PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles and the Clallam County Economic Development Corp. have made up a spat over which agency will recruit new industry to the area.
Tuesday’s settlement stopped short of candy and flowers, however, with the port paying only $15,000 of the $50,000 it initially considered giving to the EDC.
That, in turn, was down from the $75,000 that the private EDC had sought from the port, a government agency, for 2015.
The falling out had gone so far last March for the port to consider shouldering aside the EDC and assuming its duties as the county’s business-recruitment adviser.
Port officials never followed up on the threat. Now it’s up to the EDC to help return air passenger service to Port Angeles and attract new business.
Bill Greenwood, EDC executive director, said that could include what he called “a major marine trades industry” for the site of the former KPly plywood mill west of downtown Port Angeles.
“We’re certainly working hard to try to get new direct flights to [Seattle-Tacoma International Airport] and to attract other businesses, a major marine manufacturing company.”
He declined to name the firm but said: “That is what I call in fair shape right now.”
He said he might be able to provide more details soon.
Greenwood on Tuesday was able to assure port commissioners that the EDC had audited its finances and agreed to a contract with the port and a work plan through December 2015.
Port Commissioner Jim Hallett had been the port’s stiffest critic of the EDC, but Tuesday he said he was willing to “give the benefit of the doubt, so I’m going to support this despite some concerns that I have.”
Hallett got Greenwood to silence his previously stated opposition to the port’s proposed Composites Recycling Technology Center, for which the port seeks a $1 million Opportunity Fund grant from Clallam County commissioners.
“It certainly is [supportive of the project],” Greenwood said when queried about the EDC’s position.
Will the Economic Development Corp. support the proposal at an Aug. 4 public hearing by the county commissioners?
“Certainly we will,” he said.
Once weighted in favor of government agencies, the EDC has transformed itself into an organization consisting mostly of private enterprises. In the process, it has cut its board of directors, which once totaled 28 people, in half.
“It’s something we’re very proud of,” Greenwood said of the public-to-private realignment.
“We’ve helped a lot of companies around here over the last nine months, and we always ask them to become members of the group, and almost 100 percent of them do.
“I think our membership on the private side has jumped at least 50 percent in the past nine months.”
Although the port also is chartered to provide economic development to Clallam County, it must operate much more transparently than private companies can.
“The strength comes from the differences between us,” said Commissioner John Calhoun. “They can work in the realm of business relations in a way that we can’t.”
Port Executive Director Ken O’Hollaren said the port and the EDC should have a relationship “of mutual dependence,” with the council marketing port amenities like the KPly site.
Progress toward that goal could depend on restoring scheduled passenger service to the port’s William R. Fairchild International Airport.
The port is due to receive a report from a consultant about interested airlines in providing service to Seattle in September.
“Flights are so darned important when we’re trying to attracts other businesses here,” said Randy Johnson, chairman of the EDC board.
“You want to have an efficient method of getting to wherever they need to go.”
Commissioner Colleen McAleer, who in the past sparred with Greenwood over the port’s membership in the EDC, said, “The goal is to have this collaborative, trusting relationship where we can do great things together.”
Greenwood seemed willing to drop the dispute.
“We’re very pleased with the relationship,” he said. “We want to work with you.”
O’Hollaren said he was satisfied with what the EDC had promised to the port.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he said.
“It’s the smart thing to do. It’s the only thing to do.”
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Reporter James Casey can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jcasey@peninsuladailynews.com.
