Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Port of Olympia Commission adopted a new policy standardizing a mechanism for providing discounts to monthly fees, including leases, rentals and moorage rates, for tenants or clients who provide public benefits to the community.
The policy applies to nonprofits, public agencies, tribal nations and community-based organizations working in areas that align with the port’s mission, such as economic development, maritime tourism and education, workforce training and environmental stewardship.
At a meeting on April 27, Community and Economic Development Director Mike Reid said staff cannot deviate from commission-adopted rates without the commission’s approval. Discount requests are often treated as "one-offs" or "ad hoc decisions" without a formal framework.
The policy would therefore increase transparency, ensure fairness, and allow the port to better comply with the state's prohibition on gifting public funds.
To illustrate the issue, Reid discussed Parthia, a historic tug boat on display near Farmers Market.
“You had a commission previously adopt a $1 lease for the Parthia in front of the Farmers Market,” Reid said. “What was the mechanism of being able to do that? What would happen if the next entity comes up and says, ‘I want that same deal?’ We don't have anything of record to help give us the guidance to be able to do that.”
Reid provided a high level overview of the process, saying discounts must be justified by a documented measurable public benefit.
The policy also contains guardrails to limit staff approved discounts by no more than 50 percent, or discounts of less than $10,000 in value.
Any requests exceeding these parameters would require approval from the commission. The commission would have to approve discounts lasting more than a year.
Reid added that if the organization receiving the discount fails to deliver expected outcomes from its partnership with the port, the discount could be reversed instantly.
“It is not a giveaway program. We are not simply discounting rent, we are purchasing a public benefit through that reduction in rent or reduction in charge,” Reid said.
He also said the discount must be applied for, and is not automatically given.
To better document the impacts of the policy, Reid said staff will present an annual report to the commission.
With the policy being approved, Reid said the next step will be to develop the implementation procedures for the policy. To this end, commissioner Joel Hansen proposed having some of the commissioners getting involved with the process.
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Snevets
Parthia on display near the Farmer's Market? All I see is a chain link fence surrounding a concrete pad with a sign that says Coming Soon? I read in a previous article that The Parthia is still at Swantown Boatworks with a not so hopeful future.
Thursday, May 7 Report this
Boatyarddog
Snevets you are correct.... continuing botched up leadership. Let us remove the current Commission President and install Craig Unsoled to this role. Let's get the waste and misdirection OUT. Parthia was to be installed on this mount years ago now. The last I Had heard there was no continuing discussions about how to safely protect the project from people climbing on it. TRULY a bad Decision to begin work and leave it unfinished. Those security decisions should have been committed to along time ago. This Display should be raised high enough that it cannot be climbed upon.
Thursday, May 7 Report this
Boatyarddog
Who the Hell is making these delays happen. NO MORE WASTE of public tax payer monies on Badly planned Port Projects. We WANT solid leadership in our Port.
Thursday, May 7 Report this