Moses Lake port proceeds with safety progress

Attorney recommends new service with Arizona company

MOSES LAKE — Discussions continue at the Port of Moses Lake as commissioners consider the future of their public safety department and aircraft rescue services.

Port attorney Harold Moberg first went before commissioners in February, asking permission to speak with local unions and contractors to discuss the future of aircraft rescue fire fighting services without commercial air service.

Grant County International Airport has been without an air carrier since September 2006, when Big Sky Airlines ceased its flights after the Essential Air Service federally-subsidized program was terminated due to low passenger numbers earlier in the year.

"I don't think the port can continue to operate public safety as we now know it," Moberg told commissioners at their meeting Monday. "The reason for that is you don't have a carrier, you've lost the Federal Aviation Administration monies and you're now looking at having to fund a difference of about a quarter of a million dollars, and I just don't see anyway you can do that."

Moberg recommended the port look into Arizona-based contracting company Rural/Metro Fire Department for services. The port sent out a request for proposals for services in March.

Moberg said contracting with Rural/Metro Fire Department would result in $238,000 in savings without a day supervisor.

The quote is on the same schedule the department currently has with the port, Moberg said.

"The service in terms of the hours, not in terms of the quality of the people, seniority or experience, but at least in the hours of operation, is identical to what we're doing now," he said. "Everyone knows we've got the best, it's just the affordability."

The port agreed to allow Moberg to meet with Rural/Metro to define their obligations contractually and continuing to meet with Public Safety and Grant County Fire District No. 5 to discuss the future.

During the meeting, Public Safety Officer Duane Kling hoped to get his department together as a bargaining group with union representatives later this week to come up with a definite decision on what the department can and cannot offer to be competitive, giving more information to the board Monday.

Moberg and Port of Moses Lake Commissioners Kent Jones, Larry Peterson and Delone Krueger also agreed to meet with the fire district further.

The decision came after Assistant Chief Dale Bjork said a letter of understanding between the port and the county, as part of the county's annexation of the port district, allowed for a firefighting apparatus on port property and several firefighters on hand to respond to a fire.

"This is the first time I've ever heard we somehow have a contract with Grant County 5 that addresses paid firemen," Moberg said.

Bjork said it was not a contract, but a letter of understanding the fire district would not charge for port-owned property, and the district would have a truck responding to port-owned fires with port personnel. The port asked for a copy of the letter and said there would be further discussion.

During public comment, Columbia Pacific Aviation President Jeff Akridge said he would like to see the port give the public safety department a year before making a decision and dig into any financial reserves available.

Akridge cited concerns over the possible loss in value of the airport tower if further services disappear and increased difficulty in attracting larger tenants to the airport without those resources available.

"I think we're on the edge of going one way or the other," Akridge told commissioners.

Peterson said contract services would maintain the level of service the port already has, and is a common practice at many airports.

"It would have been a lot more difficult for me to consider even going forward with it had the number not been quite so large," Jones said. "That's just a lot of money. It's hard from my perspective to sit here and not save that, if we can provide the same level of services. We're still talking."

Also at the meeting Monday, the port district gave approval to allow Englar Laboratories to establish a winery on port property.