Port of Olympia commission votes to reduce meetings, publish agendas later
The Port of Olympia commission voted unanimously Monday to reduce the number of regularly scheduled meetings it has per month and to publish meeting materials and agendas later in the week.
The move might strike some as a step back in commission transparency, but Commissioner Amy Evans defended the action, saying meetings can be added as needed and despite publishing agendas later in the week, the port is still providing reasonable public notice.
The port previously had two regular commission meetings and two work sessions. After Monday’s vote, the number of meetings has been cut to three after the port eliminated one work session.
The regular commission meetings will continue to take place on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, while the one remaining work session will fall on the third Mondays of the month.
Agendas were previously published on Tuesdays for a Monday meeting — four business days before the actual meeting — but now they will be published on Thursdays, two business days, or four calendar days, before the actual meeting.
“I’d rather have the meeting materials be accurate when they go out and that’s easier to do when we’re getting closer to a meeting,” Evans said.
Commissioner Joe Downing said the commission has made a minor change to its meeting schedule.
“It helps us expedite business at the port, so I feel good about it,” he said.
Executive Director Sam Gibboney also pointed out that the commission used to only have three meetings per month prior to July 2021.
Port spokeswoman Jennie Foglia-Jones clarified Tuesday afternoon the litigation reports are now being heard during the second regular commission meetings of the month, rather than at both regular meetings. However, litigation reports can be added to agendas as needed, she said.
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 5:15 AM.
