QUILCENE — The Quilcene community has rallied around Jim Speer, the former longtime caretaker of Quilcene’s marina, after the Port of Port Townsend terminated his contract in late February due to safety concerns about the caretaker’s home.
After a particularly wet winter, the caretaker’s residence at the Herb Beck Marina was at risk of flooding due to a backup in a culvert that runs behind the home, according to Port Director Sam Gibboney.
Port officials decided to terminate the caretaker position altogether and instead use other staff during the busy summer months.
“A lot of local folks, including my husband and myself, are concerned,” said Connie Gallant, who has a sailboat moored in the marina.
Gallant said a full-time caretaker provides security for the marina as well as serving as a public relations contact in the summer.
“There needs to be someone here to collect fees and answer questions,” Gallant said. “He [Speer] was really good at public relations.”
Speer has served as the full-time caretaker of the Herb Beck Marina in Quilcene for 21 years. He and his wife, Donna, still live in a home at the marina owned by the Port of Port Townsend.
Now that Speer is no longer the caretaker, the port has given the Speers the option of buying the home and moving it off port property, but according to Speer, it’s not so simple.
“It’s complicated,” Speer said. “You have to find a place to move it before you can do anything.”
Members of the Quilcene community are searching for housing options for them.
“There are a bunch of us trying to find them a place to live,” said Anne Ricker, another Quilcene resident.
“They have been a part of the community for over 20 years, and their kids and grandkids are all here, so they don’t want to live in Port Hadlock. They want to stay in town.”
According to Ricker, the port has asked the Speers to be out by the end of this month, but Speer said he hasn’t received anything in writing yet.
The port terminated Speer’s contract as the full-time caretaker Feb. 28, citing safety concerns of the caretaker’s home as an issue.
“As far as I know, I haven’t done anything wrong in 21 years,” Speer said.
Ricker said she hopes the port will be more flexible with its deadline.
“The building isn’t going to wash away now that it’s summer,” Ricker said. “We’re all still trying to find them a place.”
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
