10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016 Port: ‘This is an elegant way to solve the problem’ Continued from Page 1A sums removing the equipment. “This is an elegant way to solve Commission. The expansion the problem,” he said. provides more processing and cold storage space. Longshore concerns Port staff have argued the “You don’t even know what companies need to expand and you just did, buddy,” Hunsinger diversify to survive in a consoli- told Knight as the meeting dating seafood industry. ended and longshoremen exited The lease provides the Port en masse. “You’re going to see with nearly $25,855 a month. pickets.” Da Yang receives rent credits of Chris Connaway, president $1,200 a month through 2027 of the local longshoremen chap- for improvements made to the ter, spoke in opposition to the property. The ish processor also lease along with two other union gets credits of $1,700 a month representatives, lanked by even for 48 months to offset repairs more members in the audience. to the crumbling docks that the Connaway said Da Yang company had performed around wants to establish a hake (Paciic 2013 without the Port’s permis- whiting) facility bringing in ish sion. The work was done before on the docks and sending them Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian much of the current commis- out on refrigerated containers in The Port of Astoria Commission approved an amended lease expanding Da Yang Seafoods’ space in the Pier 2 fish-pro- sioners and staff had joined the the Puget Sound region. He said cessing warehouse by more than 170 percent. Port. longshoremen should load and unload any oceangoing cargo, Clean enough and asked the Port to include a “This original lease with Da statement in the lease with Da Port approves emergency repairs to Pier 2 Yang was messy, as are all exist- Yang reafirming the agency’s ing leases with the Port,” said prior labor agreements with the Executive Director Jim Knight, union. Agency under adding the amended lease helps “This is for the Port’s pro- state pressure to the agency set things right. tection,” he said. “If this goes Shane Jensen, the Port’s through like this, we’re going to make ixes by July property manager, said the lease be in arbitration. It’s going to cost solves several issues for the the Port lawyer money. We’re By EDWARD STRATTON Port, from establishing prop- going to ight this tooth and nail.” The Daily Astorian erty boundaries and a fair mar- Joel Bergeman, a construc- ket lease rate in the warehouse tion contractor who does work The Port of Astoria Commission con- to providing the agency badly for Da Yang, spoke in favor of ditionally approved an emergency expen- needed revenue to help repair Da Yang’s expansion. He said diture of up to $350,000 to ix the most issues on Pier 2. the company has always paid its critical issues on Pier 2. “We’ve always been con- bills and hired local, often union, The state Department of Transpor- tractually obligated to repair tradespeople. tation warned the Port that a structurally Pier 2, and our inability to do it deicient portion of the eastern dock skirt- has caused problems,” Jensen Commission opposition ing the Pier 2 ish-processing warehouse said. Fulton and Hunsinger both might have to close by July unless signif- Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian While the Port can’t ascer- said they were not opposed to icant repairs are made. The state recom- Erick Cain and Gene Leon, both with the Oregon Department of Trans- tain how Da Yang did the con- Da Yang’s lease amendment, mended a 3-ton weight limit on the dock. portation bridge inspection team, paddle in a small boat while inspecting struction on Pier 2 without Port’s but wanted to table the issue Shane Jensen, the Port’s property man- Pier 2 in January. sign-off, he said, the lease pro- and have the Port’s attorney, ager, said the ish-processing season starts vides a cost-share for the work. who was not present Wednes- in May. He said there is a strong chance to go, although he is still seeking more tion’s ConnectOregon VI infrastructure Da Yang had made multi- day, look over the lease. Their of interruption because of the restric- bids for the project. He said getting the grant program to repair the western docks, ple failed attempts to expand, motion to table the lease failed, tions. Repairing the dock enough to lift permits for repairs is what could hold the where commercial ishing boats pull up build a cold storage and estab- with the two voting to table the the weight restrictions and keep the east- process up. to deliver their catch to ish processors. A lish a freight depot at the Port. lease amendment, and Raichl, ern dock open will cost about $60,000, he The scope of the work is being based previous ConnectOregon grant paid for a The space the company is tak- Campbell and Mushen voting said, with another $160,000 to $200,000 off a report by PND Engineers Inc., which new portion of dock on the pier’s eastern ing over has gone through mul- against tabling the issue. needed to ix the most critical issues on brought in native Astorian and marine side. tiple ownership changes, and Hunsinger, a former long- the western side of Pier 2, such as missing engineer Bill Gunderson three years ago The Port is also tallying up damage to Knight said it hasn’t been used shoremen and commercial ish- posts underneath the dock. after the Port declared an emergency on the pier from storm surges in February, since late summer or early fall of erman who has repeatedly The Port has received two bids so far the west side of Pier 2. The report found with hopes of assistance from the Federal last year. opposed Da Yang’s attempts to on the work, but needs at least three as the west side in critical to good condition, Emergency Management Agency. Execu- The space was most recently expand, questioned whether the part of competitive bidding requirements largely because of deferred maintenance. tive Director Jim Knight has said the Port under United Coast Seafoods, a Port should pay for any of Da for public agencies. Jensen said the emer- The Port Commission’s emergency already has $10 million worth of claims subsidiary of the now-defunct Yang’s previous unapproved gency motion protects the Port from lia- motion included an amendment that staff with the agency, for anything from storm CounterPoint Financial. Coun- work on Pier 2. Jensen said the bility if it awards the project with only two would spend at least another 10 days try- damage to the piers and marina to silting terPoint is liquidating its assets period of work done by Da Yang bidders. ing to get another bid. in the water because of debris runoff com- to avoid bankruptcy, and Da was so long, that the Port staff at ing down the Columbia River. Yang has an agreement to buy the time must have consented. A third bid Bigger picture Jensen said the emergency appro- the equipment United Coast left Mushen said one argument “I believe we owe it to the community “By the time we’re done with Pier 2, priations for Pier 2 would come out of in the space. is that the work Da Yang did to get another bid,” said Commissioner there will be far more than $350,000,” the Port’s special revenue fund, which Jensen said letting Da Yang beneited the Port as well as the Stephen Fulton, asking if staff could delay Jensen said, adding the Port is trying to includes tax revenues from timber sales. buy the equipment from United company. Campbell added that the motion for another 10 days. break the pier’s repair down into more “We’re essentially borrowing money Coast keeps the Port from the Port should also consider Jensen said both contractors, Berg- manageable pieces. from ourselves to initiate this emergency potentially having to ight theit liability the agency faces erson Construction Co. and Columbia The Port applied for $1.5 million repair pending the FEMA reimburse- out with United Coast in bank- by leasing docks in such poor Dockworks Inc. out of Astoria, are ready through the Department of Transporta- ment,” Knight said. ruptcy court and spend large condition. THE DAILY Evening listings ASTORIAN LISTINGS THURSDAY THURSDAY EVENING A - Charter Astoria/ Seaside - L - Charter Long Beach APRIL 28 A L 6 PM 6:30 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 (2) KATU (2) KATU News at 6 Jeopardy! 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