PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles commissioners heard an update on Dash Air Shuttle’s plans for inaugurating flight service to Seattle and details of Clallam County Health & Human Services’ plans to move its harm reduction health center just a block south of the port’s headquarters on First Street.
Tukwila-based Dash Air had originally announced it would start operating daily flights from William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in summer 2021. Delays related to FAA certification of its fleet and complaints lodged with the FAA by Kenmore Air have continually push its launch date back.
“I didn’t really anticipate taking as long as it has, but we’re working our way there,” Dash Air President Clint Ostler told commissioners on Tuesday.
“The working plan is that charters will become available on Aug. 1, and then later in the month we’ll start limited scheduled service,” he added.
Ostler said Dash anticipated FAA certification within the next two weeks.
“As soon as that inspection is complete, our hope is that a day or two after that we make an official announcement and begin service three to four weeks from that point,” Ostler said. “We want a little bit of time to build reservations before just kind of jumping in.”
Dash Air will start with charter flights out of Fairchild Airport and follow with four daily flights in and out of Sea-Tac and Boeing Field (King County International Airport).
In 2022, Kenmore Air filed multiple complaints against Dash Air with the DOT claiming, among other things, that it was not licensed to operate interstate passenger service. Kenmore Air had suspended its service between Fairchild Airport and Boeing Field in 2014, citing lack of passenger volume.
“We really are in a financial position where we can’t wait anymore,” Ostler said. “We have to do something or Kenmore will have actually have succeeded in putting us out of business.”
The commissioners expressed their support for Ostler and said they were as eager as he was for service to start.
“We certainly appreciate your tenuous spirit,” District 1 Commissioner Colleen McAleer said. “I’m so sorry that Kenmore has been such an awful challenge. It’s certainly different than what we had with them when they were in the community.”
Ostler said the pressure was on to meet the August launch.
“I feel like every time I say a date, I literally jinx myself,” Ostler said. “But we need to scale up flights really quickly to get over the financial hump.”
Kevin LoPiccolo, Health & Human Services director, and health officer Dr. Allison Berry answered commissioners’ questions about the department relocating its harm reduction center from the department’s offices on Third Street to 325½ W. Second St. this fall. The center provides services such as syringe disposal, reproductive safety kits and smoke cessation assistance.
The move will be in the fall, they said.
An earlier Peninsula Daily News (PDN) story said that the building would be open on July 1. That was the date the lease began; remodeling and staff hiring are necessary before it can open.
Commissioners said they were unaware of the move until they read about it in the newspaper. While they said they supported the department’s efforts to help individuals with addiction and substance abuse, they would have liked to have known about the new location sooner.
“It’s zoned and you can do it, but when you’re a governmental entity, you need to engage at least the property owners,” District 2 Commissioners Steven Burke said. “They’re looking at us like, ‘Why wasn’t this thought out?’ and the thing is, we didn’t know.”
Berry said it had been the intention of the department to reach out to the downtown community.
“We would like to have engaged you all sooner,” Berry said. “We were planning to meet with you all before we opened.”
Berry said confusion about the opening date had created unnecessary fear and that rumors it would be a safe injection site are not true.
District 3 Commissioner Connie Beauvais asked Berry to define what was meant by “harm reduction.”
Berry said it was an approach to public health issues such as diabetes that meant “meeting people where they’re at” to reduce risks associated with that disease no matter how far it had progressed.
“We know that people who access harm reduction programs are three times as likely to get sober as people who don’t. I think all of us want to see less drug use in our community, and these programs are part of how we get there.”
LoPicollo said the department had started meeting downtown business owners about its new location.
“We did go to Elevate PA and discuss with the chamber what our plans are for this,” LoPicollo said. “I think for the most part it was a favorable response.”
LoPicollo said the department wanted to be good neighbors and would work with the downtown resource officer to address any problems or concerns.
“If there are any issues that you see that you’re experiencing, please reach out to me,” LoPiccolo said.
Other port action:
Commissioners unanimously voted to draft and negotiate a contract with interim Executive Director and Director of Operations Paul Jarkiewicz to appoint him permanently to the position.
“We’re really pleased, you’ve been doing an exceptional job,” Beauvais said. “I’m glad you’re getting out in the community and moving ahead with projects.”
The commissioners appointed Jarkiewicz interim executive director at their June 6 meeting to replace Geoff James, who submitted his resignation on June 1.
According to the port, James’ annual salary was $173,040. Jarkiewicz’s annual salary as director of operations was $125,000 and as interim executive director it is $142,500.
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Paula Hunt can be reached at 360-425-2345, ext. 50583, or by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
