To Acquire The Kimberly-Clark Site The Port Of Everett May Vote To Condemn It

For years the Port of Everett has tried to acquire the site of the former Kimberly-Clark mill on the Everett Waterfront. The property has been for sale pursued by different interested parties other than the Port for years.

Recently Kimberly-Clark has been looking to clean up the site ahead of a possible sale. Tuesday night Everett Port Commissioners announced a vote to take drastic measures to make sure the site ends up under Port of Everett control. Here’s a release sent out after their Port Commission meeting.

On May 14, the Port Commission unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Port of Everett to set a public meeting to consider taking final action of legal proceedings, if necessary, to acquire by condemnation the 67-acre former Kimberly-Clark (K-C) mill site. The meeting has been set for 4 p.m. on June 4, 2019 in the Port Commission room at 1205 Craftsman Way, Suite 200; Everett, Washington 98201.

The former K-C mill site provided 700 direct jobs up until its closure in 2012. It’s location in the heart of the federally-secure and regulated, urban deep-water maritime complex and working waterfront has been under significant growth pressure around the Puget Sound and the protection of this working waterfront, including port operations, is critical to the region’s economic vitality and stability.

Following the Commission’s action today, the Port notified K-C of the public meeting for possible condemnation. The Port Commission took initial formal action to acquire the site in February 2016 and has been in discussion with K-C for several years as the company worked through several environmental and structural complexities of the site.

The Port has a track record for bringing jobs and restoring environmentally impaired property. The Port’s trade facilities support more than 35,000 family-wage jobs (average salary of $86,703) in the region and $373 million in state and local taxes. The strategic maritime assets in the urban-deep-water Port have attracted, and continue to attract, major industries to Snohomish County, making it the most trade-dependent county in Washington state. Nearly 60% of the jobs in Snohomish County is tied to trade, and the Port’s customs district supported more than $29 BILLION in U.S. exports in 2017 alone.