The Oregon State Marine Board met in Central Point on July 11, and approved a new rule for Ford’s Pond in Douglas County, approved a boating facility grant for Columbia County, and approved opening rulemaking on several items. The Board approved a 5 mph speed limit and electric motor only regulation on Ford’s Pond in Douglas County. The operating rules will be effective upon filing. Ford’s Pond is a 95 acre pond owned by the City of Sutherlin. The Board also approved a boating facility grant for Columbia County. The county manages the Gilbert River boat ramp off the Multnomah Channel which is approximately seven miles from the confluence of the Gilbert and Columbia Rivers. The short term tie-up dock has eight piling, with four that are broken, creating a serious safety hazard to boaters. The best approach is to install pile sleeves that can be reused for future replacement by welding together additional lengths of piling and then vibrating the piles into the submerged ground. This approach will extend the useful life of the structure by another 10-15 years while the county plans for future improvements to the dock to improve boater safety. The county plans on refurbishing the docks by obtaining materials to replace hinge assemblies, rub strips, pile hoops, rollers and bull rails on the concrete docks. The Board approved $19,000 in federal Boating Infrastructure Grant funds to match $21,613.50 of applicant match (from the county and numerous boating clubs). The project total is $40,613.50. The Board also approved opening rulemaking for the following items: Outfitter and Guides, OAR 250 Division 016; Personal Flotation Devices, OAR 250-010-0154; Insurance and Duplication of Fees, OAR 250-010-0315. Additionally, the Board elected to keep the existing roles for Board Chair and Vice Chair appointments. For more details about the grant applications and meeting materials, visit http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/info/Pages/Board-and-Public-Meetings.aspx.
