Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners

0:00 [ Music ] >> Folks, we're live. Good morning. Welcome to the Board of Vancouver Commission meeting. Today is Tuesday, June 9, 2026. I'm calling the public meeting to order at 9.30. There was no executive session held this morning. Please note this meeting is being recorded. My name is Don Orange. I'm the Commission President for the Board of Vancouver Joining me is Commissioner Eric LeBrant

0:59 and Commissioner Temple Lance. We're conducting a hybrid meeting today along with our in-person meeting we're having here. We're also set up so those who are not physically able to provide oral testimony can do so virtually. Would you all join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Next up is approval of the minutes. What do you say, Temple? >> I have reviewed the minutes of the last meeting and find them to be in order. So I move approval. >> I'll second the motion. >> All those in favor? >> Aye.

1:58 >> Aye. Unanimous. If I could, I'd like to take a moment of personal privilege or whatever we call this and just take a moment to recognize the families of the folks. About this time, two weeks ago, there was a disaster in Longview that's affected families and communities around. And if you all would allow me to, I will read the names of the folks who lost their lives that morning. Jared Ahmans, 35 years old, Longview. Norman Barlow, 58, Vancouver. Gilbert Bernal, 52, Kelso, Washington.

2:55 Brad Covington, 27, Castle Rock. Tyler Covington, 29, Castle Rock. CJ Doran, 26 years old, Kelso, Washington. Braden Finkes, 38, Gathlamet. John Forsberg, 51, Longview. Dale Miller, 54 years old, Portland, Oregon. Dylan Miller, 27, Longview. Rob Wilson, 48 years old, Glatzkin, Iowa, Oregon. If we could just take a moment.

3:52 I thank you all. We hold them in our thoughts.

4:08 Next up comes open forum. >> Yes. Good morning, commissioners. We do not have anyone that signed up to speak virtually and we do not have anyone in the audience here for open forum. >> Cool. I guess. Next up, action items on the agenda today. >> Yes. We have two action items today. The first one is going to be presented by Kathy Holtby, Real Estate Manager. Good morning, Kathy. >> Good morning, Julia. >> Good morning, commissioners. >> Good morning. >> This action item is to approve the assignment and lease amendment between the Port of Vancouver Industrial Coding Solutions and Gemini Industries. The Port of Vancouver's strategic plan has a goal of pursuing opportunities that utilizes the port's property and infrastructure investments to create jobs and support the community.

5:06 This lease amendment is a result of the port's efforts to successfully retain an employer within the port to maximize utilization of the port's assets and achieve the revenue goals. Industrial Coding Solutions, LLC, ICS, became a tenant in the port in 2019. ICS relocated here from Portland, Oregon. They lease building 2400 Kotobuki Way with 8,400 square feet of warehouse and about 864 square feet of office. And they're on a site area of about 15,758 square feet. The initial term of the lease was for 10 years that began October 22 of 2019 and will expire October 21, 2029. They have two five-year lease options to extend the lease.

6:03 ICS uses its premises for warehousing and distributions of specialized high-grade wood coatings. One of ICS's largest vendors, Gemini Industries, Inc. Gemini, offered to purchase ICS to secure Gemini's first West Coast distribution location. Gemini is a large manufacturer and distribution company in the same product line as ICS. In fact, ICS carried a lot of Gemini's products, which is how this kind of came about. They are headquartered in El Reno, Oklahoma and have seven other locations within the US. They did purchase a company up in Seattle, but it doesn't have a physical location. The employees work remote. But that was their first entry into the Pacific Northwest. And this will be their first physical entry, where they'll actually distribute product.

7:03 Gemini will assume all the lease terms and conditions and responsibilities of the ICS lease upon closing their sales transaction, which would be after the approval of the Board of Commission. Lease revenue to the port over Gemini's remaining initial term is projected to be 220,756 square feet. And they'll also be plus leasehold excise tax, insurance, stormwater recovery, and common area maintenance fee. ICS currently employs four people. Gemini intends to keep all four people and add another full-time employee as soon as they can find one with enough skill to work there. This lease revenue was included in the port's 2026 budget.

8:02 So the recommendation is that the Board of Commissioners approve and authorize the CEO to execute the amendment and assignment between the Port of Vancouver, ICS, and Gemini. And at this time, I would like to introduce Amy with Gemini Industries, who came all the way out here to answer any questions. She's Gemini's environmental and safety manager. Amy, would you like to come up and say a few words? Hello, everyone. How are you all? Thank you for this opportunity allowing us-- Excuse me. Oh, yes, sir. Can you pull that mic closer to you? I sure can. My ears are on. That's OK. And I speak very low, too. I'm Amy McClain. I came from El Reno, Oklahoma. We own Gemini Industries. I started there last July as the environmental health and safety manager. We are an employee-owned company, one of the only companies pretty much in the nation that

9:01 is still employee-owned. It has a lot of perks, lots of input from the employees. We love to hear from our employees. We like to keep our employees safe. That's my job. Environmentally friendly, we are trying to switch from solvent-based to waterborne-based products. That's what we're going to be doing primarily here. So we're trying to be that green company, the next big thing in the next 10 years. Do you guys have any questions for me? No, I'm appreciating the way this meeting started. You're addressing safety and environmental health. Absolutely, yes. Thank you. Not a problem. Thank you. I look forward to it. Thank you. And Peter, would you like to come up and say a couple of words? Sure. Thank you. And I will add that since Peter started, he has been doing that transition from solvent to water-based. And he's made a tremendous progress in the percentage of his products that are that solvent-based and not as environmentally friendly

10:01 as the water-based solvents. So Peter, we're going to pay it to lose you. Yeah, no. I mean, the main thing is I really appreciate the port. And you guys have been a great landlord, honestly. Super responsible, very attentive to everything. I appreciate Kathy for everything you've done. And what you say is true. We've converted probably half of our business into water-based since we've been in the port facility. Partnering with Jim and I, they've been with us for just a year and a half now. But prior to that, the company they had purchased, we had been with for 20 years, which was a really forward leaning company. And Jim and I was interested in them. They made that acquisition about a year and a half ago. We realized we had so much in common, and they needed a physical facility out here in the Northwest. And so everything just came together. So here we are. It's worked out great, and we plan to keep on going. They plan on some big growth, and they're partnering with some really great technology, all water-based.

11:00 A lot of European stuff, too. But manufactured in the US, they have a manufacturing facility in Texas and in Oklahoma. So it's a really nice company, employee-owned. Really happy employees, 120 employees or so. 185. Yeah. No, they're real players. They have distributors like us, I think four others across the country. So we're excited. Thank you much. All right, thank you. We're glad you're here. Did you guys have any-- I can take the vote. Temple's got something she'd like to-- OK, sure. So with the presentations, two great companies. We're losing one, but we're gaining another. So we're really excited about that. Temple, did you have something? I have a question. This sounds fantastic, and I'm really happy to hear about business practices and the enthusiastic partnership in the sale. I'm curious, just on a process level,

11:59 when something like this comes up that there is a new company wanting to take over an existing lease, I know that for new leases, we have a long process to determine whether the tenant and the landlord are good fits. What's the process look like when it's a lease takeover like this to vet the new business? Certainly. That's a really good question. It's actually the same. We go through the same thorough and detailed process that we do for a brand new lease. So we do the credit application. We do the safety investigation. We look at their business practices. All of our tenants have to have a safety plan in place. And because that does take time after possession, Gemini is allowed to work under ICS's safety plan and process until they are able to develop and build together theirs.

12:56 All the permits stay active. So they have done their diligence for the company as they purchase through. But we also went through the same process to develop the project description. We involved all of the different departments-- finance, security, operations, maintenance, environmental. Every single one of those, we sent out a core form so that each department had the ability to comment on each one of the things that they had concerns about or questions about. And that's how we communicate and make sure we get input from every department to address that specific action, whatever it is. And once that goes through, we summarize it and send it out. And then we present it to the leadership team of all the directors and see and gather

13:55 whether they have anything that they would like to add or question. And so we go through that part. The new company also has to do the environmental questionnaire based on their products that they're anticipating. And initially, they will be doing and using the same products because that's part of the purchase is all the products and everything-- infrastructure, all the personal property in the building. And then I think eventually there'll probably be some transition from a few of the products to the Gemini's products to bring those in more. They're already there, but I think having more of them probably. And any time they bring new product in-- and this is true for any tenant-- is they have to do product approval. It's a one-page sheet that talks about what the product is, what the cargo is, for example, whatever it might be, and then provide the full specs on that particular product or material. And then our environmental department reviews it.

14:55 And then we, in the commercial managing the lease, also review that. If we see that, depending on what it is, that it needs other departments to review it, we will send it out to them as well. And that's how we work through the different products that are being handled or inside the different things. And if the particular material happens to come in that they want to handle-- for example, there may need to be some additional safety items that have to be done to handle that product. And for example, in this particular building, Peter, when he went in, it was an extensive process to renovate this building and adapt it to his products because some of them are solvent-based, so there is a fire hazard. They have four-hour sheetrock. He had to put in special sprinklers. He had to put in special lights.

15:52 Had to put in a high base around that particular room. And it has an immediate closed door so that all of this-- and it was all in compliance and with coordination with the city of Vancouver, so that it was all done according to the specs zoning and permitting. So it's being handled very safely. And I have to say that any time that the environmental and facilities folks have gone in and done their inspections, we usually do one. It depends on the facility, but it will be every year, or it may be every three, four years if they're not handling anything. They're handling paper, whatever. Each one of those things that usually environmental or facilities come in and say, these are the recommended actions just to fix something or do something better, clean up. Peter has fixed every single one of them. I think he's the first tenant that does that,

16:51 because it's a recommendation, but he doesn't. So we have really appreciated Peter as a tenant. And we hate to miss him, but I know that from meeting all of-- their team all came out and presented and gave us a huge introduction and overview of their company, provided us for all the information that we needed. And we feel very comfortable with Jim and I coming to join the part in taking over Peter's operations. - Check with the answer. Very pertinent question. Thank you. We got any more questions or you want to put her on the spot? - Oh, I'm not going to put anyone on the spot. But on the larger map that's zoomed out a little bit, my house is on there. [LAUGHTER] So it's great to hear about the safety items and all the attention to those details that's gone into that.

17:51 Yeah, it's like a literal block away. So welcome to the neighborhood. I'm also excited to hear that it's an employee-owned company. I think that's a fantastic model, but it seems to be good for the company. It's good for the employees. It just works really well. We've got some other good examples of that. So that was neat to hear. So yeah, welcome. - Did you introduce a-- did you-- - I think I read the recommendation. - All right, that was a long time ago. - It was. [LAUGHTER] - Well, then I'll move that we adopt the recommendation as presented. - Second. - All those in favor? - Aye. Unanimously. - Thank you, commissioners. - Thank you.

18:50 - Thank you, Kathy. OK, so we have-- our second action item is going to be presented by Lori Kaler, our industrial and maritime sales manager. - Thank you. Good morning. - Good morning, commissioners. The second action item is to approve the first lease amendment between the Port of Vancouver and Food Express Inc. The Port of Vancouver's strategic plan has established a goal to support growth and economic opportunities for existing tenants and generate and sustain diversified revenues. Food Express Inc stores, transloads, and blends non-hazardous bulk products and has been a valued port tenant since 1990. FXI and the port entered into a new lease agreement on April 1, 2016 for a term of 10 years with two options to extend for five years each.

19:50 This lease includes 13,000 square feet of warehouse space and 1,840 linear feet of rail track on a site area of 95,500 square feet. The purpose of this lease amendment is to exercise the first extension option to extend the lease for a period of five years, ending on March 31, 2031. In consideration of the lease extension, the port will complete improvements to repair exterior and interior siding and paneling. FXI will reimburse the port for the actual cost of improvements over $50,000. FXI currently has seven employees in Vancouver and 45 employees nationwide. If approved, the value of this amendment is approximately $770,249 over the term, plus additional charges for stormwater, common area maintenance, rail fees, and leasehold excise tax.

20:49 Revenue from this lease was included in the 2026 budget. The recommendation is that the board of commissioners approve and authorize the CEO to execute the First Amendment lease at 2901 Northwest Lower River Road between the Port of Vancouver and Food Express Inc. And I'm sorry I didn't get your house on this map. Are there any questions? Hearing none, I'll move that we adopt the recommendation as presented. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Unanimously. Thank you. Thank you, Lori. Unfinished business. Commissioners, each month in your packet, you will find the port contract logs. This includes all public works as well as service contracts that the port currently has active. The highlighted sections of the contract log

21:48 is the most recent activity. And these logs are also located on the port's website, so anyone has the ability to review active contracts with the port. Any questions on anything? All right. How about new business? No new business today. How about some accounts payable? Absolutely. Nick McIntyre, our accounting manager, will present our payable. Good morning, Nick. Good morning. Thank you. Good morning, commissioners. Good morning. We did not receive any questions prior to the meeting, so I'll start by reading the recommendation and then open the floor for questions. The recommendation is that the Port of Vancouver, USA Board of Commissioners, by motion, ratifies and approve the payments of May 2026 vouchers 128031 through 128389

22:43 in the amount of $7,607,762.79, including electronic payments generated between May 1, 2026 and May 31, 2026 in the amount of $4,719,373.50, and May 2026 payroll checks 52264682 and 52267883, and direct deposits 190001 through 190133 and 210001

23:28 through 210134 in the amount of $813,678.06. Well, I have no questions. So I move approval of the recommendation as presented. I'll second the motion. All those in favor? Aye. Unanimously. Thank you. Thank you, Nick. Thank you. Are we to project updates? Yes, we are. So Mark Newell, our project delivery manager, is going to present some more projects today. Hi, Mark. New projects. Yes. Good morning, commissioners. Just a couple projects to give an update and one new project. And we do have a number of other projects going on at any given time.

24:27 Just a quick update snapshot from the Terminal 1 dock replacement project. Project is-- we have got to the 50% level on this project. So kind of an interim milestone there. Project, as you can see here, lots of continued work. The stage 1 pile caps are about 80%. And you can see those kind of marching down on the lower right-hand corner of the screen there. And they're continuing to work towards the downstream end and towards the Vancouver landing. So we'll continue to see that operation. They continue to install Holocore precast panels. And those are those ones that are kind of stepped down a little bit. And that is the crawl space below the future public market. So that continues.

25:23 And then they are forming up kind of edge construction elements in kind of the far distance there. And they will eventually pour kind of the short walls that kind of surround that area as well. So continuing to make good progress down there. There are a number of items that are material fabrication, guardrails, and some of those other pieces around the perimeter. And then, of course, the future dock fender system is in procurement right now as well by the contractor. So of course, that won't be installed until we get to the next in-water work window. And that's just at the face of the dock. So they have to complete the face of the dock so that they can attach these items to that area. And then that will fall into the schedule when that work is completed. Next project, next slide, is building 2001 improvements.

26:23 This is a new project for the port. The contractor is Pacific Tech Construction. And really, the purpose of this project has been an area that we've identified for a while that needs to extend the life of the roof. And so this project is focused on that. It's about 170,000 square foot building. And so this roof replacement system will start up here. And the intent of this project is to wrap this project up by the end of the year. And so the contractor's focus right now is mobilizing, working on removing, select removal, and stripping some sections of areas. They have to replace the gutters. They have some penetrations that they need to remove and replace.

27:23 And then this project also has a number of interior office improvements, replacing drywall, replacing ceiling panels, and a number of items that will go through and phase that in with the contractor working both above and inside. So obviously, we are working really closely to make sure that we're not impacting their production and working around and, of course, working safely. There's also some fire sprinkler updates. And as mentioned, there's select abatement. There's some layer of abatement within the roofing area itself. And so we'll try to address that with that as well with this contractor. Next slide. This is just a little bit of an access setup. The contractor's out there. And then the next slide shows a little bit of just the existing roof system.

28:22 So they're currently setting up their access. Or they have been currently set up in access in this photograph. But this will be kind of an overlaid roof, actually induction-welded kind of roof setup. And they've broken this area into like six or eight locations to kind of phase in the roof work as they kind of go. So that is kind of all that I have right now. We do have our other projects continue. Birth five is continuing. Our birth repairs project continues. Actually, it should be wrapped up here in the next few days. So that's good. And then, of course, our trail project and other ones continue. And then this building will be looking for some good weather to start painting. Any questions? When you say an overlaid roof, does that mean coated?

29:21 Or does that mean-- It's a membrane system that's installed. And it's magnetically kind of welded or heat-fused to the surface below it. So it's kind of a-- I won't say it's a proprietary system, but sort of a proprietary system with some performance guidelines for a 20-year warranty. Thank you. Thank you, Mark. And I have been traveling the last couple of weeks, meeting with customers and some of our shipping partners. And so that is all I have today. Cool. What's your order here? I think you're up. OK. So in the last couple of weeks, we had a meeting of the RTC, the Regional Transportation Council.

30:19 And news there, we approved the TIP, which is the Transportation Improvement Program, which is just one of the many bureaucratic steps to authorize and secure funding for transportation-related projects in southwest Washington. And then also met with Labor Roundtable and saw them Friday. So what was on a lot of folks' minds was the events in Longview and a lot of conversation around keeping people safe, making sure everybody who goes to work in the morning comes home at night. Thank you. Eric, what do you got? I don't have a ton to report. I did have a chance to go on one of our public tours last week. It was a lot of fun. We've changed up the format a little bit. And I think it actually feels like it

31:17 goes quite a bit faster than kind of the previous format. But as usual, lots of cool stuff to see on that tour. I think at this point, they're all booked up and waiting list only. But definitely, I'm glad we're able to interface with our community in that way. Also wanted to mention and call out that June is Pride Month. And actually, I was looking back and noticing that the first bullet point in our organizational goals is to recruit and retain a talented and diverse workforce. And so I wanted to take a moment to appreciate the folks who are on our team, who

32:14 are also members of the LGBTQ community, that makes this a better place to work and makes this a stronger organization. So thank you. I have very little. I went to a meeting following this one of the national electoral contractors with the local 48 of the Electrical Workers Union. And they're describing the challenges in meeting upcoming electrical needs in this area. We've done Portland on the same day as our meeting. I also went to-- I went to labor last Wednesday, the Labor Council meeting. And there was a lot of it. And it made me kind of feel-- I used to go in and out of the Weyerhaeuser plant sometimes on a daily basis in Longview.

33:12 And this is-- we're an extension of that community. And it made me feel and think about our responsibility as landlords, as stewardship of this facility here and what it means. And when we're talking about transferring tendencies or-- and I don't know what happened. And I don't-- and it's heartbreaking what happened. Did I have much more than that to say? Not much. I think I talked long enough. Oh, a consultant working on the river talked to-- I don't know if you guys were in on--

34:12 we can't talk-- we can't go to the same meeting. But a consultant in the river, on the river, explained to us what we're doing to work with the federal folks to make sure that the river stays at 43 feet and at a cost where we can be competitive to keep bringing the freight down through here that we do this week. And other than that, not much. Juliana is going to bring to us upcoming events and communicating with commissioners. - Yes. So we have our next regular commission meeting. It's Tuesday, June 23rd at 930 right here. And as you can see, there are a lot of fun community activities happening. And you'll see them noted there.

35:08 And also, just a reminder to get on the wait list for the port tours. I know that they are very popular. They do fill up fast. But get on the wait list in case you can join us for a port tour. And just a reminder on how to communicate with the commissioners. You have the ability to come join us here during open forum. You can email the commissioners, contact the office, and we'll get folks in touch with the commissioners. And then get on the port's website. There's a lot of great information of projects that are happening at your port. - Very cool. It's time to announce there's no workshop, no administrative work session. We're going to sign some documents and then adjourn. So thank you all. Have a good day.