PORT ANGELES — Two candidates for a West End Port of Port Angeles commissioner position differed on commissioner-staff relationships and impending marina rate increases at an election forum Monday.
Connie Beauvais and Michael Breidenbach presented their arguments for getting elected Nov. 3 during a Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon — with two weeks to go before all ballots are due at the Clallam County Auditor’s Office.
Speaking for 25 minutes, Beauvais, a Joyce resident and manager of the Crescent Water Association, and Breidenbach, a Forks City Council member for seven years, made opening statements and took questions from an audience of 30 attendees at the Red Lion Hotel.
Beauvais and Breidenbach are vying for the District 3 position held by incumbent John Calhoun, who is not running for re-election.
Calhoun and port Commissioner Jim Hallett have rejected boaters’ pleas to lower marina rates.
Fee increase?
On Oct. 13 they signaled their intentions to raise fees at the Boat Haven in Port Angeles and John Wayne Marina east of downtown Sequim and will discuss the increases in detail at a commission meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Beauvais, who will be 64 as of Election Day, said it was “a little disingenuous” of the port to eliminate marinas such as those in Shelton and Pleasant Harbor in Brinnon when it compared marina rates while reviewing if the port’s rates should be increased.
“We need to take a step back,” she said.
Beauvais said the port’s marinas should be marketed better and that a separate rate should be established for county residents.
Breidenbach, 63 as of Election Day and a retired Rayonier senior manager, noted the topic has sparked contention at election forums.
The Boat Haven charges $6.21 per foot for a 20-foot uncovered slip, including a 12.84 percent leasehold excise tax.
John Wayne Marina charges $7.45 per foot, also including the same excise tax for a similar-size boat.
Rates ‘a little bit low’
“Our rates are just a little bit low,” Breidenbach said.
The port needs to get more boaters to come to the marinas and spend their time at them, he added.
“We should be focused on those two issues,” Breidenbach said.
Beauvais, vice chairwoman of the county Planning Commission and co-owner, with her husband, of an alpaca farm, called for improved communication, marketing and leadership at the port.
Touting her regular attendance at port meetings and workshops, Beauvais, a 20-year county resident, said there should be better communication between the commissioners and staff, port stakeholders and the public.
“The commissioners need to be more proactively involved rather than delegating,” she added.
‘Micromanagement’
Asserting the port faces financial challenges, Breidenbach said port commissioners should concentrate on formulating policy, not on hiring employees and making day-to-day decisions.
“I don’t think there should be micromanagement of port employees or the staff,” he said.
“That should be done by people who are hired to do that.”
Recalling his own experience working as a senior sales manager, he said “for me to do my job, I needed to depend on people and not get involved in their work.”
Beauvais was the top vote-getter in a field of four in the Aug. 4 District 3-only primary with 847 votes — 33 percent of the total.
Breidenbach had 639 votes — 25 percent of the total.
Voting for the position is countywide for the general election.
________
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
