The Port of Chehalis Commission unanimously adopted its 2026 budget during its Tuesday, Oct. 21, special business meeting.
According to the port’s operating budget included in its resolution, the port anticipates a total operating cash inflow of $385,277, while total taxes and debt inflow amount to $520,585.29. To even out the budget, the port’s expected total operating cash outflow is $905,862.29, which leaves a net increase of $0 in operating cash.
In the port’s capital budget, the port expects to receive over $5.4 million in grant revenue. This funding includes $1.253 million from a pass-through Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board grant for the Berwick Creek at Bishop Fish Passage construction, $4.1 million in Department of Housing and Urban Development funding for the Southwest Washington Grain Project, and $75,000 in Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) grant funding for Jackson Highway Industrial Sites 1 and 2.
The capital budget also includes $15,000 in expenses for building washing, $8,000 for lighting upgrades, and $12,400 for a single audit. The port’s capital budget lists a $54,150 net decrease in capital cash.
Port of Chehalis Chief Executive Officer Lindsey Senter told The Chronicle in an email that the port is continuously focused on better job creation and that the 2026 budget includes grant funding to move toward that goal, despite slight concern about reimbursement of grants due to the ongoing government shutdown.
“We look forward to the government reopening so we can continue our grant reimbursements. We feel adequately reassured that the funding will still be there once the government reopens, so all we can do is wait for that to happen,” Senter said. “If needed, the port is looking at some short-term funding options to pay for the interim work until that day comes.”
To learn more about the concerns about grant reimbursement, visit previous Chronicle reporting at https://tinyurl.com/4wrdup88.
As for the CERB grant funding, the port applied for the grant and has been invited to give a presentation for consideration of award by the CERB.
“We adopted it as part of the budget as an anticipation of being awarded, so if we are, we can move forward on it,” Senter said. “However, if we are not, then we simply will update the budget when we do our preliminary budget adjustments in 2026. The hope is to be awarded the grant which will allow for some design work to connect the two parcels for future development.”
