Speaking of barnstorming, what’s it gonna take to increase the commission to five seats?  Seems like a worthy cause that comes up in conversation occasionally, but doesn’t seem to get much traction.  Or am I missing something?

I did a little homework this morning and found that only four ports in WA appear to have five commissioners—Anacortes, Edmonds, Seattle and Tacoma.

RCW 53.12.115 provides the rules for expanding the port:

“A ballot proposition shall be submitted to the voters of any port district authorizing an increase in the number of port commissioners to five whenever the port commission adopts a resolution proposing the increase in number of port commissioners or a petition proposing such an increase has been submitted to the county auditor of the county in which the port district is located that has been signed by voters of the port district at least equal in number to ten percent of the number of voters in the port district who voted at the last general election. The ballot proposition shall be submitted at the next general or special election occurring sixty or more days after the petition was submitted or resolution was adopted.

At the next general or special election following the election in which an increase in the number of port commissioners was authorized, candidates for the two additional port commissioner positions shall be elected as provided in RCW 53.12.130, and the voters may be asked to approve the nomination of commissioners from district-wide commissioner districts as permitted in RCW 53.12.010(2).”

Link: http://law.justia.com/washington/codes/title53/53.12.115.html

Presuming the port itself won’t take the initiative, then a citizen petition campaign would be necessary, with at least ten percent of voters signing on.  In the 2007 general election for the port district 3 seat, total votes were 37,438, which suggests about 4,000+ signatures would need to be collected.

Or am I just regurgitating old news here?

Five commissioners is very much desired by many of us.  It should be a campaign issue.  The current commissioners have said “no” to expansion for 16 years.  Yes, I have asked them.  Two new commissioners can vote to expand the commission to five - and then set the election of the two new members.  The state law is excellent in how it specifies how the two additional members are elected. 

Back about 1991, State Senator Harriet Spanel sponsored the bill that reduced commissioner terms from 6 years to 4 years and also enabled the local option to expand to 5 commissioners.

I traveled to Olympia a couple times to testify for that bill - and got roundly cursed by the director of the Washington Ports Association in the hallway after one hearing.  My 7 year old son was standing at my side and the two Port bullies never saw him - while he learned new words and watched his father get pressed against the wall and be personally insulted in base terms by two big empty suits.  A great lesson in American democracy for a youngster.

Harriet’s bill passed and it was hoped that we in Whatcom County would be able to use it.  About 1994 we tried the initiative but we did not have enough volunteers and Port issues were not prominent - like they are now.

I love that law.  And intend to press the four challengers on their intentions if they are elected.  Lets hope two of the challengers get elected and then vote to expand the commission.

Lately a second barge has been assisting the testing of Bellingham Bay.  Has anyone seen the results to date?  Today’s Herald states there is a new public comment period.  I looked for information at the link posted but could not locate the data, only the splash pages….