State’s southwest ports poised for more growth

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, October 29, 2006

VANCOUVER, Wash. – With combined budgets of nearly $74 million, Clark County’s four port districts exercise serious economic clout in Southwest Washington.

Guided by voter-elected three-member commissions, the ports of Vancouver, Ridgefield, Camas-Washougal and Woodland support 100 direct jobs and spend millions on capital projects each year.

Like most ports in Washington, local districts leverage their taxing and bond-sale powers to finance projects such as marine terminal renovations at the Port of Vancouver, warehouse construction at the Port of Woodland, and business and air park expansion in Ridgefield and Camas-Washougal.

District tax rates are 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value in Ridgefield, 33 cents per $1,000 in Woodland, 39 cents at Vancouver and 43 cents at Camas-Washougal.

“Our biggest challenge continues to be in generating revenue to handle growth,” said David Ripp, Woodland port executive director since 1994. “We see ourselves as a steward of the community, watching out for the best interests of the community, jobs and the quality of the businesses that we bring in.”

Woodland, with an operating budget this year of $1.43 million and estimated net income of about $345,000, is among the state’s smaller ports.

When Ripp first joined the port, property tax revenue was a main source of income. Now, tax money represents about a third of the total, thanks to its growing business park. In the coming year, Woodland is poised to add more industrial space if demand continues, Ripp said.

At the Port of Camas-Washougal, the revenue challenges are similar, says Sheldon Tyler, the executive director.

“We have a lot going on – the proposed $350 million RiverWalk waterfront project, wetlands mitigation, the airport (expansion) issue,” he said. “We see our port and other ports playing a prominent role in economic and industrial development.”

Tyler said the port is considering construction of a $1 million “spec” building in its industrial park, where 1,000 people already are employed at various tenant businesses.

Tyler sees ports in a good position to spend a little to get a lot by leveraging tax revenue. Sometimes that’s easier for ports than for private business, he said.

Job growth is a top priority at the Port of Ridgefield, which is working to develop its 75-acre Discovery Pointe business park northeast of the I-5 and Ridgefield junction.

“We’d like to see employment growth there in the next few years to come along with construction of a new I-5 interchange,” said Brent Grening, Ridgefield port executive director. “We’re trying to make investments related to jobs or the economy.”

With assets of $224.1 million, the Port of Vancouver is among the state’s largest ports. Each year, spending on capital projects reaches into the millions. This year, the port spent $3.2 million on a mobile crane, meant to lift and move dock cargo weighing as much as 140 metric tons. The port’s Columbia River marine terminal business handles about 500 ship calls a year.

Port industrial property is home to 50 private employers, including one of the largest West Coast grain-exporting operations.

For Larry Paulson, Vancouver’s executive director, challenges mirror those at smaller ports – finding the money to pay for upgrades, expansions and property acquisitions.

Vancouver is developing more than 500 acres in west Vancouver for new marine and industrial uses. Bringing infrastructure and other services to the area could cost many millions.

Bart Phillips, president of the Columbia River Economic Development Council, sees ports as invaluable players in the effort to retain and expand the region’s manufacturing employment sector.

“Ports are unique in that they serve everyone by providing critical industrial land, oftentimes served by rail,” Phillips said. “The Port of Vancouver, for instance, controls the largest single piece of industrial property in the region. Ports, by state mandate, are charged to undertake economic development. It’s their reason for being. They are absolutely critical to the effort.”