West Sacramento Port Commission adopts FY 2025–26 budget, approves rowing-club support and other items

The West Sacramento Port District Commission on June 4 adopted Resolution B25-3, approving the port—s fiscal year 2025–26 budget and related capital and operating plans, and approved consent items including a resolution authorizing sale of easement rights on Prospect Island and the minutes from a prior meeting.

Senior program manager Amber Sisette, presenting the budget on behalf of port staff in the city manager—s office, said the port closed fiscal year 2024–25 with stronger-than-expected revenue and a healthy cash balance. "For the past 12 years, the port's finances have consistently delivered a net operating profit," Sisette said. She reported 24/25 gross operating revenue of about $3.9 million and net operating income of about $1.9 million, and a cash balance a little over $10 million prior to proposed transactions.

The adopted 25/26 budget is more conservative on revenue but continues planned capital work at the North Terminal. Sisette told commissioners the proposed operating revenue forecast for 25/26 is lower than 24/25 to avoid counting non-guaranteed maritime and rail revenues. The operating expense budget rises by about $280,000 largely because of higher insurance costs (about $50,000) and increases in maintenance and professional services.

Why it matters: the budget funds repairs and modernization at key port facilities while preserving liquidity to respond to opportunities and contingencies. Commissioners said they wanted clearer comparisons between adopted budgets and actuals on presentation charts in future cycles.

Key budget and capital items - North Terminal repairs and modernization: staff reported a five‑year average annual CIP of about $770,000; 24/25 CIP spending peaked at about $1.4 million, driven largely by North Terminal repairs including replacement and re‑sloping of the Shed 7 roof, a primary rice cargo handling facility. For 25/26 the CIP budget is about $650,000, including a $300,000 contingency for repaving and emergency repairs at the North Terminal. - Title sensor and berth work: the budget includes a $165,000 line item for a tide sensor to improve vessel planning, plus professional services for electrical engineering and berth depth soundings requested by the San Francisco bar pilots. - EV charging and modernization: port staff and SSA (a terminal operator) plan co‑funding for expansion of electric-vehicle charging infrastructure at the North Terminal; staff said design work and potential EV charging station co‑funding are budgeted under modernization, with figures to be refined as grant opportunities and project scope are clarified. - River City Rowing Club restroom and storage: staff described a rowing storage, shower and restroom facility estimated to cost about $200,000. The port recommended a $100,000 appropriation to support the project. Commissioners asked for a formal presentation from the club and for staff to ensure community access is part of any agreement; staff said the clubs will be invited to present in August.

Shell tank farm acquisition and environmental review Sisette told commissioners the draft purchase and sale agreement (PSA) calls for the port to acquire the former Shell petroleum tank farm in the Pioneer Bluff area for $3,000,000, with close of escrow scheduled for November 30, 2025. Under the PSA, Shell was required to close, demolish the facility and address soil and groundwater contamination prior to close, and to bear the costs of those activities. Sisette said Shell has notified the port that the required remediation and demolition activities are complete and that port staff are reviewing the sampling results and the Regional Water Quality Control Board—s findings to confirm compliance with the PSA before the port takes title.

Grants, SSA partnership and EV charger funding Commissioners and staff discussed grant strategy. Joe Carrillo, speaking for SSA, described SSA—s internal grant‑search capacity and said SSA has pursued a grant opportunity that would fund EV infrastructure at the terminal. Carrillo said SSA intends to submit a grant application for about $1.5 million with a roughly 25% local match requirement; he said the grant submission window is forthcoming in July. Port staff said they routinely work with SSA on grant applications and that the port has the cash balance to provide matching funds or project shares when specific grant proposals and cost shares are brought to the commission for approval.

Other operational notes - Lease change: port staff reported UPS has provided notice it will not renew its lease after July 1; staff said that vacancy creates both a revenue loss and an opportunity to market space for new tenants. - Financial performance: Sisette told the commission that for 24/25 staff budgeted operating revenue at about $3.0 million but actuals were about $3.9 million; operating expenses were budgeted at about $1.76 million and actuals were about $1.77 million.

Votes at a glance - Resolution authorizing sale of easement rights, Prospect Island (consent): approved unanimously; motion and second recorded in the meeting packet; no individual roll-call tallies provided in the transcript. - Approval of December meeting minutes (consent): approved unanimously. - Resolution B25‑3, adopting the proposed FY 2025–26 budget (regular agenda): approved unanimously. The adopted budget includes the items summarized above, including the recommendation of a $100,000 appropriation to support the River City Rowing Club facility, and recognizes a planned $3,000,000 acquisition of the Shell petroleum tank farm (subject to staff review of remediation documentation).

What commissioners asked staff to do Commissioners requested clearer charting in future presentations showing adopted budget vs. actuals on the same graph, a formal presentation by the rowing club on their project (scheduled for August), and confirmation of environmental sampling and Regional Water Quality Control Board findings before closing on the Shell property.

Meeting context The commission met in closed session before the public meeting and reported there was no reportable action from closed session. Public comment included remarks from Joe Carrillo (SSA). The budget discussion was the primary substantive agenda item and drew follow‑up questions from multiple commissioners about budget presentation details, grant strategy and public benefits of sport/recreation investments.

Ending Commissioners thanked staff for the budget work and approved the budget and consent items unanimously. Staff indicated they will return with additional detail on grant opportunities, project cost estimates and environmental documentation as those items progress.