Port of Olympia Commission discussed KGY radio proposal at February retreat, video shows
When an East Bay resident on Monday questioned the Port of Olympia commission about a proposal for the historic KGY radio site on port property, he didn’t get much of an answer.
The commission provided guarded replies to Richard Wolf, a representative of the East Bay Drive Neighborhood Association, saying little beyond the fact that nothing official has come before the port.
But that was not the case on Feb. 7 when the three-member commission had a much franker discussion about the proposal toward the end of its work session retreat. A video of that meeting can be found on the port website.
During the retreat, Commissioner Joe Downing said the commission received a letter Dec. 9 from Nick Kerry, general manager at KGY, which occupies a historic building on the very north end of the port peninsula.
The letter spelled out a pending purchase and sales agreement between the station and Glacier Aviation in Tumwater, Downing said.
Downing didn’t share additional details of the letter, but Glacier Aviation president and owner Mike Thielen later did with The Olympian, saying he would like to convert the property into a bar, restaurant and helicopter pad, offering helicopter flights or a landing spot for visitors.
Downing said during the meeting that the port should respond to the letter and provide some public opportunity for input.
“We need to respond to KGY and figure out what the next steps might be,” he said.
Commissioner Amy Evans said if KGY doesn’t sell the property, it’s probably not worth much without a lease. The radio station’s current lease with the port expires at the end of 2024.
Evans said that if Thielen doesn’t get the property now, he faces having to go through a competitive request-for-proposal process. The RFPs likely would be issued by the port.
“We need to make them feel seen and heard and timely communicate with them,” Evans said.
“How we proceed,” she said about the port, “is a separate issue.”
Port Executive Director Sam Gibboney said port staff has been in contact with both KGY and Glacier Aviation. Gibboney said during the Feb. 7 meeting, and again on Monday, that there has been no assignment of lease to come before the port.
Downing said there should be a collaborative discussion between the parties involved in the KGY proposal, or the port should issue a statement about the direction it plans to take, he said. And if the port does the latter, it should come before the commission for a public airing.
“This is a big deal,” Downing said, noting the history of the KGY property.
Gibboney said Monday the port commission is set to hear an update on destination waterfront planning in early April.
This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
