Melanie Mankamyer

The future improvements to the La Conner Marina and the possibilities for the SWIFT Center in Sedro-Woolley excite me. I want to be part of the decision-making process on those projects. I don’t have a personal agenda – I am fully onboard with the Port’s mission to bring new businesses to the community and to help existing businesses grow, because they will increase the County’s tax base and create jobs. 

One goal I have is to improve how we “get the word out” about the Port’s projects and the incredible businesses we support. At our Bayview Business Park near the airport, for example, you’ll find three breweries, two bakeries, a flour mill, a USDA-certified meat market featuring products from local farmers, and even the West Coast King Arthur Baking School! These are success stories worth sharing, and I want to make sure more people in our community know about them.

And, in addition to operating the Skagit Regional Airport and the La Conner Marina, the Port is a public economic development organization that brings state and federal funds into Skagit County. The Port invests these funds in infrastructure and equipment to create places for businesses to start or expand and create jobs. But the Port doesn’t give this money away – it gets a return on its investments through the rents it collects. It provides the seed capital to get a project going.

One prime example of this is Cairnspring Mills. Kevin Morse approached the Port after being unable to raise sufficient capital elsewhere. The Port saw the value in having a local mill to process grains grown in the Skagit Valley and supported the project by developing a building site and purchasing equipment. Cairnspring Mills is a success story and is in the process of expanding – and continues to repay the Port for its initial investments.