BANDON — The Special Districts Association of Oregon is assisting the Port of Bandon in its search for a new port manager after Alex Linke announced plans to retire.

Linke said he will step down at the end of the year, after 29 years with the agency.

Linke told Port of Bandon commissioners that the Special Districts Association has conducted recruitment efforts for other ports in the past “and they are experts at networking, and will build the contract and job description, and run the ads.”

The commissioners unanimously voted to spend $3,000 for the SDAO’s services, and the position is being advertised now.

The recruitment process could take up to four months. During the first couple of weeks, a solicitation notice that includes a job description, and salary and contract information, was developed.

The next step, expected to take up to eight weeks, includes advertising the position and working with the port commissioners to develop an evaluation process for potential applicants.

Linke recommended using the entire eight weeks, both to allow more people to apply and to advertise the position nationwide.

“This is a good position with lots to offer,” he told commissioners.

Weeks 10 through 12 of the process will involve gathering and researching the applications and developing a short list of potential interviewees. Another couple of weeks will be used by commissioners to conduct employment interviews.

The successful candidate for the job could begin work within about four months of the beginning of the process.

Linke said he thinks the port could receive up to 80 applications for the position.

Planning new marina layout

The port commissioners also voted at their October meeting to begin developing a new concept for the dock system in Bandon’s waterfront boat basin. Port crews have maintained and repaired the existing docks over the years, but they’re getting old and will probably need to be replaced within the next several years.

By a unanimous vote, port commissioners agreed to hire PND Inc. Consulting Engineers of Seattle at a cost of $4,555 to develop conceptual designs for new dock layouts in the marina. Former local resident David Pierce is a senior vice president with the company, which has previously done work for the port.

Linke said the new design is expected to allow the accommodation of larger vessels than were envisioned when the boat basin was built in the early 1980s.

“This will be designed for today’s and for the future market,” he explained. “It’s, basically, going to be designed for larger boats — some huge — while still having room for our local fleet and recreational boats.”

When the new design is complete, there will be opportunities for public input in the process, he added.

The port hopes to obtain grants to cover the cost of engineering that will be needed before construction begins. Most of the cost of building the docks also will likely be covered by federal, state and foundation grants.

“There’s federal money out there for infrastructure projects like this,” Linke said. “And we’ll pursue other funding, as we have successfully over the years. The Oregon State Marine Board has agreed to help. I think this project is very doable, and I don’t think we’ll need the (port district) taxpayers to help, other than possibly with the grant-writing efforts.”

Linke and Gina Dearth, the port’s general manager, estimated the process of replacing the dock system could take five years and $5 million.

“It could be more, it could be less,” Linke said.