HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-15-Minutes-Airport Inds Park2015-12-15 MINUTES
KITTITAS COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM
SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY 2:30 P.M. DECEMBER 15, 2015
Board members present: Chairman Gary Berndt and Commissioner
Paul Jewell. Absent: Vice-Chairman Obie O’Brien.
Others: Mandy Buchholz, Deputy Clerk of the Board; Mark Cook,
Public Works Director.
SPECIAL MEETING AIRPORT INDUSTRIAL PARK COMMISSIONERS
At 2:30 p.m. Chairman Berndt opened a Special Meeting to discuss
with Public Works the Airport Industrial Park.
Mark Cook, Public Works Director explained that this discussion
was to consider authorizing a Cooperative Agreement with WSDOT
supporting Industrial land development at the Bowers Field
Airport. He explained that over the past year the County has
been in discussion with WSDOT regarding surplus water right
acquisition. He stated that the strategy has been to engage
WSDOT on Thorp Levee improvements and accepting surplus water
rights from WSDOT as their project contribution. He stated that
the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is not viewing the proposal
as favorable.
He stated that Staff has suggested a larger land deal likely to
meet with the AGO’s support. He reviewed the deal and explained
that it would be accepting WSDOT surplus property at Woodhouse
Loop, the property along University Way (Region 1 Maintenance
Facility) and surplus water right (100 acre feet), noting that
it would be in consideration of the WSDOT properties. He
explained that the County is proposing constructing a new
maintenance facility at Bowers Field.
He reviewed the discussions taking place and noted that Jason
Smith (Jacobs) has a Draft Agreement for consideration and
provided that for the Board. He stated that timing is crucial to
get this project underway, because the current acting Regional
Administrator (Brian White) is supportive of the effort but Mr.
White will likely step down from acting Administrator Position
sometime in the first part of 2016. He stated that ultimately
they would like to have the WSDOT appraisals in hand by the end
2015-12-15 MINUTES
of the first quarter in 2016. He outlined the fiscal impacts if
the Board chooses to proceed with the project and how the Lease
revenue from the proposed new facility is expected to assist the
Airport Fund and would attract additional future Light
Industrial uses that are complementary in use, ultimately
generating a sustainable funding source for the airport and
likely provide a much needed infra-structure improvements inside
and outside the fence of airport operations.
Commissioner Jewell and Director Cook will plan to set up a
meeting with WSDOT and report back with any progress.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Mandy Buchholz Chairman Gary Berndt