PORT ANGELES — Four City Council candidates discussed harbor development, commerce, open government and a few other issues at the first forum of this election year Tuesday.
The Port Angeles Business Association hosted the forum at Joshua’s Restaurant, 113 Del Guzzi Drive. About 30 people attended.
The candidates — Peter Ripley, Rick Burton, Max Mania and former council member Edna Petersen — are each running for the Port Angeles City Council Position 2 seat, which Council member Larry Williams will leave at the end of the year.
The race is one of four Port Angeles council races this year, but it’s the only one that will be fought in the Aug. 18 primary before going to a general election run-off Nov. 3.
Ballots for the primary election will be mailed July 29.
Economic development
When it comes to the economic development of the city, Burton and Mania emphasized tourism while saying it must be balanced with other industries.
“We have so many blessings,” said Mania, referring to the natural landscape. “We need to maximize those resources and turn it into the gold that I think just lies there.”
Burton said the city should coordinate better with other local governments to promote the area as a travel destination.
“I understand tourism isn’t a year-round thing,” he said. “It’s one of the assets we have.”
In response to a question of what the city can do to keep businesses in Port Angeles, Petersen talked about the city providing $10,000 in lodging tax revenue to Kenmore Air this year.
The company, which has said publicly that it may end air service to Port Angeles next year if it can’t break even on flights, is required to use the funds on advertising the area as a travel destination.
“That’s what helps save a business,” said Petersen, referring to the agreement between the city and Kenmore Air as a partnership.
“Business retention is easier than bringing a new business to town.”
Petersen is the owner of Necessities and Temptations gift shop on Railroad Avenue and is a PABA member.
She served on the City Council from July 2006 through 2007 after being appointed to the position. Petersen was defeated in the November 2007 general election by Dan Di Guilio.
Open government
Ripley said the more open government is, the more likely business owners are to keep their shops in town.
“I think the key phrase here is transparency,” he said.
“There are clouds of perception that decisions have been made behind closed doors and out of the public eye,” said Ripley, who is running for the council for the fourth time. He has not served on the council.
He said some of those decisions were the selection of Kent Myers as city manager, the formation of the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority and a common interest agreement with Nippon Paper Industries USA on the environmental cleanup of Port Angeles Harbor as examples.
“I would recuse myself from any executive session that does not adhere to strict adherence to the RCW [the Revised Code of Washington] on executive session,” Ripley said.
Petersen and Mania also expressed support for increasing government transparency.
Ripley also said that he would give back his pay as a council member to the city every other month to help resolve financial issues.
In order to keep businesses here, Mania said “sensible zoning codes” and “sensible taxes” are part of the solution.
Burton said the city needs to create jobs to generate more consumer spending and keep businesses in town.
In response to another question, Burton also suggested that economic growth, not environmental concerns, should be what the city considers when making land use decisions.
‘Ecology stuff — bunk’
“When it comes to that ecology stuff, I think a lot of it is bunk, to be honest,” he said. “I think it’s another way for the federal and state governments to draw more money away from small cities like us.”
PABA member Andrew May, a campaign adviser to Petersen, asked the candidates what they think the city’s role is in the environmental cleanup of the Rayonier mill site.
Petersen said the creation of Harbor-Works by the city was a step in the right direction.
“With the development of Harbor-Works, we are as close to moving [forward] than we have ever been, with everybody having a say in the process,” she said.
Burton said the city needs to work with the tribe to ensure that tribal artifacts and burials, located under portions of the 75-acre property on the waterfront, are not unearthed.
“I don’t see spending a whole bunch of money on Rayonier until Rayonier does their portion of what needs to be done,” he added, referring to the property.
Mania also said that the city needs to ensure that Rayonier remains as fiscally responsible as possible for the cleanup of its property.
When addressing the property’s potential for redevelopment, Mania said, “Less is more is probably going to be the realistic view.”
He cited possible removal of fill as part of the cleanup and rising marine water due to global warming as examples.
“It’s a shrinking piece of the pie,” he said.
Said Ripley: “I think we have to do what is necessary in getting the property cleaned up.”
When asked about development of the harbor, the candidates talked about what they would like to see, but none had any specific plans in mind.
“The harbor is a buried gold mine out there,” Petersen said. “It can be as big or small as you want to make it.”
Mania said development of maritime industry is part of the “diversified economy” that Port Angeles needs.
Burton said further development of the waterfront and William R. Fairchild International Airport is needed. In his opening statement, Burton said the city needs to support the timber industry and “other industries to replace what has been lost or lost in the future.”
Ripley said the waterfront needs a railroad once again. He later said that the city should encourage more cruise ships to dock in Port Angeles.
None of the questions addressed the city’s budget, but Petersen and Burton mentioned it in their opening statements.
Burton said the city needs to do more with its current staff and not spend money on capital projects unless it is something “that the majority of people want.”
Petersen said whoever is elected will have to make difficult financial decisions and “make these decisions in order that we continue to have the core services that are important.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
