Grapeview discusses levy, removal of 30-minute parking

A projected budget shortfall spurred talk of a levy lid lift by the Port of Grapeview commissioners at a Jan. 21 meeting and workshop.

"Timing is the most important thing here," Commissioner Jean Farmer said in discussing if and when to place a levy on the ballot.

Commissioners said the port has limited revenue.

Total 2025 revenue is budgeted at approximately $45,700, Commissioner Mike Blaisdell said at the workshop, including $29,476 from the current levy, approximately $13,000 from the boat launch parking fees and another $3,000 in investment income.

Fixed costs are $36,841, covering essentials such as wages and salaries, insurance, professional services, state auditor fees and kiosk fees, according to Blaisdell.

Only $8,859 remains to cover maintenance, supplies and miscellaneous expenses but those expenses are budgeted at $18,530, he said.

"So it leaves us with a projected shortfall of just under $10,000. This financial gap highlights the limitations of our current revenue streams," Blaisdell said.

Without additional funding, the port faces "challenges in maintaining our facilities, the services we provide and the overall operations at the level I think our community expects," he said.

"It may also impact our ability to remain a port district, to be honest. At some point, if we don't get some help we can't keep up," Blaisdell said.

Currently, the port collects 2 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value on a regular levy and 8 cents per $1,000 on an Industrial Development District levy and is limited to a 1% annual increase.

IDD levy money can't be used for operations.

One way to increase port money that would be "revenue neutral" for taxpayers would be to place a 2% regular levy increase on ballot and reduce the IDD levy 2 cents, according to Blaisdell.

Farmer said commissioners need to talk with community members and explain why the increase is needed before putting it to a vote.

She said there wasn't enough dialogue with taxpayers before the last levy increase request.

"So it failed," Farmer said.

"We know that something has to be done here, otherwise this beautiful little port will go back to the county or go back to the Port of Allyn," Farmer said. "None of us want that."

Commissioners should also look at how the economy is faring, among other things, she said.

"We don't want to be on the ballot when there is a school levy or fire levy," Farmer said. "Those are important things, too."

Commissioners said it was important to stress the lid lift, combined with an IDD decrease, would not be a tax increase.

"That would be the key to success," Farmer said.

Blaisdell said they needed to "face the fact" that people don't like tax increases.

Commissioners agreed it would not be feasible to put a levy on the 2025 ballot and they would aim for next year.

"This is the year where we talk to our constituents, talk to our citizens," Blaisdell said.

Parking may change

Commissioners also discussed designated parking in the port's lower lot and what to do about parking scofflaws.

Managing Official Amanda Montgomery advocated for redesignating the spots by the rock wall, near the boat ramp, as disabled and law enforcement parking.

"People are parking there that are not even using the boat launch facility," she said.

Montgomery said people are also ignoring time limits on spots by the restrooms.

Signs stating 30-minute parking limits "clearly are not being adhered to," she said.

Farmer said she was at the lower parking lot recently and two cars were parked there for half an hour. "We never saw anyone" return to their cars, she said.

Whitson said he'd seen people park in the spaces and walk over to the Fair Harbor Marina next door.

There are seven parking spaces near the restrooms and one disabled spot. Montgomery suggested making two of the seven spots "loading only" and requiring the other spaces to be paid parking.

"I think it's a good idea," Blaisdell agreed. "I think when you have a thirty minute parking, it's totally going to get misused," he said.

"Can we enforce it?" Farmer asked about paid parking.

"We can't enforce it," Montgomery said, adding the port also can't enforce the 30-minute parking.

"We're not there to monitor if they're there for thirty minutes or not," she said. With a paid spot the port can at least put a violation notice on cars without paid parking receipts, she said.

Montgomery said the port could also number the spaces, allowing customers to pay by site number.

"If you're in spot one, you have to pay for spot one," she said. "Unless you had an annual pass."

Montgomery said she was just "throwing it out there" for discussion.

"I think that's something we could look at," Blaisdell said.

Commissioners could start working on spots by the rock wall, he said.

"Let's get those converted first," Blaisdell said, and then decide on which spaces to make load/unload.