Oak Harbor advisory commission hears update on North F dock repairs, permitting and budget implications

Harbormaster Elise reported that emergency repairs to the North F dock are moving forward with key permits secured and a contractor expected to be under contract by the end of the week. She told the Marine Advisory Commission the city has an Army Corps of Engineers permit and an expedited hydraulic project approval (SSNP) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that allows work through March 3; staff will file a follow-up HPA on March 1 to avoid downtime.

Elise said American Construction has been issued a purchase order for long threaded through-rods and should be under contract “by the end of the week.” She said once equipment arrives work is expected to take about 15 days. The Harbormaster said the city has applied for FEMA funding and is also pursuing potential support through the Association of Washington Cities; she described the estimated repair cost as about $500,000.

Commissioners pressed whether rebuilding to the existing breakwater design makes sense given repeated storm damage. One commissioner said the current structure “was a bad design” and questioned spending more on the same configuration; Elise responded that the long-term breakwater rehabilitation and dredging are separate projects, that the breakwater is not performing as intended, and that a full repair / reconfiguration is targeted for the 2027–28 fish-window pending permits.

On dredging, Elise said the consultant Moffett & Nichols has had trouble reaching NOAA contacts; the project was last reported as fifth in line for permitting. She said the city would ideally have permits by about April 1 to secure a contractor for dredging that could start in September 2026. If permits are delayed the work would move into the 2027 fish-window, she said, and that could increase costs and require borrowing or the use of dredge-fee revenues.

Commissioners raised liability and revenue concerns if slips remain unusable. Elise said the marina could lose an estimated $10,000 a month if North F slips were fully vacant, and noted WCIA (the city’s insurance pool) would coordinate with other parties if federal funding covers repairs. The Harbormaster emphasized that leaving the damaged breakwater unrepaired increases the city’s liability for boat damage but acknowledged the long-term structural questions remain.

The commission requested continuing updates on permitting, FEMA application status and cost estimates and asked staff to explore options for a long-term design that would reduce repeated failures. The Harbormaster said she would return with additional details as permits and contractor schedules firm up.