A reminder - The crucial port meeting is this afternoon at 3 p.m.  If you are reading this, then you are concerned - and we encourage you to make every effort to attend. 

What will happen? 

The 3 commissioners will be meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. in closed executive session.  Personnel is the subject - which we all know means discussing Charlie Sheldon. 

At 3 the public commissioner meeting begins.  The public will be allowed to comment.

We expect the petition to rehire Sheldon will be presented.  Over 800 people have endorsed this in less than two weeks.  Many signatures are civic and business leaders.

We then expect a petition expanding the commission from 3 to 5 commissioners.  Under state law, the 3 current commissioners can vote to place this on the ballot.  The law also allows citizens to run an initiative and place it on the ballot ourselves - and this initiative has already started.  The initiative will be at the meeting.  But we are giving the 3 commissioners the opportunity to do the right thing. 

After public comment, the commissioners will begin discussion. We hope Jim Jorgensen will reverse himself and vote with Mike McAuley to rehire Charlie Sheldon.  Late word today is that Jorgensen is waffling back toward not hiring Sheldon.  Again, the commission has an opportunity to do the right thing. 

A large turnout of concerned citizens will help impress upon the commissioners that our community supports Sheldon.   The meeting today is about bringing him back as executive director of the port.  Let's show Jim Jorgensen that the community really does want this.