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OLDTOWN — A new veteran-centered business may be coming to Oldtown.
During their regular meeting Monday, Sept. 14, the Oldtown City Council heard from Brett Haker, Pacific Northwest regional director of Venergy Group. Haker described Venergy as a small construction company owned by service-disabled veterans like him, who retired in June after 28 years of service in the U.S. Army. The Fort Pierce, Florida-based company mainly handles construction on Veterans Affairs hospitals and other veteran- involved work, Haker said.
“Our motto is vets helping vets,” Haker said.
Haker has submitted a conditional use permit application to the city, with the intent of establishing a regional headquarters in Oldtown. He moved to Newport in July.
Haker added that Venergy builds and improves memorials throughout VA hospitals, contracting with many other small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. With the council’s permission, Venergy wants to invest in a memorial here, Haker said.
“It’s a big deal to us,” Haker said.
The permit is for some equipment storage associated with the dam, city planner Brian Quayle said. Currently, the area is zoned multi-family, so the city requires a conditional use to change the zone.
Haker’s permit application is mostly complete, Quayle said, and he expects agency comments on it to remain limited. The council will hold a public hearing about Haker’s permit application at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12.
After Haker’s presentation, Mayor Lonnie Orr updated the council on the docks. In order to install new docks, the city is waiting for the dam to release water on Monday, Sept. 21. He hopes the river will have enough water for the docks by early October.
“When the new docks get here, they have to be able to float them to know where to put the pilot,” Orr said.
In other business, Quayle updated the council on some construction projects.
The city has issued a couple building permits for the Old Mill development, as well as a couple certificates of occupancy for two other parties.
Quayle also received a site plan draft from the Real Life Selkirk Church for a new site, which he said was “coming together quite well” compared to last year. Unlike past drafts, this draft included renditions and addressed past issues raised by the city, Quayle said. If realized, the project would relocate RLS Thrift to the site, as well as establish a youth center, play fields and other features.
“A long ways to go,” Quayle said. “So, they’ll work on that over the winter.”
