Strategic Planning: The Port’s true navigation device
PORT OF ASTORIA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jim Knight
503-741-3337
jknight@portofastoria.com
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Matt McGrath
503-741-3336
mmcgrath@portofastoria.com
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Will Isom
503-741-3332
wisom@portofastoria.com
ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER
Lori Agalzoff
503-741-3339
lagalzoff@portofastoria.com
AIRPORT MANAGER
Gary Kobes
503-741-3338 Office
314-409-8392 Cell
gkobes@portofastoria.com
CRUISE MARKETING
Bruce Conner
503-741-3300
bruce@portofastoria.com
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Judy Fattori
503-741-3330
jfarfan@portofastoria.com
TERMINAL SERVICES MANAGER
Susan Transue
503-741-3342
stransue@portofastoria.com
FINANCE MANAGER
Jim Grey
503-741-3335
jgrey@portofastoria.com
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST
Erin McDonnell
503-741-3333
emcdonnell@portofastoria.com
MARINA MANAGER
Janice Burk
503-791-7730
marina@portofastoria.com
MAINTENANCE FOREMAN
503-791-2251
maintenance@portofastoria.com
FRONT DESK / ADMIN
503-741-3300
admin@portofastoria.com
Port of Astoria staff and Director of the Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District are
coordinating efforts with the goal of creating a comprehensive draft of a 5-Year strategic plan
he Port is proud to announce
that we are embarking upon a
new 5-Year Strategic Plan. The
planning and development
process started in 2018 and has
been progressing throughout
the year. Port Staff along with
Mary McArthur, Director of COLPAC (Columbia-
Pacific Economic Development District) has been
coordinating our efforts through a series of public
meetings, held during our Commission meetings.
During these meetings, we have been discussing
important components of the Strategic Plan with
the goal of creating a comprehensive DRAFT of the
5-Year Strategic Plan. This will replace an existing
strategic plan that was completed in 2010.
It is the Port’s intention to finish the Draft Plan
in the next month and then take the important
next steps in communicating this plan to our
community through presentations to the public in
meetings at our County’s various City Council
meetings, County and Port Commission meetings
and at other public meetings that will allow us the
greatest possible public input and feedback. This
feedback will be critical in obtaining questions,
information and reactions from our citizens and
stakeholders, feedback that will help us shape the
final draft of our 5-year plan.
T
Why have a 5-year Strategic Plan?
Many of you are aware that a new staff took
over management of the Port about 3 ½ years ago.
During this time, we have seen a sea change in
administrative leadership: a new Executive
Director, a new Finance Director, a new Finance
and Human Resource Manager, a new Operations
Director, a new Airport Manager, a new Terminal
Services Manager, a new Environmental
Compliance Supervisor and several other new,
critically important administrative staff. With our
combined efforts and commitment to radically
improve the Port, we have made great strides.
However, the accomplishments that we have
made, and we are proud of them, pale to the
enormity of what yet needs to be accomplished.
While the last four required audits clearly
demonstrate that we now have good control over
the management of our resources - and that we
have made great strides in the financial
turnaround of day-to-day financial affairs of the
Port - we still have roughly about $100 million in
deferred maintenance of our infrastructure. While
our relationships with the community, tenants,
customers, and our stakeholders have greatly
improved, we still have much to do but only
limited resources to make considerable impacts. It
is our intent that a new 5-year Strategic Plan will
help guide the Port to our greatest success
possible.
Much has changed at the Port in the last few
years. Our tenants have expanded their operations,
created new jobs, and new tenants have found
new homes on Port property. Log exports have
not only stabilized but are showing new signs of
expansion into new markets. In fact, this year,
Astoria Forest Products was recognized by Clatsop
Economic Development Resources as a leader in
economic impact to the local economy. The cruise
industry is growing rapidly with approximately
50,000 passengers expected to visit Astoria and
surrounding communities
annually.
The
seafood
processing industry remains
strong and they are exploring
the expansion of their
facilities. If it were not for the
difficulties in finding qualified
labor for their operations, their
volumes would also show
significant increases. The
regional airport, which is an
underutilized but incredible
asset, is growing with new tenants. The primary
tenants, in particular Lektro, have made substantial
inroads to increasing good, family-wage jobs for
the benefit of our community. Our West Marina
still maintains a lengthy waiting list for new spaces,
while we continue to dredge the Marina and repair
our docks.
What is most encouraging is the potential
development of new Public (Port) – Private
Partnerships. The Port’s financial capacity for
development is very limited, State and Federal
grant opportunities are diminishing or non-
existent and even further, when taxpayer’s
appetites for additional taxation is already
stretched. The Port must look for new creative
ways to protect and improve the Port’s assets while
capturing new development opportunities. The
properties at the airport, the central waterfront,
shipping terminals, and East Mooring Basin are all
facilities that require the injection of substantial
sums of capital, to not only repair the
infrastructure, but also to increase our revenue and
job-creation opportunities, which is the core of the
Port’s mission to the community.
This new Strategic Plan addresses our
strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. More
importantly, this plan will help position us towards
capturing our best opportunities, not just for the
Port but for the entire County. The Strategic Plan
sets in motion, through the support and
endorsement of an elected Commission, our
community, our tenants, customers, and
stakeholders, the future direction of the Port of
Astoria. This plan calls out the need for the Port to
listen closely to our community’s input and ideas
and to seek opportunities for partnerships with
other local governments. Through this plan we
Much has changed at the Port in recent years.
Tenants have expanded their operations, created
new jobs, and new tenants have found homes on
Port property. Log exports have stabilized and are
showing signs of expansion into new market.
commit to be an economic development engine
for our community, for generations to come.
Careful planning will provide us the direction and
foresight necessary to help us reach our goals.
We look forward to meeting with our
communities in Clatsop County, presenting our
thoughts and carefully listening to your input so
that we can finalize our strategies for the creation
of a great, Port of Astoria Strategic Plan.
If you’re interested in reviewing and
commenting on the Draft Strategic Plan, then
check out our website at: portofastoria.com We
encourage community feedback and look forward
to hearing your ideas to make this region
competitive in an increasingly competitive global
marketplace.
A/R SPECIALIST
Kate Fleischmann
503-741-3341
kfleischmann@portofastoria.com
BOATYARD MANAGER
Steve Barkemeyer
503-791-7731
boatyard@portofastoria.com
SENIOR PATROLMAN
Rick Yelton
503-468-8516
ryelton@portofastoria.com
PORT OF ASTORIA
Location: 10 Pier 1 Building, Suite 308, Astoria, Oregon
Mailing: 10 Pier One, Suite 308, Astoria, OR 97103
Office: 503-741-3300 Toll free in Oregon: 800-860-4093
Marina/Fuel Dock: 503-325-8279 or cell 503-791-7730
Boat yard: 503-325-8279 or cell 503-791-7731
Security/After Hours Emergencies: 503-791-7735
Email: admin@portofastoria.com
PORT OF ASTORIA COMMISSIONERS
Frank Spence, President
Dirk Rohne, Vice President
Robert Stevens, Secretary
Jim Campbell, Treasurer
Bill Hunsinger, Under Secretary