Over the past 25 years or so, when it was obvious to the naked eye that the conditions were deteriorating at Beacon RV Park, the Port of Ilwaco commissioners conveniently looked the other way. Oversight and due diligence are things that the port doesn’t seem to be comfortable doing. This is clearly nothing new.

It appears that in March 2022 the port did not do their due diligence before agreeing to a lease with the new operators of the RV park. Had they done so, it would have taken 5 minutes to find out that they were in the habit of using every tactic available to get their way — as they then did here.

I know — because I checked.

Those operators, the Werners, have ignored or delayed responding to multiple attempts on the part of the port to communicate. After more than a year and many violations of the lease, the Werners are still there. But they are not there. The lease requires them to “… be open for business not less than 5 days per week, 16 hours per day…”. In fact, nobody is present at the park — day or night. Even the previous owner, although not ideal, had the good sense to have someone on the premises.

Their lack of compliance has caused problems for nearby residents and their properties.

Complicating this, Beacon RV Park is on port property, public land. Surely, to properly manage our public land is a responsibility we must all take seriously.

What does it say about us as a community if we allow this to continue? Why have we had to wait for the wealthier neighbors to feel injured before the port authorities felt any pressing need to react? We are all people, none above or below anyone else. Those still at the RV park, caught between unlivable conditions and lack of resources, are among our most vulnerable neighbors. Though clearly visible to all, the port authorities “couldn’t see” what was happening to them.

These concerns have been voiced many times, at many port commissioners’ meetings. But the port’s attempts to have the Werners cure the many violations of, or even comply with, the terms of the lease have been, at best, timid.

MARGARITA CULLIMORE

Ilwaco