PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles commissioners are preparing a new Timber Advisory Committee, reopening positions on the Marina Advisory Committee, and deciding what topics to discuss at an upcoming joint meeting with the Port Angeles City Council.
At a work session Monday, the port commissioners discussed the creation of a committee to advise the commissioners on timber-related issues.
Commissioners identified categories of people who could be represented: timber landowners, mill owners or operators, commercial loggers, log buyers, log truckers, forest scientists, environmental interests, government agency representatives, those retired from those industries and unaffiliated members of the public.
A member of port staff would attend meetings to answer questions, and to report on the committee’s progress.
Since the panel has nine positions, not every group can be represented, commissioners said.
Commissioner Steve Burke noted that there may not be a total of nine interested and qualified individuals in Clallam County.
“We could be lucky to get six,” Burke said.
The creation of the commission is expected to be discussed again at the commission meeting on May 23, and could be approved at that time, said Karen Goschen, interim executive director.
The Marina Advisory Committee, formed in 2014, was also discussed and expected to be opened for new members in June.
The stakeholder committee is intended as a conduit among the port commission, staff, and users of marina facilities for discussion of marina safety, moorage rates, revenues, expenses, capital expenditures, marketing and marina promotion and coordination of special events.
Committee members can represent commercial boat building, commercial fishing, environmental interests, tribal treaty fishing, boathouse owners, live-aboard tenants, marine trades, recreational boaters, yacht club members, or unaffiliated members of the public.
Goschen said once approved, applications will be posted at the port’s administration building at 338 W. First St., Port Angeles; on the port’s website; or in the harbormaster’s office at the Port Angeles Boat Haven.
The commission also discussed a joint meeting with the Port Angeles City Council at 2 p.m. June 6.
The topics of discussion have not yet been established for the two-hour meeting, Goschen said.
Commissioners suggested discussions include the possible use of the Oak Street pier, also known as Terminal 4, as a terminal for whale watching excursions; the extension of the Olympic Discovery trail through port properties; and a presentation on the port’s current progress on harbor cleanup.
A discussion on the William R. Fairchild International Airport master plan and an aviation right of way plan would take more than two hours, and should be scheduled for another meeting, Commissioner Colleen McAleer said.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
