Action Taken at November 4, 2025 Meeting
Shall the commission:
108. Transfer $4,200 in funds from the 2025 capital budget to complete bike locker installations at the Bellingham airport? At the 6/3/2025 meeting, vote #62, the port received a $9,248 grant from the Whatcom Transportation Authority to install bike lockers at the Bellingham airport. The lockers will accommodate cargo bikes than can carry baggage. The grant was estimated to cover 90 percent of the total cost of $10,271. Design changes resulted in a cost overrun of $4,200. (15071/Consent Agenda D) Approved 3-0
109. Authorize the sale of four vessels for the nonpayment of moorage fees? Sealed bids closed on 12/18/2025. An auction was held at the Blaine Harbor for a 49-foot motorboat with unpaid fees of $4,633 and a minimum bid price of $5,000. A 32-foot bayliner with unpaid fees of $3,613 and a minimum bid price of $3,000. A 27-foot sailboat with unpaid fees of $2,584 and a minimum bid price of $3,000. A 36-foot motorboat with unpaid fees of $4,485 and a minimum bid price of $5,000. Port staff contacted the owners about the unpaid fees a total of 44 times. (15073/Consent Agenda B) Approved 3-0
110. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a land use agreement with the state of Washington for tree removal at Tennant Lake? The FAA is requiring the removal of 2.75 acres of trees at the Slater Road wetlands mitigation site. The trees are on state land and regulated airspace. The tree removal is mitigated by planting suitable tree species on the state owned property. The land use agreement fee for five-years is $10,000. (15074/Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0
111. Approval a commercial lease with Northwest Ecological Services of Bellingham at Bellwether on the Bay? The five-year lease is for 1,270 square feet in suite 209 at 11 Bellwether Way. The rent for five-years is $142,000. The lease expires on 11/5/20230. (15075/ Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0
112. Renew a five-year lease with Northwest Marine Industries at 809 Harris Avenue? The company builds custom fiberglass fishing vessels under the brand names SeaSport, C-Dory, Osprey and Skagit Orca lines at the Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park. The lease was first signed in 2014 and the current lease expires on 11/4/2025. The rent for five-years is $807,137 and it expires on 11/4/2030. (15076/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0
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Action Taken at November 18, 2025 Meeting
Shall the commission:
113. Renew and modify three leases with Birdon America? The leases are for building 7 at the Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park, a land lease for yard space around building 7 and suite 325 at Fairhaven Station. Birdon America is the U.S. branch of an Australian company. At the 2/1/2022 meeting, vote #22, the initial lease with Birdon was approved. In 2022, Birdon had eight years remaining in the contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to retrofit 47-foot motor lifeboats. The boats are designed for rescue in high seas and surf. Birdon uses 45 percent of building 7 to fulfill its coast guard contract. NTG Fabrication leases 55 percent of the building from Birdon. The lease was renewed through 1/31/2028 and the rent for two years will be $492,527. (15085/Consent Agenda E) Approved 3-0
114. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a master lease and sublease for property located at 800 Cornwall Avenue? The facility at 800 Cornwall Avenue is owned by Pando Innovations. The port will lease the facility and sublease it to Pure Blue Tech, a company that develops self-cleaning membrane elements for efficient water generation and reuse from various quality water sources, producing more water and saving energy, chemicals, waste and costs. It is currently located on Marietta Avenue and has outgrown the facility. The lease includes the option for the port to purchase the property. The lease for 800 Cornwall Avenue is seven years with a five-year renewal option. (15086/Consent Agenda F) Approved 3-0
115. Authorize the interim executive director to approve payment of $127,459 to the state of Washington for aquatic lands? The state issued two leases to Georgia-Pacific for the treatment lagoon known as the Aerated Stabilization Basin. The leases are for a pipeline under Whatcom Creek to the treatment lagoon for stormwater treatment and for the outfall pipe from the treatment lagoon into Bellingham Bay. The treatment lagoon is part of the Whatcom Waterway cleanup site. Since 6/30/2008, the port has been using the treatment lagoon and pipeline system to manage stormwater and industrial process water. The payment period runs from 12/1/2022 through 11/30/2026. (15087/Consent Agenda G) Approved 3-0
116. Adopt the 2026 strategic budget? (Public hearings held at November 4 and November 18 meetings.) The regular property tax levy for 2026 will result in approximately $7,913,819 in taxes collected by the port. There is no property tax increase for 2025. 15089/Action Item #1 (Resolution 1423) Approved 3-0
117. Adopt the 2026 property tax levy? The estimated levy rate will be $0.1244 per thousand of valuation. The 2025 levy rate was $0. 1287 per thousand of valuation. 15089/Action Item #1 (Resolution 1424) Approved 3-0
118. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a modification to the aviation tie-down agreement with Bellingham Aviation Services? At the 6/17/2025 meeting, vote #72, the commission authorized Aircraft Hangars Northwest to construct two aircraft hangers at the Bellingham to be completed by December 2026. The construction of the hangers requires eight tie-downs to be relocated to another part of the apron. (15090/Action Item #2) Approved 3-0
119. Approve a bar and spirits tasting facility license with Chuckanut Bay Distillery? The bar and spirit tasting facility will operate at the Portal Container Village commencing on the first day of the month following issuance of a certificate of occupancy, but no later than 4/1/2026. The port will provide the foundations and utility stud-out connections for two modified shipping containers. As rent, they will pay 3 percent of their gross sales, a monthly license fee, and a monthly utility reimbursement. The business can be closed from November through February. (15092/Action Item #4) Approved 3-0
120. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a memorandum of understanding with Global Ports Holdings Limited of London, England, to perform a feasibility study for cruise operations at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal? The current terminal tenants include: the Alaska ferry, San Juan Cruises, Gato Verde Adventure Sailing, and Schooner Zodiac. The existing facility has the space for small to midsize cruise operations. The study will last one year and investigate if additional cruise operations are feasible and what infrastructure upgrades are necessary. The memorandum does not obligate the port in any way to enter into a long-term agreement for cruise operations or pay for the feasibility study. The financing of the feasibility study is opaque. (15094/ Consent Agenda C) Approved 3-0
121. Authorize the interim executive director to sign an amendment to the Regional Economic Partnership for 2026-2027? The partnership is between Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham and the Port of Bellingham. At the 12/17/2024 meeting, vote #111, the commission approved a three-year agreement for a coordinated approach to funding economic development. The Regional Economic Partnership was part of the funding. The City of Bellingham will not be contributing $244,274 to the Regional Economic Partnership for 2026 and 2027. The city will remain a partner in the Regional Economic Partnership and maintain an active role in policy and participate in consultations required under state law. (15096/Consent Agenda B) Approved 3-0
122. Authorize the interim executive director to sign a subrecipient agreement and associated documents with the National Renewal Energy Lab? At the 1/7/2025 meeting, vote #3, the commission accepted a $1,525,892 federal grant for the energy transition plan. The grant was from the Environmental Protection Agency; the National Renewable Energy Lab was included as subrecipient. The NREL is a government-owned contractor-operated laboratory overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy. The NREL will be supporting the port’s energy transition plan with an energy inventory, energy growth projection and a modernization strategy. (15098/Consent Agenda H) Approved 3-0
123. Authorize the interim executive director to submit a $100,000 grant application to the state of Washington for planning activities at the Bellingham Airport? The application is to the Washington State Department of Commerce Community Economic Revitalization Board. The port owns 35 acres of land surrounding the Bellingham Airport that is outside the FAA-regulated areas. The industrial-zoned land is suitable for businesses in the aerospace industry. Insufficient infrastructure, environmental constraints, permitting and a lack of development strategy resulted in inquiries about the land unfulfilled. The grant requires a local match of 20 percent. (15100/Action Item #3) Approved 3-0
