The Port of Columbia is seeking a full time Economic Development Coordinator to join our team. This is a full time position with benefits, depending on experience. Please send your cover letter and resume in PDF format to jennie@portofcolumbia.org by 5:00 pm Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Click here for complete job description and details. We look forward to working with you!
RFP – Fiber Optic Materials for the Touchet Valley Broadband Project
The Port of Columbia is seeking proposals for the supply of fiber optic materials for the Touchet Valley Broadband Project in Columbia County, WA.
The Touchet Valley Broadband Project connects to existing Port of Columbia-owned fiber infrastructure serving Dayton, WA and its adjacent areas. The project will extend fiber about 6 miles into a rural, underserved area of the county along the Highway 12 commercial corridor west of Dayton and includes last mile construction to the homes and businesses along this corridor.
Please provide proposals for the materials listed in Exhibit A, Port of Columbia Owner Supplied Material List, on or before 4:00 p.m. on June 7, 2023. Proposals must be submitted in writing via email to jennie@portofcolumbia.org. The RFP and Exhibit A can be found here.
The Project Owner reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted, and to request additional information for any submission. The Project Owner reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or to waive any irregularity. The terms of any final contract will be established by negotiation.
Small businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and minority-owned businesses are encouraged to respond.
The Port of Columbia is an equal-opportunity employer.
This Project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number CPFFN0145 awarded to State of Washington by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This Project was awarded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Grant funds are administered by the America Rescue Plan Act, Coronavirus Capital Projects Funds, Washington State Public Works Board.
Comp Plan Update Process
Flyer for Comprehensive Plan Update Process. This flyer contains a timeline and answers to frequently asked questions.
Broadband Information Meeting 1-26-23
Join us for a Broadband Information Meeting on January 26th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm in the Pavilion at the Fairgrounds. Ask questions, meet the Contractor and talk to the Internet Service Providers. Light refreshments will be served.
Notice of Public Hearing on Sale of Port Property for Business Expansion
Notice is hereby given that the Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on January 11, 2023 at 5:15 pm in the Port Conference Room at 1 Port Way, Dayton, WA to consider authorizing the sale of vacant lots U & V in the Rock Hill Industrial Tracts 2 located on Cameron Street in Dayton, WA.
Table Rock Meat Co has made a request to purchase the two lots, comprised of 2.6 acres, for the proposed construction of a USDA certified meat processing facility. A full packet of information including, but not limited to, a map of the property, the appraisals used to determine sale price, and the prospective business development plan can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Any citizen wishing to comment on this potential land sale may do so during the public hearing. The Port Commission must decide whether to proceed with the sale within 3 days of the public hearing, followed by a 20-day appeal period prior to the completion of sale.
Port Seeks Proposals for Comp Plan Update
Notice is hereby given that the Port of Columbia is seeking proposals from qualified firms to assist the 3-member Port Commission in the process of updating the Port of Columbia Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements, commonly known as the Comprehensive Plan in accordance with RCW 53.20.
Proposals received will be evaluated based on the criteria provided in the RFP and subsequent discussions with staff and commissioners in order to find the best candidate to assist our small port district with this important process.
A full Request for Proposals can be found on the Port’s website at https://www.portofcolumbia.org/doing-work-for-the-port/requests-for-quotes-proposals-qualifications/ . Proposals will be received at the Port office via email to jennie@portofcolumbia.org no later than 3 pm Thursday, October 7, 2022.
Port of Columbia Awarded $2 Million Broadband Infrastructure Grant
DAYTON, WA – Port of Columbia staff, along with private partner Columbia iConnect, made a presentation to the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) on Thursday, July 14th in Olympia and left with a $2 million award.
Acceptance of the $2 million grant is contingent upon the community providing $500,000 in matching funds. The Port applied for and received $20,000 from the Sherwood Trust, $15,000 from the Warren Community Fund, and $13,500 from the Dayton Columbia County Fund to use as matching funds, and has pledged $20,000 from their 2021 budget for the project as well.
“This is a rare opportunity to bring hard-earned federal tax dollars back to our community for the benefit of our citizens,” stated Jennie Dickinson, Port of Columbia executive director. “A relatively small local contribution by the Port and our community partners can benefit thousands of residents.”
Requests will be made to Columbia County and the City of Dayton for the remainder of the funds required.
The Port has been working with community partners, including the City of Dayton, Columbia County, and private sector internet service providers since 2019 to address inadequate and unreliable internet service in our community. Even before the pandemic, Port staff heard concerns from many businesses and community members about how limiting our current internet service was. COVID-19 only exacerbated the issue. It became clear that in order for the community to remain attractive to residents and businesses, to meet current health care needs, and to provide adequate opportunities for education, improvements needed to be made.
In February 2020, the Port completed a feasibility study for a dark fiber network in the City of Dayton and some adjacent, more dense areas in the county. The study showed that it is financially feasible to operate a fiber optic network under the public/private partnership model in our community. The project would provide access to broadband for any of the 1,278 businesses and residents in the project area that are interested in fiber service.
The Port will not be providing internet service to customers. The system will be what’s called an open access network, meaning any interested internet service provider that is willing to invest in equipment can offer fiber internet service to the premises by leasing strands of the Port’s fiber infrastructure. Basically, the Port builds the “road,” and the private sector “drives” on it to deliver service to customers.
The Port provided information and an invitation to partner to all existing service providers prior to applying for funds, and have signed contingency agreements with 3 companies – Columbia iConnect, PocketiNet, and Emerge by Inland Cellular – to lease fiber from the Port and deliver internet service to their existing and to new customers.
The Port of Garfield recently completed the same type of fiber infrastructure in Pomeroy, and customers there are receiving 1 gigabyte of service for $70 per month through the private internet providers. 50% of the premises in their project area are using this new service.
More information on the project can be found on the Port’s website at https://www.portofcolumbia.org/economic-development/broadband/ .