Folks. We're live. Good morning.
Welcome to the Board of Coover
Commission meeting. Today is
Tuesday, June 9th, 2026. I'm
calling the public meeting to
order at 930. There was no
executive session held this
morning. Please note this
meeting is being recorded. My
name is Don orange and I'm the
Commission president for the
Port of Vancouver. Joining me,
Commissioner Eric LaBrant and
Commissioner Temple Lance. We
are 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? 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?
>> I.
>> I. 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 at 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 Almond's 35 years old,
Longview. Norman Barlow, 58,
Vancouver. Gilbert Burnell, 52,
Kelso, Washington Brad
Covington, 27, Castle Rock,
Tyler Covington, 29. Castle
Rock, C J. Doran, 26 years old.
Kelso, Washington. Braden
Finca's, 38, Cathlamet John
Forsberg, 51, Longview. Dale
Miller, 54 years old, Portland,
Oregon. Dillon Miller, 27,
Longview. Rob Wilson, 48 years
old, classic and I, Oregon. If
we could just take a moment. I
thank y'all. We hold them in
our thoughts. 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. Good morning
commissioners. Good morning.
This action item is to approve
the assignment and lease
amendment between the Port of
Vancouver Industrial Coating
Solutions and Gemini Industries.
The Port of Vancouver Strategic
Plan has a goal of pursuing
opportunities that utilizes the
port's property and
infrastructure investments to
create jobs and support the
community. 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
Coating Solutions, LLC, ICS
became a tenant in the port in
2019. ICS relocated here from
Portland, Oregon. They leased
building 2400 Kotobuki Way with
8400ft² of warehouse and about
six 864ft² of office. And
they're on a site area of about
15,758ft². The initial term of
the lease was for ten years.
That began October 22nd of 2019
and will expire October 21st,
2029. They have two five year
lease options to extend the
lease. ICS uses its premises
for warehousing and
distributions of specialized
high grade wood coatings. One
of ICS 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. The 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 220,756ft², and
they'll also be plus leasehold
excise tax, insurance,
stormwater recovery and common
area maintenance fees. 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 their. This lease
revenue was included in the
port's 2026 budget, so the
recommendation is that the
Board of Commissioners approve
and authorize the CEO to
execute the amendment and
assignment of. 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?
>> Thank you.
>> Hello, everyone. How are
y'all? Good morning. Thank you
for this opportunity allowing
us. Excuse me. Oh yes sir.
>> Mike Gloucester.
>> To you I sure can.
>> My ears are.
>> That's okay. And I speak
very low to. 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 is still employee
owned, 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 switching, 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 the next ten
years. Do you guys have any
questions for me?
>> No. I'm appreciating the way
this meeting started. You're
addressing safety and
environmental.
>> Absolutely.
>> Yes.
>> Thank you. Not a problem.
Thank you.
>> Look forward to.
>> Thank you. Thanks. Amy.
>> And Peter, would you like to
come up and say a couple words?
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 as the
water based solvents. So Peter
can hate delusion.
>> Yeah. No.
>> No, I mean, the main thing
is I really appreciate the port
and everything. You guys have
been a great landlord, honestly.
Super responsible, very
attentive to everything. I
appreciate everything you've
done and what you say is true.
We've converted probably half
of our business into water base
since we've been in the port
facility, partnering with Jim
and 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 is 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 base, 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 it, really happy
employees, 120 employees or so.
185 yeah, no, they're real
players. They have distributors
like us. I think for others
across the country. Yeah. So
we're excited.
>> So that's it. Thank you much.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> We're glad you're here.
Thank you.
>> Did you guys.
>> Have any.
>> Temples. Got something she'd
like to.
>> Okay, sure. So the
presentations two great
companies. We're losing one,
but we're gaining another. So
we're really excited about that.
Did you have something?
>> Yeah, I have a 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 on a,
just on a process level, 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
we're, you know, the tenant and
the landlord are good fits.
What's the process look like
when it's a it's a lease
takeover like this to, 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, you
know, their business practices.
All of our tenants have to have
a safety plan in place. And
because it does take time after
possession, Jim and I is
allowed to work under excess
safety plan and process until
they are able to develop and
build together theirs. 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 we
present it to the leadership
team of all the directors and
see and gather 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 they'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 do
bring new product in, and this
is true for any tenant, is they
have to do a 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. 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. Like. Safety items
that have to be done to handle
that product. And for example,
in this particular building,
they Peter, when he put went in
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 for our
sheetrock. He had to put in
special sprinklers. He had to
put in special lights, 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 one, it depends
on the facility, but it will be
every year or maybe every three,
four years if they're not
handling anything, you know,
they're handling paper, you
know, whatever, each one of
those things that, you know,
usually environmental or
facilities that come in say,
these are the recommended
actions just to, you know, fix
something or do something
better. Clean up. Peter has
fixed every single one of them,
and I think he's the first
tenant that does that because
it's a recommendation, but he
doesn't. So we have really
appreciated Peter as 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 port and
taking over Peter's operations.
>> Guettich of an answer. A
very pertinent question. Thank
you. Okay. 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,
the, the larger map that's
that's zoomed out a little bit.
My house is on there. So it's,
it's great to hear about the,
the safety items. Yes. You know,
and all the attention to, to
those details. That's, that's
gone into that. Yeah. It's.
Like, I think like a literal
block away. So, so, you know,
welcome to the neighborhood.
I'm also excited to hear about,
you know, that it's an employee
owned company. I think that's a
fantastic model that that is
seems to be good for the
company. It's good for the
employees. Like it just works
really well. And we've got some
some other good examples of
that. So that was that was neat
to hear. So yeah. Welcome. Okay.
>> Did you introduce a did you.
>> I think I read the
recommendation.
>> A long time ago.
>> It was.
>> Well then I'll move that we
adopt the recommendation as
presented.
>> Second.
>> All those in favor?
>> Aye.
>> I unanimously.
>> Thank you commissioners.
>> Thank you. Thank you Kathy.
Okay. So we have our second
action item is going to be
presented by Laurie Taylor, our
industrial and maritime sales
manager. Thank you. Good
morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners.
>> Morning.
>> The second action item is to
approve the first lease
amendment between the Port of
Vancouver and Food Express,
Inc. the Port of Vancouver
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 trans loads and blends
non-hazardous bulk products and
has been a valued port tenant
since 1990. FX, I and the port
entered into a new lease
agreement on April 1st, 2016
for a term of ten years, with
two options to extend for five
years each. This lease includes
13,000ft² of warehouse space
and 1840 linear feet of rail
track on a site area of
95,500ft². 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
31st, 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. 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.
>> I, I.
>> I 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 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,
accounting manager, will
present our payables. 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 approved the
payments of May 2026. Vouchers
128031 through 128389 in the
amount of $7,607,762.79,
including electronic payments
generated between May 1st, 2026
and May 31st, 2026 in the
amount of $4,719,373.50 in May
2026. Payroll checks 52264, 682
and 52267883 and direct
deposits 190001 through 190133
and 210001 through 210134, and
the amount of $813,678.06.
>> Leisure.
>> Well, I have no questions.
So I'd move approval of the
recommendation as presented.
>> I'll second the motion.
>> All those in favor.
>> Aye aye aye.
>> Unanimously.
>> Thank you. Thank you Nick.
>> Nick. Thank you. Nick. Are
we to project updates?
>> Yes we are. So Mark Newell,
our project delivery manager,
is going to present some more
projects today.
>> Mark projects?
>> Yes. Good morning
commissioners. Just a couple of
projects to give an update and
one new project. And we do have
a number of other projects
going on at any given time.
Just a quick update. Snapshot
from the terminal one dock
replacement project project is
is we're 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 one pile caps are about
80%. And and you can see those
kind of marching down on the
lower right hand corner of the
screen there. And they're
continuing to, to work towards
the downstream end and towards
the Vancouver landing. So we'll,
we'll continue to see that
operation. They continue to
install Hollowcore precast
panels. And those are those
ones that are kind of stepped
down a little bit. And that is,
is the crawl space for the
below the future public market.
So that that continues. And
then they are forming up kind
of edge. Edge, edge
construction elements in kind
of the far distance there. And
they will eventually pour kind
of those short walls that 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, the future dock
fender system is, 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 they will that will
fall into the schedule when
that work is completed. Next
project. Next slide is building
2001 improvements. This is a
new new project for the port.
To the contractor is Pacific
Tech Construction. And really
the purpose of this project has
been an area that we've
identified for, for a while
that needs, you know, a needs
to extend the life of the roof.
And so this project is, is, is
focused on that. It's about 170
zero zero zero square foot
building that. 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 contractors focus right
now is, is mobilizing, working
on removing select removal and
stripping some sections of
areas. They have to replace the
gutters. They have some, some,
some penetrations that they
need to remove and replace. And
then this project also has a
number of interior office
improvements replacing drywall,
replacing ceiling panels, and a
number of items that will kind
of go through and phase that in
with the contractor working
both above and, and in, in
inside. So obviously, you know,
we, we are working really
closely to, to make sure that
we're not impacting their
production and working around
and, and of course, working
safely. There's also some fire
sprinkler updates. And as
mentioned, there is the select
abatement. There's some layer
of abatement within the within
the roofing area itself. And so
we'll try to address that with,
with that as well with this
contractor. Next slide. This is
just kind of, you know, a
little bit of access set up.
The contractor is out there.
And then the next slide shows a
little bit of just the the
existing roof system. So
they're currently setting up
kind of their access and or
they have been currently set up
in access in this photograph,
but this will be a kind of an
overlaid roof, actually
induction welded kind of roof
setup. So and they've broken
this area into like six low 6
or 8 locations to, to kind of
phase in 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. Berth five
is, is, is continuing. Our
berth repairs project continues.
Actually, it should be wrapped
up here in the next few days.
So that's good. And then of
course, you know, 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 see an overlaid
roof?
>> Yes.
>> Does that mean coated or
does that mean.
>> It's a it's a membrane
system that's installed and
it's magnetically it's
magnetically kind of welded or
heat fuzed to, 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, you
know, for, for a 20 year
warranty.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you Mark.
>> All right.
>> Thank you. Thank you. Mark.
>> Yep.
>> And I have been traveling
the last couple weeks meeting
with customers and some of our
shipping partners. And so that
is all I have today.
>> Cool. What's the order here?
I think you're up.
>> Okay. So in the last couple
of weeks, we had a meeting of
the RTC, the Regional
Transportation Council, and
news there. We're just we 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 projects, transportation
related projects in southwest
Washington, and then also met
with Labor Roundtable and saw
them, saw them Friday. So it
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.
>> So thank you, Eric, what do
you got?
>> I don't have a ton to report.
I did have a chance to go on,
on one of our public tours last
week. There's a lot of a lot of
fun. We've changed up the
format a little bit, and I
think it, it actually feels
like it goes quite a bit faster
than, than, you know, kind of
the, the previous format. So,
but as usual, lots of cool
stuff to, to see on that tour.
I think at this point they're
all booked up and, and, you
know, waiting list only, but
definitely a, I'm glad we're
able to interface with our
community in that way. I also
wanted to mention and call out
that June is pride Month and we,
the actually I was, I was
looking back and noticing that
the first bullet point in our
organizational goals is to
recruit and retain talented and
diverse workforce. And so I
wanted to take a moment to
appreciate the. The folks who
are on our team, who are also
members of the LGBTQ community
that make this a better place
to work and make this a
stronger organization. So thank
you. Cool.
>> I have very little. I went
to a meeting following this.
One of the national electrical
contractors with the with the
local 48 of the Electrical
Workers Union. And there
describing the challenges in
meeting upcoming electrical
needs in this area was done.
Done in 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
this. 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. And this is we're an
extension of that community.
And. It made me feel and think
about our, our. Responsibility
as landlords as, as, as
stewardship of, of this
facility here and what it means.
And, and when we're talking
about. Transferring tenancies
or, or, or, and I don't know
what happened and I don't and
it's, 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. 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 43ft
and at a cost where we can be
competitive to keep bringing
the freight down, 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 is
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. 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