Community leaders offer input on expanding Port of Olympia commission to 5 members
The Port of Olympia commissioners will meet with the Thurston County commissioners and county Auditor Mary Hall in the next two weeks to discuss the port’s desire to expand its commission.
But many agree that the Port of Olympia commission’s desire to expand its ranks from three members to five members is a good thing.
Among the supporters: the port commission, Thurston County Commissioner Tye Menser, the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and former Olympia mayor and consultant Doug Mah, all of whom spoke Monday during the port commission’s regular meeting.
However, they do not agree on the timing of the effort. Port commissioner E.J. Zita once again reiterated her concerns about timing and urged the commission to coordinate with Thurston County on the expansion.
“Let’s be good partners with our local experts at the county,” she said.
Still, Port commissioners Bill McGregor and Joe Downing appear set to vote on a resolution — and that vote likely will take place July 26 — that would place a proposition on the November general election ballot, asking voters whether to expand the commission to five members from three.
That led Menser on Monday to make three requests of the port commission. He made clear that he was speaking not as an individual, but on behalf of the Board of Thurston County Commissioners, who asked him to appear before the port commission.
He pointed out the county’s population stands at 295,000, and soon will be at 300,000. When it reaches 300,000, he said the county commission is committed to putting a proposal to expand the county commission before the voters.
The county commission, like the port commission, also has only three members: Menser, Gary Edwards and Carolina Mejia.
Menser then made his requests:
▪ He asked that the port and county run their ballot measures at the same time, not only to lower election costs, but also to educate the public and raise awareness, giving both ballot measures the best chance for voter approval. If, for example, one ballot measure should fail, then it might make it harder for the other one to pass, he said.
▪ He asked that the port and county collaborate on the new district boundaries. “Jurisdictional boundaries are confusing enough without us muddying the waters by creating two sets of districts,” he said.
▪ Menser also pointed out that if the port’s November ballot measure should pass, they would need to get the new district boundaries to the county by March 22, before the mid-May candidate filing deadline. He called it an “extremely aggressive timeline.” He asked that the port delay elections until 2023 to allow “adequate time for good sensible boundaries and allow solid qualified candidates to assess the changes.”
Commissioner McGregor was unmoved, although he said he had no problem working with the county on the new boundaries.
Downing apparently was persuaded, however, finally proposing that the port, county commissioners and county auditor Mary Hall have a joint meeting in the next two weeks. All three port commissioners approved his motion.
Still, Zita remained puzzled at the rush to expand. “I still don’t get what your big hurry is,” she said.
This story was originally published July 13, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
