New Port of Moses Lake commissioner started Monday

MOSES LAKE - The Port of Moses Lake welcomed its newest commissioner Monday afternoon.

David Plate was sworn in at the beginning of the port district's regular board of commissioners meeting Monday.

Commissioner Mike Conley said Plate was the best candidate the port district saw to fill the void left after longtime Commissioner Larry Peterson died in April.

"His overseas experience, I think will be a real asset to us," Conley said.

"His background in business and land development certainly gave him a good score for us when we were interviewing," Commissioner Delone Krueger said. "We had other good candidates, too, but we felt that was one of the areas he was strong in that could help us, and we welcome him to our commission."

Plate said he believes the port has a good opportunity to carry on tradition as it enters an "enormous" period of growth.

"I'm very excited to be here, and recognize there's an enormous amount of work to be done," Plate said.

During the meeting, commissioners tabled authorization to approve salary adjustments for non-unionized staff until the next meeting July 28. Conley asked to see the adjustment in dollars before making a decision.

"Before I agree to spend money, I want to see what the dollars are we're spending," Conley explained.

The port commissioners approved a contract with Arrow Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., for reroofing of the Genie Industries building, a request for building modifications to Crown Moving and authorization to request bids for a lean-to roof of Building 2203, which is a military hangar.

The port agreed to reroof bays three and four of Genie Industries, a reroof project on Building 2203 and electronic moisture testing on the roof of the Weinstein and ChemiCon buildings.

A public hearing for Northern Columbia Basin Railroad environmental assessment and engineering report was rescheduled from July 31 to August or early September.