Grays Harbor County is holding back on a pledge to support an economic facility in Aberdeen, known informally as the Gateway Center,
A $55,000 appropriation to the city of Aberdeen through an interagency agreement was on the county commissioners’ Nov. 28 agenda, but it did not receive a vote.
Commissioner Vickie Raines moved to approve the interagency agreement (and the $55,000 pledge), but no second was made by either of her fellow commissioners, Wes Cormier or Frank Gordon. The motion died for lack of a second.
Through Raines, the county had pledged to match 10 percent of the state’s contribution. The city had requested $1.65 million from the state for the Gateway Center, a would-be business building that could house the main office for Greater Grays Harbor Inc. and also serve as a visitor center. The Legislature, instead, contributed $550,000.
During the media information session, Raines said Gordon’s decision to not second the motion was “retaliation.”
“Commissioner Gordon and I had an exchange last week that was of a personal nature, and I believe this is retaliation for that exchange,” Raines said. “I think it goes hand-in-hand with the same flip-flop he did when (Cormier) didn’t support he vote for the purchase of the Byles House, and a day later, (Gordon) comes in and changes his vote to not support the fee for access (ordinance).
(Earlier this year, the commissioners settled a lawsuit waged against them by key players in the timber industry for an ordinance which aimed to remove specific and significant tax breaks for timber companies that charge fees for public access. Gordon and Raines both voted to settle the lawsuit, citing potential costs, while Cormier urged the commissioners to take the matter to court.)
“I’m not going to argue. It’s beyond that, at this point. I’m frustrated. There will be a change in 30 some odd days,” Raines added. “It’s that level of ‘I’m going to get even with you’ that’s frustrating to me.”
Gordon, who had been seemingly supportive of the project until his lack of a second on Nov. 28, said he didn’t second the appropriation because he had heard negative feedback about the proposed project.
“I went a couple of the meetings (about the proposed project) and I had a lot of people call me in my district and they said that they did not think it was a good deal. By me doing this, it can be brought up next year,” Gordon said. “A lot of people told me that it would be a big white elephant coming off the bridge. It wouldn’t fit for Aberdeen.”
Cormier, who has openly criticized the project of having too many questions left unanswered — specifically, not knowing who would own the building — echoed his previous concerns.
“I wouldn’t like to see the county getting involved in the building aspect of it,” he said. “If this is something that Aberdeen feels strongly about, and it’s a debt-free building, then they should certainly have no problem taking it over as their own.”
Following Raines’ criticism of his lack of a second, Gordon agreed with Cormier.
“We have too many buildings that we’re having a hard time taking care of now,” Gordon said. “For me, it’s a liability for the county. We can’t afford to take care of the building we’re sitting in right now, let alone another building.
The funds that had been earmarked for the Gateway Center could not be used for the other maintenance issues around the county, Raines noted. The clarification did not sway Gordon’s opinion.
“If they would have signed something that said we had no liability on the building, it could have a been a different vote,” Gordon said. “We’ll have a different commissioner in 31 or 32 days, and he has a different viewpoint, and that is fine, but the people who spoke to me against the building, I’m going to honor them.”
Raines said she wasn’t sure if the building should be owned by the county, but she said the building would have to come to the county debt-free if it were to be the county’s responsibility.
The commissioners also noted that the pledge was added to the 2016 budget after the commissioners had settled on a budget but before the budget was officially adopted.
It’s not clear if the issue will impede the City of Aberdeen’s ability to move forward with the project, or if it will impact the funding allocated through the Legislature. A call to Aberdeeen Mayor Erik Larson was not immediately returned on Nov. 28.
The same interagency agreement could be added to any future agenda for another vote, the commissioners noted.
“I’ve supported this project for a decade, and I think the people know my position on it,” Raines said. “I think it would be a benefit to Grays Harbor County, and I think to take personal tactics and toss them around — If I don’t agree with someone, I don’t make my vote about something else.”
