By STEPHEN L. SWANN
Columnist
POULSBO — Port of Poulsbo commissioners, by unanimous vote, recently elected Commissioner Mark DeSalvo president of the commission for 2015.
Commissioner DeSalvo, a boater, airline pilot, and retired Navy officer, was elected in the November 2013 districtwide election to a two-year term as a port commissioner. He’s also a downtown business owner; he and his wife own Crimson Cove Smoked Specialties on Front Street.
M/V OLYMPUS. During Christmas Week, the M/V Olympus visited Poulsbo and anchored just south of the marina in Liberty Bay.
The Olympus is a spectacular, 1929 New York-built yacht, 92 feet in length. Its beauty is detailed in photographs found at www.yachtolympus.com. A year or so ago, it moored in the marina and offered free tours to the public. On the next return visit to our dock, it is a special sight not to be missed.
BOAT GUY IN FEBRUARY. Still on track is a repeat visit for the “Boat Guy” on Feb. 6-8. The port — and the entire city — hope to make Chip Hanauer’s visit an annual event. The 2014 Winter Rendezvous was spectacular … even a little snow failed to dampen spirits.
SEATTLE BOAT SHOW. As noted in December’s The Scuttlebutt, plans are being made for the port’s second year at the area’s largest boat show. Show dates are Jan. 23 to Feb. 1. Manning the port’s booth daily requires the efforts of dozens of volunteers — give us a call if you can participate. To encourage boater visits to Poulsbo in 2015, the port will again be offering two-for-one moorage night coupons for the marina.
PORT EMPLOYEES’ UNION. Negotiations between Teamsters Union No. 589 and the Port of Poulsbo continue. Representing the port as its bargaining team are Executive Director Brad Miller and me. The goal is to draft a fair and reasonable collective bargaining agreement for employees and the port for years 2015-2017.
Teamsters also represent workers at the ports of Bremerton, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend.
The union has filed its preliminary draft of the collective bargaining agreement for the port’s review. As the next step, the port will draft its contract draft for union consideration. The next scheduled meeting for the parties is Jan. 13. Once agreement is reached on these drafts, the union and the port will tackle economic issues, such as pay and benefits.
MARINA BOATHOUSES. The infamous Zetty Boathouse lies no more at anchor in Liberty Bay. The port is investigating the purchase of a replacement boathouse for the now-vacant slip. Used boathouses are generally not available, and the cost of a new boathouse is around $50,000.
A second unrelated issue previously reported in Scuttlebutt is unauthorized marina slip assignability by current boathouse owners to new boathouse purchasers. Current marina rules and regulations, and written moorage agreement contracts with vessel owners, prohibit this practice. However, this prohibition has not been enforced for several years.
A port workshop scheduled for 6 p.m. on Jan. 15 is planned to hear views of boathouse owners and Port District residents on boathouse assignability. The meeting will be conducted in the City Council chambers at City Hall, and views of Port District residents and other interested parties will be heard. Also, written recommendations to the port will be helpful in reaching a fair resolution of this issue. Letters and emails should be sent to port Executive Director Brad Miller.
LIVEABOARDS. The port continues to investigate expansion of the marina’s liveaboard population from the current 12 to 25.
In the next few weeks, a neighborhood meeting will be held at North Kitsap Auditorium. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit the views of Port District residents. With local fees for the application’s review estimated from $35,000 to $50,000 (maybe more, maybe less), a major concern is whether such an unbudgeted expense is justified.
Liveaboard residents currently pay an additional $50 each month, therefore only contributing around $7,800 additional annual port revenues. Some might argue that the payback period is too long; and that alternative ideas to generate additional revenues must first be considered. One suggestion has been that moorage rates across the board should be increased three percent to cover expenses of this permit process.
PORT QUIZ: Ever heard the term “gundecking?” One of my Navy friends reminded me recently of this questionable, though maybe not uncommon, practice aboard ship (and at other places). Apparently ship’s records, logs, and other documents were sometimes prepared long after the event giving rise to the requirement for the record, on an as needed basis, down below in crew berthing between the cannons — the “gundeck.” Opportunities for fabrication commonly arose.
How about a new one? Ever said you have been “bamboozled?” Its derivation is from seafarers’ lingo … so what did it originally mean? Send your best “guess” to commissioner.swann@portofpoulsbo.com. The first response with the correct answer will be recognized in The Scuttlebutt’s next issue
Got a naval term to offer? Don’t be shy… you too can contribute to our community’s nautical heritage and The Scuttlebutt.
FREE PUBS. Each month, two entertaining and informative publications are delivered to the port for free distribution to the public. “48 North, the Sailing Magazine,” and “Northwest Yachting,” for power-boaters, are available from the sliding window on the marina side of the bathhouse (near the ramp to the docks). Each reports boating events scheduled throughout the Northwest, and discusses issues of interest to the boating community and, as previously noted, they are free.
PORT EMAIL LIST. The Port’s email list permits the Port Manager and staff to efficiently contact tenants, visitors, and Port District residents. If you would like to be on our contact list, please send your name, contact information, and email address to: manager@portofpoulsbo.com.
PORT INVITATION. The commissioners, employees, tenants and guests of the Port of Poulsbo (www.portofpoulsbo.com), one of 75 Washington state ports, wish you a safe visit to Poulsbo’s spectacular Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park, and a safe transit on Liberty Bay. Bring your friends and families down to the port’s marina and greet our staff and visiting boaters on E and F docks. (Watch us by webcam at www.siteground315.com/~longship/.)
Also, port commissioners meet twice monthly to talk with district residents, marina tenants, and others from the community. Mark your calendar for the first and third Thursdays, 1900 (7 p.m.), and come down to the port’s floating conference room to find out what’s going in the Poulsbo Port District.
— Stephen L. Swann is a Port of Poulsbo commissioner. Contact him at commissioner.swann@portofpoulsbo.com
