Action Taken at June 3, 2025 Meeting
Shall the commission:
56. Approve a lease renewal (modification #4) with The Landings at Colony Wharf? At the 5/4/2014 meeting, vote #61, the commission approved a 10-year harbor land lease for premises on C Street. The lease was for approximately 6.7 acres of land and 43,000 square feet of buildings and sheds for marine related activities. The lease acknowledges that the premises are encumbered by Whatcom Waterway and Central Waterfront environmental cleanup sites. Colony Wharf acknowledged that partial or complete disruption of Colony Wharf operations is possible. The third lease modification was approved at the 3/20/2018 meeting, vote #41. This modification removes the premises at 701 and 801 Roeder Avenue and adds a portion of the area formerly leased by Bellingham Marine Industries. The rent will be $16,193 per month, the lease expires on 4/30/2034. (14717/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0
57. Approve a five-year lease with Greyhound Lines for one loading bay and common area at the Fairhaven Station? Since February 1996, Greyhound has been a tenant at 401 Harris Avenue. Office space is no longer needed as reservations are taken electronically. The total rent for five years will be $44,896; the lease expires on 2/28/2030. (14718/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0
58. Authorize the executive director to sign an amendment to increase the City of Bellingham labor rate for the repair and maintenance for mobile radios? On 1/31/2019, the port entered into an agreement with the City of Bellingham to allow the port access to and use of its 800MHz digital radio network. A separate contract was established with the port for services by the city’s radio shop with a labor rate set at $92 per hour. A raise to $125 per hour was apparently adopted by email in January 2023. On 5/20/2025, the city notified the port by email of a rate change to $150 per hour. (14719/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0
59. Adjust the budget for 20 projects? The budget for eight projects will be increased and 12 decreased. There is no net change in the budget. There are two increases over $100,000. The Bellingham Shipping Terminal power upgrade is increasing by $800,000 to $2,503,000. It encountered contaminated soil, existing foundations and pilings which were in conflict with the installation of utilities resulting in unanticipated costs. The Bellingham Shipping Terminal portable barge ram is increasing by $600,000 to $3,757,668. The increased costs were for design and material. The other six increases total $195,300. The cruise terminal under pier piling project decreased $750,000 to $4,081,963. The rooftop solar project decreased $260,000 to $315,000. Infrastructure decreased $185,000 to $60,245. The other nine decreases totaled $400,300. (14722/Consent Agenda H) Approved 3-0
60. Authorize the executive director to sign a year-to-year operating agreement with Backcountry Aviation of Cottonwood, Idaho, for commercial operations at the Bellingham airport? Backcountry Aviation is a Federal Aviation Administration “schedule on-demand” certified air carrier. The initial service with Cessna aircraft will be once a week from Bellingham to Boeing Field with potentially increasing to two or three times a week. Operations must be under five weekly flights per route. (14723/Consent Agenda I) Approved 3-0
61. Authorize the executive director to sign a $17,375 agreement with Strategic Energy Innovations of San Rafael, California, for an energy program assistant fellow? In 2021, port staff formed the Building and Infrastructure Management Program to address the requirements of the state Clean Buildings Act. The energy program assistant fellow will join the Building and Infrastructure Energy Management Program. Puget Sound Energy will fund 75 percent of the $69,500 salary and expenses. The energy program assistant will work for the port from 9/1/2025 to 6/30/2026. (14727/Consent Agenda G) Approved 3-0
62. Authorize the executive director to accept a $9,248 grant from Whatcom Transportation Authority to fund bike lockers at the Bellingham airport and Fairhaven Station? The WTA transit access fund provides grants to multi-model transportation projects that are with a quarter mile of a WTA bus stop. The lockers will accommodate cargo bikes that can carry baggage. The grant will provide 90 percent of the estimated project cost of $10,271. (14730/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0
63. Authorize the executive director to accept a $2,805,907 state grant for the Bellingham Shipping Terminal shore power expansion project? The port is upgrading the electrical infrastructure at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. The project will upgrade outdated and inadequate shore power at warehouse 2, the rail span and the south terminal (berths #2 and #3). Shore power pedestals have been identified as critical to the project. The grant will cover 100 percent of the project costs. (14732/Consent Agenda J) Approved 3-0
64. Execute a mutual separation agreement with Executive Director Rob Fix? At the 4/3/2012 meeting, vote #58, Executive Director Charlie Sheldon submitted his resignation. His employment was through the end of April and he received severance equal to five months pay. At the same meeting, port auditor Rob Fix was appointed interim executive director and later that year he was appointed executive director. The Rob Fix separation is immediate and he will receive 12 months severance pay. ($235,000 in 2024). (Other Business) Approved 2-1, Bobby Briscoe opposed.
65. Appoint Tiffany DeSimone to serve as interim executive director? The port will conduct a nationwide search to find a replacement for Rob Fix. Tiffany DeSimone will remain director of maritime and will receive additional compensation while serving as interim executive director. She will receive $220,000 annually, prorated per month while serving as interim executive director. (Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 3-0
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Action Taken at June 17, 2025 Meeting
Shall the commission:
66. Authorize the interim executive director to sign an option with Millworks LLC (amendment #1) to purchase property in the Waterfront District? At the 11/15/2022 meeting, vote #106, the commission authorized an option with Millworks LLC of Bellingham to purchase approximately 49,613 square feet of property in the Lignin parcel. A housing covenant allows the port to sell the property for below market value. The purchase price for Millworks LLC was $1,245,325 and the appraised price was $2,005,067. Some design changes require additional engineering and structural calculations. With that in mind, Millworks is requesting an 18-month extension to the option-to-purchase agreement. The option will expire on 6/30/2027. (14778/Consent Agenda B) Approved 3-0
67. Authorize the interim executive director to accept a $741,080 state grant to fund a portion of the purchase of the the Whatcom Agricultural Research Station? At the 4/15/2025 meeting, vote #42; the commission authorized the purchase of 58.81 acres of agriculture land located at 6211 Northwest Drive, Ferndale. The purchase price of $3,390,893 will be funded by the state grant and a grant/loan from the local Economic Development Investment program. The port will lease the property to the Whatcom Food and Farming Station. The lease payment will be $55,000 per year, — it will cover the port’s EDI loan payment. The final loan payment is due on 6/30/2045. (14779/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0
68. Authorize the interim executive director to accept a $2,899,813 EDI grant/loan to help fund a property purchase for the Whatcom Agricultural Research Station? The grant is $1,966,542 and the loan is $933,271. See the previous vote for details about the property purchase. (14780/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0
69. Authorize the interim executive director to modify a lease with TVV Family Trust for property in Blaine? At the 6/7/2005 meeting, vote #72, the commission approved a 40-year lease with Point Roberts Press to construct a two-story building at 225 Marine Drive in Blaine. Phase 1 demolished the existing building and constructed a two-story building. The top floor of the building would be for Point Roberts Press and the lower level will be rented to marine-related users. During the first five years of the lease, a second phase would add 8,000 square feet to the building. The lease terminates on 5/31/2045. The second phase was renegotiated and the construction of it has been removed. Point Roberts Press has had difficulty leasing the building. The modification allowed residential uses in 30 percent of the building plus commercial and retail uses on the ground floor. At the 1/4/2022 meeting, vote #8; the lease was modified to allow residential uses in 30 percent of the building plus commercial and retail uses on the ground floor. Point Roberts Press sold the building to Depot Villas, which is owned by the Lynden based developer Timothy J. Vande Vegte and trustee of TVV Family Trust. This modification adjusts the rent to $101,013 over five years; the lease ends on 5/30/2030. (14781/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0
70. Authorize the interim executive director to renew and modify a lease with Halo Holdings of Lynden to property at the Bellingham airport? At the 3/24/2020 meeting, vote #28, the commission approved a five-year ground lease for 40,302 square feet of property at the Bellingham airport that will be used for parking passenger vehicles belonging to tenants, employees, subtenant employees and customers. This modification reduces the property to 20,000 square feet and allows the port to use the site for storage of sand, gravel and snow removal equipment. The rent is for two years is $29,520; the lease expires on 4/30/2027. (14782/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0
71. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a settlement agreement with the Fairhaven Industrial Marine Repair Facility and execute related documents? At the 5/4/2021 meeting, vote #57, the commission approved a 10-year land lease with the repair facility. At the 12/12/2023 meeting, vote #112, the commission approved a settlement agreement and new land lease with the repair facility. Under that settlement agreement, the port was to receive $182,389 in back rent that was due under the lease. On 3/6/2025, the repair facility was placed in default, and an unlawful detainer complaint filed for failure to pay rent. The facility has subsequently paid the amount owed and brought the account current. The lease terminated on 6/30/2025. (14785/Consent Agenda G) Approved 3-0
72. Approve two leases with Aircraft Hangars Northwest of Bellingham and authorize the interim executive director to sign documents needed for a proposed development at Bellingham airport? Aircraft Hangars Northwest will construct two aircraft hangers; first will be a box hangar (hangars sell from $498,015) on Site A and next are T hangar (hangars sell from $195,993) on Site B. Construction for both will be completed by December 2026. The hangars can be sold or leased. (14787/Action Item #1) Approved 3-0
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Port of Bellingham
Office address: 1801 Roeder Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225
360–676–2500 (phone), 360–671–6411 (fax)
www.portofbellingham.com
info@portofbellingham.com
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1677, Bellingham, WA 98227
Interim Executive Director, Tiffany DeSimone
360–676–2500, email: TiffanyD@portofbellingham.com
District 1 – Secretary, Michael Shepard
360–303-9314, email: michaels@portofbellingham.com
Term expires: Dec. 2025
District 2 – Vice President, Ken Bell
360–793-1002, email: kenb@portofbellingham.com
Term expires: Dec. 2025
District 3 – President, Bobby Briscoe
360–296–4483, email: bobbyb@portofbellingham.com
Term expires: Dec.2027
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