Measure interest by voting

Published 5:20 pm Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A meeting to discuss changing the Port of Everett Commission from three to five commissioners, held April 15, didn’t draw many members of the public. On the other hand, the meeting wasn’t publicized much by the port or the press.

Also, some citizens might be thinking: How many times do we have to have this discussion?

Since the topic was discussed a great deal by candidates and citizens during last year’s election, people might be forgiven for thinking the commission understood the public wants to vote on the matter.

The commission, for the third time since 2005, is considering whether put the expansion issue on the ballot. The request by citizens in 2005 was denied. The request by citizens in 2008 was also denied, because it would be “too expensive” and there didn’t “appear to be enough interest.”

(Last year, before two new commissioners were elected, the commission decided to make the fate of the Collins building a ballot measure, despite the cost, and the fact that no one expressed interest in such a vote. The ill-advised move did attract interest, and the commission reversed itself.)

How exactly is interest measured? Should we have an election to see if there’s enough interest in voting on the size of the port commission?

Former port commissioner Phil Bannan said the poor turnout on April 15 shows that the public isn’t that interested in a change.

Bannan is entitled to his opinion, and he has made good use of that. But to turn his argument around: if only waterfront business owners and port employees show up at a meeting — to argue for the status quo — does that mean citizens agree with them?

Bruce Faires, an Edmonds port commissioner, told the commission that when Edmonds voters approved adding two commissioners in 2001, he was not enthusiastic about the change, worrying that more management didn’t mean better management.

“Looking back, however, I think that the change was healthy and resulted in better representation of, and decisions for, our constituents.” (Emphasis ours).

Something seems backward, or perhaps just deja vu, if a decision by three port commissioners about whether to let the public vote or not, will be the real deciding factor — again — on whether to expand the port commission.

The commission will hold another meeting, Thursday evening, before making its decision in June. To voice your opinion on whether the public should get to vote on expanding the port commission, attend the public meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Mukilteo Water District, 7824 Mukilteo Speedway. Or comment online at portofeverett.com.