PORT ANGELES — Did the city of Port Angeles and Port of Port Angeles comply with state open government law when they created the Port Angeles Harbor-Works Public Development Authority?
The state auditor’s office has its answer in a draft report it released to the city, port and Harbor-Works on Monday, but its details will remain confidential until the three public entities submit their own comments to be included in the final version.
The City Council and port commission a year ago approved the creation of Harbor-Works, which is tasked with directing the cleanup and redevelopment of the 75-acre waterfront site — once a mill — owned by Rayonier, Inc.
The action was taken without holding a public hearing or taking public comment.
That prompted Port Angeles residents Norma Turner and Shirley Nixon to file a request for an investigation last September.
Nixon and Turner said they also can’t see a copy of the report until the final version is released.
City Manager Kent Myers said at the Tuesday City Council meeting that the draft report is available to the public but changed that statement Wednesday after speaking with the Auditor’s Office.
Report confidential
The state auditor’s office told him that the report is confidential until the final version is completed, which could take a couple of weeks, he said.
“I thought it was the finalized report,” Myers said Wednesday.
“Because it’s their document, I don’t want to release anyone’s document until I’m given the OK.”
Myers declined to say whether or not the city views the findings of the investigation to be positive or negative.
He said the city will submit its comments on the report to the state after staff holds a conference call with state Auditor Brian Sonntag next week.
Bill James, port finance and administrative director, and Clyde Boddy, Harbor-Works interim executive director, both said they won’t release the report until the Auditor’s Office allows them to make it public.
James said the port’s response will be submitted to the state today, and it will be brief.
He also declined to say if the port views the report’s findings to be positive or negative.
The former mill site is contaminated by pockets of PCBs, dioxins and other contaminates from the operation of a Rayonier mill there for 68 years. The mill closed in 1997.
In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called the Rayonier site “moderately contaminated,” perhaps 2 or 3 on a scale of 10.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
