Rod Fleck, City of Forks attorney and planner, was the guest speaker at the Forks Chamber of Commerce meeting on Jan. 21 at Blakeslee’s Bar and Grill. The meeting was very well attended, reflecting strong community interest in economic development and the future of the Forks Industrial Park.
Fleck provided an update on the City’s recently signed lease with Riverside Forest Products Inc., a Canadian company based in Surrey, British Columbia. Also in attendance was George Covac, Riverside’s Fibre and Log Supply Manager. Riverside has operated a mill in Surrey for 20 years, and its owner brings more than 30 years of experience in the timber industry.
The company plans to establish a mill at the Forks Industrial Park, giving Riverside closer access to timber supply. Fleck described Riverside as a family-owned business and said the City has been working with the company for more than a year before finalizing the lease. The full lease amount will be phased in as the mill becomes operational.
The City is also coordinating with the federal Recompete Grant program and other funding sources to help meet the company’s infrastructure needs. Forks was selected as one of only six communities nationwide to receive Recompete funding, which is designed to boost employment among workers ages 25 to 55. Some of the funding has already been used to hire Nick Dias at the City for economic development and marketing efforts.
Fleck reviewed the history of the Industrial Park, which was built in the 1990s and later operated by Portac and Interfor before closing in 2014. The City has been working with Clallam County, the Economic Development Council, and the Port of Port Angeles to rehabilitate the site. The City successfully applied for Opportunity Fund money and secured a $260,000 loan, deferred for five years with a 20-year term, to help fund needed upgrades.
Once operational, the Riverside mill is expected to employ between 40 and 50 workers at an average wage of $31.80 per hour, including benefits.
However, Fleck noted that access to timber remains the biggest challenge. He pointed out that Washington’s trust lands provide revenue that supports schools, hospitals, fire districts, and libraries, and that timber policy has a major impact on rural economies like Forks.
Power infrastructure is another major hurdle. A high cost at the site is extending electrical service, and delays have occurred due to long lead times for needed components. Fleck said Public Utility District Commissioner Phyllis Bernard has been working with the Bonneville Power Administration to ensure reliable power.
Fleck also addressed broader issues facing rural communities. He said Olympia often takes a “one-size-fits-all” approach that does not reflect the realities of small towns. Forks’ sewer system is currently at capacity, limiting development and the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
The City is working with State Representative Adam Bernbaum to seek more flexibility in the use of hotel-motel tax revenues through proposed legislation, House Bill 2270. The bill would apply to communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer and would allow lodging tax dollars to be used for tourism-related impacts such as infrastructure, law enforcement, hospital and ambulance impacts.
Finally, Fleck spoke about substance abuse and mental health challenges seen in Clallam County District Court II. He said the City and courts are working with defense attorneys, West End Outreach, and other Port Angeles-based organizations to connect people with counseling and mental health treatment. While the programs have shown success, Fleck said he is always concerned about the risk of losing funding for services that are making a difference in many lives.
