EVERETT- In his office at Shaffer Crane, Jim Shaffer has a photograph of himself with the late Sen. Henry M. Jackson looking over the plans for what became Naval Station Everett.
Besides Jackson, Shaffer was one of a handful of others in the community who made sure the city got the military base to help diversify the local economy.
In fact, there’s very little that has happened on the city’s waterfront during the last quarter century that Shaffer hasn’t been involved in.
But that’s about to end.
Shaffer, who has spent 24 years on the Port of Everett commission, announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election this fall. His six-year term is over at the end of this year.
The decision was described as disappointing by port director John Mohr.
“In the time he’s been here, he’s done significant work in trying to help us through a number of different projects,” Mohr said. “He’s one of the fathers in the marina redevelopment.”
The redevelopment of the north marina area, now underway, is a $200 million project that will bring offices, condos, shops, restaurants, an amphitheater and public walkways to some 65 acres of the waterfront.
Mohr also noted that Shaffer has been involved in adding the south terminal, getting the Navy base and acquiring land from the Weyerhaeuser Corp. that was cleaned up, turned into an industrial park and recently sold to Sierra Pacific, a California company that plans to build a state-of-the-art sawmill.
Shaffer said Wednesday he didn’t want to talk about any legacy, but he is clearly proud of attracting the new mill to the property along the Snohomish River.
“We went after this contaminated land and we put it back to work,” he said. “I think the Sierra Pacific mill is going to be a marvelous thing for the port. We made money on the deal.”
Shaffer joined the port commission in 1976, serving two six-year terms. He stepped off the commission for the next six years before running for and winning two more terms.
The chairman of the commission this year, Shaffer has occasionally ruffled feathers because he speaks his mind in blunt language. He doesn’t hesitate to cut off a speaker if he thinks a point has been already made or an issue has been discussed for too long.
His directness has been helpful to port staff, Mohr said, because Shaffer has made it very clear what he expects from them and where the agency is headed.
“Jim is a really straightforward person and he makes sure you understand him,” Mohr said.
Shaffer described himself as a “pro-growth” person.
“I believed in bringing Everett into the 21st Century,” he said. “I believe in diversifying everything between the marina, the marine terminals, the industrial properties and public access. If you keep doing positive things with each one, you won’t get in trouble.”
The recently opened trail that goes through port property along the waterfront to Pigeon Creek was a project backed by former commissioner Ed Morrow and Shaffer, Mohr said.
Several people have expressed interest in Shaffer’s District 2 position, which includes portions of south Everett and Mukilteo. Three potential candidates include Connie Niva, Frank Foster and Fred Taucher. All three have been following port issues and attending port meetings in recent months.
Herald writer Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459 or benbow@heraldnet.com.
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