Place plans for the John Wayne Marina on hold for at least a year.

Following the Port of Port Angeles’ commissioner meeting on Dec. 11, the Peninsula Daily News reported that commissioners voted unanimously not to take any action until after Dec. 1, 2019 on leasing, ownership and/or some other combination of operations.

Port Executive Director Karen Goschen said in an interview that commissioners will review Requests for Information (RFIs) by late January or early February 2020 from potential renters or owners of the marina.

“It’ll be conceptual options brought forward,” Goschen said. “They won’t be full-fleshed proposals. It will take six months to a year after we get the conceptual models to explore the best options. There’s a lot of due-diligence.

“It’s all options (of operations), except for the sale to a for-profit entity. The (City of Sequim), (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) or someone else we lease (or sell) it to would do the capital improvements and operate the marina.”

Goschen said commissioners will seek information such as the entity’s revenue model, plan for repairs, interest in adding amenities, and reminding them of the importance of maintaining public access.

Officials with the City of Sequim and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe both say they’re interested in submitting an RFI. Both entities’ leaders are exploring splitting the cost up to $80,000 for a cost estimate of repairs and operations of the marina.

Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush said in an interview that tribal leaders approached city officials about partnering and splitting the costs.

Sequim city councilors expressed interest on Dec. 10 for their staff to explore an interlocal agreement with the port, to possibly share costs in an assessment but forgo any decisions until the assessment was finished.

However, Sequim City Attorney Kristina Nelson-Gross said in an interview that the agreement wasn’t needed following the port’s unanimous decision to wait a year.

City councilor Ted Miller said on Dec. 10, “It’d be a good gesture on their part to pay a portion.”

Nelson-Gross said that asking the port to pay for a portion of the assessment might delay any decision making and that by not delaying the process it demonstrates the importance of the issue.

Goschen said in an interview that, “because the commission made a commitment not to take action before Dec. 1, 2019. It was unnecessary to do any kind of agreement.”

She also told the PDN that participating in the assessment wasn’t needed because the port has its own information on the marina.

Port staff estimate the marina requires $22 million in improvements by 2035. The Clallam County Assessor’s Office has valued the marina land and improvements at 2577 W. Sequim Bay Road at $7.7 million.

Goschen said in an interview they’ll provide any information from their study an entity like the city may need.

Possibilities

Jamestown’s Tribal Chairman Ron Allen said the tribe is interested in the marina to protect its commercial shellfish barges and, potentially, developing near the marina.

One option the tribe may explore, Allen said, is managing the marina while the city holds ownership.

Bush said the city’s Shoreline Master Plan makes it so the marina can only be owned by public entities — which doesn’t include the tribe or for-profit businesses.

City councilors intend to hold an “advance” (retreat) on Jan. 4 at the Sequim Transit Center where they’ll explore options for the assessment with the tribe, Nelson-Gross said.

“We’ll prepare a full proposal that will go above and beyond what the port is asking for,” she said.

Nelson-Gross said the agreement between the city and tribe isn’t set yet though.

“There is a lot of conversation that will be had,” she said. “We’ve got some ideas and the tribe has some ideas. We’re working on a series of meetings with the tribe and we’re going to be gauging the council’s willingness to allow us to go through the process before ultimately responding to the port’s RFI.”

Nelson-Gross said she doesn’t yet know what those ideas are, specifically.

“A lot of the ideas are conceptual,” she said.

“But the city is probably looking more at an acquisition. We expect we’re going to have a lot of conversations.”

The PDN reported the Port of Port Angeles plans to blackout public information requests on the proposals until after Dec. 1, 2019 to avoid the dissemination of “partial” or “speculative” information. Potential buyers/lessees are encouraged not to submit information prior to next December, too.

For more information about the Port of Port Angeles, visit www.portofpa.com or call 360-457-8527.

Peninsula Daily News Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb contributed to this report and can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.