PORT ANGELES — Two candidates for a Port of Port Angeles commissioner seat discussed their vision for the agency during a meeting conducted by the Port Angeles Noon Rotary Club.
Incumbent Connie Beauvais and challenger Lee Whetham each promoted their platforms Wednesday at the Asian Buffet restaurant. They are vying for the port’s District 3 position, a four-year term, on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
Ballots, which were mailed to registered voters last month, must be postmarked or returned to an official drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Beauvais, who has held the seat for the past eight years, focused on what she called diversifying the port’s business portfolio, including the development of the Marine Trades Center.
“We’ve been advertising worldwide to try to get tenants to come in there,” she said. “We have three that are interested, two that are local, looking to grow their business. That’s what you really want because they’re already successful.”
“We’re moving ahead with the development of it,” she said. “Even if we don’t get the stakeholder person in for a big building, we’re going to go ahead. We’ll be posting plans in the next month or two.”
Whetham, a former Port Angeles City Council member, wants to start a port subcommittee that would focus on restoring king salmon runs in the Elwha River.
“Currently we’re eight years beyond the five-year Elwha River recovery period and I’d like to do something about this with a port subcommittee of county residents with ideas that may become a settlement for financial impact to area business over this extended period of lost economic opportunities for all,” he said.
“Through this port committee, our local economic development council will begin to approach all parties to this national dams’ removal project,” Whetham continued. “Using ideas put forth from this committee, Washington, D.C., will resolve this lingering problem through our federal representatives and the Clallam County EDC.”
The port is the only government entity that’s charged with local economic development, Whetham said.
“I think it fits over a lot of different things the port is involved with,” Whetham said. “I think we’ve been short-changed by the federal government on this river restoration.”
Beauvais, who said she has written letters to different fisheries’ organizations, including the International Pacific Halibut Commission, added the port should be more concerned with creating living-wage jobs.
“For the port to spend its time and limited energy on just that, we have a lot of other things we need to do ahead of that,” she said.
Beauvais said she’s a strong supporter of working timberlands, which support junior taxing districts such as fire districts, schools, hospitals, libraries and the Shore Aquatic Center.
“We need to make our forests healthy, and we need to do a much better job at forest management,” she said.
Beauvais also cited broadband internet needs within the county and connecting with other agencies to improve access.
Whetham, retired after a 40-year plumbing career, reiterated his focus on restoring the Elwha fishery.
“I will continue to support our timber, aviation, maritime and civic groups, but I want to add one more item,” he said. “Through that one item, it should cover half of the things the port is supposed to do for the community. I believe I have a way to do it for free.
“I think it’s good for the community, good for the health of our environment,” he continued. “I don’t see a problem with trying to do something for free that will also help build the port.
“I want to make it clear to Washington, D.C., that we’re serious about fixing the Elwha.”
Both candidates were asked about the port’s 2024 budget that includes funding for nine new positions.
Beauvais said some of them haven’t been filled yet, including the operations manager position, which was left vacant when Paul Jarkiewicz was promoted to executive director earlier this year. The port also plans to split a director position into two to oversee marinas and the airport separately.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work at the airport over the years and the marinas have really suffered,” she said.
Beauvais said there are plans to hire three security workers.
“We have issues with security,” she said. “John Wayne Marina is getting all new cameras, but we don’t have enough people to watch over there and the airport and the Boat Haven.
“In order for us to move ahead, we have to take the skeleton crew that we have and make it greater.”
Whetham added the port wants to focus on workforce development and have crews that will perform the majority of maintenance duties instead of using contracts for the service.
Another question dealt with climate change and water availability.
Beauvais said the port conducts all of its business within the City of Port Angeles with the exception of the Sekiu airport, so the city would be responsible for water.
“As communities grow, that’s something all of the utilities will be looking at,” she said. “You have to be able to provide those assets.”
Whetham, who said he served for two years on the city’s utility advisory committee, talked about underground rivers in both Port Angeles and Sequim that come from the Olympic Mountains, but he is not aware of a test that has determined cubic feet per second on either body of water.
“We’re learning how to deal with this drought going forward,” he said.
________
Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-417-3531 or by email at brian.mclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
