PORT TOWNSEND — Discussion of Jefferson County Economic Development Council’s future was broached Wednesday when council President Lawrence Graves and departing Executive Director Tamer Kirac met with county, city of Port Townsend and Port of Port Townsend executives.
Graves said he came away knowing that county leaders were willing to take over the Economic Development Council, which is one option proposed, but Port leaders, who have helped build the port’s industrial park and marine trades yards to include some 400 jobs in Port Townsend, were not interested.
“It all depends on what direction we’re going to take,” Graves said, adding that most of the discussion surrounded a request for proposals on the proposed industrial land bank feasibility study.
Attending the meeting were county Administrator John Fischbach, port Executive Director Larry Crockett and City Manager David Timmons.
“If it was an ideal situation, there would be an EDC for the whole Olympic Peninsula,” said Graves, adding that even that could pose political problems “with who put what business where.”
Three options remain
With the Port of Port Townsend option to take over Economic Development Council operations nixed, three options are left — joining with the county, remaining the same and hiring a new executive director, or collaborating with the Clallam County Economic Development Council.
Kirac resigned last week, citing lack of support from government agencies and the development council’s executive committee.
He has accepted a U.S. State Department position as an economic adviser for 18 Iraqi provinces and will be based in Baghdad’s U.S. military-protected “green zone.”
The Economic Development Council’s executive committee on Tuesday appointed Joe Breskin, a longtime Port Townsend marine trades and technology businessman and consultant now under contract with the council, as interim director.
Breskin said he is looking at factors in the communities that affect and limit development projects.
An unrelated land bank feasibility study is proposed to include a land inventory and cost analysis.
A request for proposals is expected to be discussed further, as well as the Economic Development Council’s future, at the next council board meeting at noon March 3 at Point Hudson Marina Room.
