PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles commissioners wasted little time in finding a candidate to negotiate with to fill the port’s top administrative position.
But the person will remain a secret to the public for the time being.
“I think it’s important that the candidate remain anonymous at this point for what’s in the best interest of the port through the negotiations,” Commissioner Colleen McAleer said.
Commissioners decided to ramp up the hiring process
Jan. 13, having earlier agreed to not fill the permanent executive director position vacated by Jeff Robb in June until after McAleer, the port’s former director of business development, was sworn in at the Jan. 13 meeting.
After Robb resigned, the former executive director was rehired immediately to an unadvertised position as port environmental affairs director at the same $138,000 he earned as the top administrator.
After an hourlong executive session Monday, commissioners would not divulge who their primary candidate is.
They directed port attorney Simon Barnhart to begin negotiating a contract with the person.
And they wouldn’t say if the candidate is a port employee, male or female, or if there were other job applicants they had considered.
But Commission President Jim Hallett hinted that the candidate is from out of town.
“All three commissioners have given a great deal of consideration in terms of what each of us is looking for in an executive director and the process we’re going to follow,” Hallett said.
“The commissioners have a candidate identified, and we want to see if that candidate is willing to come here.”
Hallett said he was confident that commissioners would hire the new executive director by the port’s next regular meeting Feb. 11.
Interim Executive Director Ken O’Hollaren said the opening was not advertised.
Port commissioners hired the Seattle office of Waldron, a national executive recruiting firm, under a maximum $45,000 contract to find a suitable applicant or applicants for the position.
The salary range for the position “is pretty broad,” Commissioner John Calhoun said.
The salary range is a $114,056-$154,310, the midpoint of which is $134,183.
Also at their meeting Monday, commissioners decided to begin holding their regular meetings beginning at 9 a.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at port headquarters, 338 W. First St., Port Angeles.
They have been meeting at 9:30 a.m. the second and fourth Monday of the month.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
