Lot said unusable: Port gets SEL complaint on street upkeep, debris

Port of Whitman County commissioners Aug. 21 saw and heard about problems at the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in the port’s industrial park in Pullman.

In a PowerPoint presentation, Jana Schultheis of SEL showed commissioners photos of the streets, focusing on the Terre View entrance to the industrial park. She pointed out cracks and weeds growing along the curbs and implied the port should be maintaining the streets and sidewalks.

Also she showed photos of five sandwich boards advertising various businesses, along with weedy areas, all near the entrance to the park.

Schultheis had night photos with streetlights seeming to highlight the sandwich boards.

She also had photos of the port’s entrance sign, showing signs of wear.

In comparison, she showed commissioners photos of the new Palouse Industrial Center, with maintained streets and sidewalks and a new sign.

Showing a graph, Schultheis said 437 more Schweitzer employees used the entrance in 2014 than in 2010.

With the increased traffic, she explained that when shifts change, traffic is congested, especially at the entrance, and the traffic lanes are too narrow for two cars. In the winter, traffic accidents are common, she said. Although she admitted traffic lights might help, she also suggested that the entrance be widened to accommodate more traffic.

Photos were shown of Hopkins Court, a street in the park, with deteriorating sidewalks and streets and worn out striping. She also pointed out weeds and trash along the streets. Schultheis also showed commissioners an overgrown paved trail with a kiosk and wetlands that need maintenance.

Schultheis told commissioners SEL found “construction debris” and top soil that had to be removed at a cost of $100,000 on two lots where SEL is planning construction.

They are working on a day care center, which is planned to open in January, a fitness center and a medical clinic.

She said instead of spending extra money for construction costs, they could have provided two more jobs at SEL.

Finally, Schultheis said that SEL wants the port to buy back a lot that SEL purchased in 2006. The lot has now grown into a wetland that is no longer usable.

Port Director Joe Poire said SEL paid $55,000 for the lot which is a little more than one acre.

Port President John Love asked Poire to investigate buying back the wetland lot. Poire will gather information and report back to commissioners at a later date.

After the the presentation, port commissioners suggested Schultheis take the presentation to the city of Pullman, because the city owns the streets and is required to maintain them.