PORT ANGELES –The City Council interviewed five candidates Tuesday to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority Board of Directors, but will wait until its Oct. 20 meeting to make the appointment.
The consensus of the seven-member council was to give itself more time to review the qualifications and answers to questions of the candidates — Port Angeles Business Association board member and retired attorney Kaj Ahlburg, Camaraderie Cellars owner Donald Corson, The Landing Mall owner Paul Cronauer and former mayors Larry Doyle and James Hallett.
Board member Karne McComick, who retired from her position as CEO of First Federal on Sept. 28, will leave the public development authority board Oct. 31.
She was one of three board members appointed by the City Council on May 20, 2008. Howie Ruddell and Orville Campbell also were appointed by the council.
Board members Jerry Hendrix and Bart Irwin were appointed by the Port of Port Angeles commissioners.
McCormick’s replacement will fill the rest of her term, which will end May 20, 2011.
Five candidates
The five candidates were each interviewed in an open session, and were asked questions that were prepared by city staff at the request of the council members.
The city created Harbor-Works on May 20, 2008 to acquire Rayonier Inc.’s former pulp mill site on the waterfront, direct its redevelopment and assist in the environmental cleanup of the 75-acre property.
When asked about their visions for future use of the property, each of the candidates said they see the land — the largest undeveloped parcel on the North Olympic Peninsula — as having the potential to once again be a significant contributor to the local economy.
Rayonier operated a mill there for 68 years before closing it in 1997.
While their emphasis was on creating jobs, none of them ruled out wanting industrial, commercial, residential use or park space.
“There has to be jobs and there has to be a tax base added back to the city,” said Ahlburg, former managing director of Bank of America Securities.
The candidates also voiced support for Harbor-Works’ mission and a need to complete the stalled cleanup of the property.
Qualifications
But what do they bring to the table?
Corson, Ahlburg and Cronauer each said they are used to dealing with large projects and multiple stakeholders with different goals in their own past and present careers.
“I’ve been there and done that,” said Corson, who is a former vice president of planning and development for Merrill & Ring.
“I hired the consultants and managed the consults with some effect.”
Cronauer told the council that he would not benefit personally, as the owner of The Landing mall, from the development of the Rayonier property since he doesn’t own the tidelands that his building sits on.
“My experience in putting groups together and successfully negotiating solutions is proven over the years because I’ve done this all my life,” he said.
Doyle and Hallett said their experience on the council would help Harbor-Works.
Hallett, a council member from 1985-1993, said his expertise on the city’s sewage issues would particularly be useful, since the city also created Harbor-Works to acquire a large tank on the property to keep sewage from overflowing into the harbor.
“I feel that I at least have some working knowledge there,” he said.
Doyle, a council member from 1993-2001, said he is right for the job because he can “look at a project and see what needs to be done and what is the next step.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
