Grapeview port gets new webmasters, supports study

Port of Grapeview commissioners announced webmaster Bob Pastore’s resignation at the regular meeting.

“We greatly appreciate his time and effort,” Commissioner Mike Blaisdell said. Blaisdell and Managing Official Amanda Montgomery will take over the website duties.

Commissioners also discussed forest fire protection assessments on seven parcels donated by Pastore to the port. The Department of Natural Resources “uncombined” the parcels after the donation and billed each separately, Blaisdell said. Commissioners voted to apply for a refund and ask DNR to combine the properties into one parcel.

“If it saves the taxpayer money,” Commissioner Jean Farmer said.

The port will apply for the refund and combination in the fall, Blaisdell said.

Commissioner Art Whitson urged other commissioners to sign a letter of support for Squaxin Island Tribe’s biologist Erica Marbet so she can pursue funding to study the outlet of Mason Lake.

Whitson said the narrow outlet is frequently blocked by beaver dams, affecting fish runs.

“Half the lake loves it, the other half doesn’t,” Whitson said.

Marbet will conduct a feasibility study for active management of the outlet, according to Whitson.

Commissioners signed off on the letter of support.

Whitson also asked the port to allow the Case Inlet Fisheries Task Force to use the port’s Zoom account. The task force partners with the ports of Grapeview and Allyn to restore Case Inlet’s salmon population.

Whitson said the group has been using a free Zoom account that limits the time of meetings.

Blaisdell said it sounded good “in theory” but the port needs to be “careful about a gift of public funds.”

Blaisdell said he would check with the Municipal Research and Services Center about regulations and commissioners agreed to revisit the request.

Farmer said they support the task force and “want to make sure we do it the right way.”