Small Town News

EDC to provide services to port

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On Tuesday, the Port of Shelton commissioners approved an agreement with the Economic Development Council of Mason County to provide technical services to the port.

The agreement covers January through December of this year and is a continuation of an annual agreement. The port will pay the EDC $30,000 for its services. Payments of $7,500 are made each quarter.

Matt Matayoshi, EDC director, said the agreement covers "all things that support the port to attract and maintain business to make the port successful."

He provided several examples. One was identifying grant sources for Belco Forest Products. The EDC provides marketing services and has worked on infrastructure projects.

An EDC training session was given for 15 local small businesses and a couple were port businesses, he said. The EDC worked with PUD 3 on a conservation program, and "Mason County Forest Products participated in that," Matayoshi added.

Last year the EDC worked with the port "to finalize a lease to attract Fungi Perfecti, which is now on port property in a 5,500-square-foot building," he noted.

Matayoshi says he is working with Adage, "assisting them as they move through the process with permitting and preliminary work with PUD and county."

Adage, an alternative energy firm, is moving forward with efforts to construct a $250-million power plant on port property at Johns Prairie that would burn forest slash to produce what they call "green power." Adage is a joint venture between the multi-billion-dollar firms Areva and Duke Energy Company.

The EDC agreement was approved by a 3-0 vote.

The next port meeting is at 2 p.m. March 23 at the port administration office.



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© 2010 Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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