank you for your interest in the work of the Port. Sincerely, Larry Ericksen, PresidentPort of Columbia County Commission
News From the Port of Columbia CountyA Leading, Innovative Port
Focused on Economic Opportunityfor Future GenerationsThe Compass
Port Commission Approves 90-
Port Welcomes New Employees .................................. pg 2 Commissioners Adopt 2019-2020 Budget Introducing Our New Port Commissioners ................. pg 2 ................................................................. pg 3ORPET Named "Port Tenant of the Year .................... pg 3 Port In The Community ...........................pg 4International Pacific Coast Conference ........................ pg 3 Port Westward Rezone Update ................pg 4
13 Nights on the RiverThe Port sponsored the first 13 Nights on the River concert of the season in June featuring Hit Machine, with Port Executive Director Doug Hayes emceeing the event. The City of St. Helens presents the free concert series at Columbia View Park on Thursday evenings all summer long starting in June through the end of August.
St. Helens Kiwanis Community ParadeIn July, the Port entered their first float in the annual St. Helens Kiwanis Community Parade. A big thank you to all the Port staff, friends and family who volunteered their time for a fun and successful event, and to the Scappoose Bay Paddling Center for lending us their boat...and the Port won the third-place ribbon our first time out!
Wings & WheelsClassic cars, antique airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft brought nearly 4,000 people together in August for Wings & Wheels at the Scappoose Industrial Airpark.The Port co-hosted the annual event with the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Highway 30 Cruisers, and the Northwest Antique Airplane Club (NWAAC).
The event kicked off with a half‐marathon in the morning, and included great local food, music, kids’ activities, plane rides, and vendor booths where area businesses showcased their products and services.
Port In The Community
Port by theNumbers
Operating Revenues (FY19) $4.450 million
Capital Projects Additions (FY19) $6.1 million
Capital Projects Additions (FY11-FY19) $32.512 million
Approximate Tax Revenue (FY19) $382,995
Commercial Tenants as of June 201942
Marina / Airport Tenants as of June 2019223
Port Staff as of May 2019 16
Inside thisIssue
Acre Ground Lease With NEXT Renewable Fuels
Port Westward Rezone
The Port has been working to rezone 837 acres at Port Westward for dock‐dependent rural industrial uses, which would address the need, both at the local and state level, for industrial land. Opponents of the rezone challenged the county’s approval of the rezone on nine separate points. The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) rejected eight of those arguments, remanding one point about compatible uses for more information. In May, the State Court of Appeals upheld the LUBA decision. The Port is now working on answering the one remaining question, demonstrating that the five allowed uses can reasonably be made compatible with neighboring farms, and will bring this new information to the Columbia County Board for consideration.
Mor ae wwt w.portofcolumbiacounty.org/discover-port/page/port-westward-rezone-faqs.
Update