Port Townsend port considers leaving council

Published 1:30 am Friday, April 10, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — Port of Port Townsend commissioners tabled a decision on whether to leave the Economic Development Council of Jefferson County amid concerns about the organization’s governance, transparency and overall effectiveness.

Board President Pam Petranek, who serves as the port’s representative on the EDC, asked for the discussion be added to the agenda on Wednesday.

Unclear lines of authority between the board and public sector partners and limited public access to meetings were central issues.

“Changes need to be made,” she said. “There needs to be oversight and accountability.”

Commissioners agreed the organization itself — comprised of the EDC, the port, the city of Port Townsend, Jefferson County and the Jefferson County PUD — isn’t functioning as intended.

Petranek said the concerns aren’t new, noting the organization “has always had challenges” but that problems need to be addressed sooner rather than later. She said the EDC has struggled to fill board seats, but it currently has fewer members than required despite actively seeking them.

Port commissioner Pete Hanke questioned the value and visibility of the EDC’s work, saying its services and outcomes are not well understood by the business community.

Hanke has been particularly irritated with the $46,000 the port pays the EDC annually as part of its agreement for economic development services.

“My personal opinion is we waste money,” he said. “I get really frustrated.”

EDC Executive Director David Bailiff, speaking remotely, said the organization has developed a new strategic plan for 2026-27 aimed at making its work “more quantitative” and “more explainable,” with outcomes more clearly tied to the agreement among the five partners.

He said the plan focuses on coordinating economic development efforts, holding events such as a workforce summit and improving collaboration among partners.

During public comment, Pete Langley, owner of Port Townsend Foundry, thanked Petranek for the discussion. He said the problem is not EDC staff but the board itself, calling it “dysfunctional” and lacking meaningful community representation.

He said decisions are being handled improperly, criticizing the board for rejecting an application from the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce while it remains short of members.

The board’s public sector cabinet — made up of representatives from the port, the county, city and PUD — also drew scrutiny.

Hanke made a motion to reconsider the port’s participation in the EDC, effectively putting on the table whether the port should withdraw from the organization.

Commissioner Carol Hasse said she wasn’t ready to take that step, but she agreed the issue needs attention, saying both the EDC and the public sector cabinet needed to be put “on notice.”

Petranek proposed postponing motion to allow for continued discussion at the commissioners’ next meeting on May 13.

“I only want this to work,” she said. “It takes all of us getting on board.”

Airport update

At the port’s morning workshop, commissioners heard an update on the long-range master plan for Jefferson County International Airport from KSA Engineers, which projected slower growth than previously expected while outlining improvements to support future aviation needs.

The plan identified potential improvements over the next 20 years based on demand, safety standards and available funding. It outlined a phased approach, with projects in the next five years focused on runway and apron rehabilitation, taxiway lighting, construction of a pilot center and other infrastructure improvements.

Commissioners discussed including a grass landing area in the plan, which pilots had requested, but the Federal Aviation Administration would not support it under current safety standards, port Executive Director Eron Berg said.

KSA consultant Peter Van Pelt said building one outside FAA approval could put the port’s future federal grants at risk.

Public comment on the draft master plan is open through April 20, with a hearing and commission approval expected later this summer.

The plan will then be submitted to the FAA for review before it’s finalized.

The updated draft of the master plan can be found at https://tinyurl.com/5awt72dd. To submit a comment, go to https://tinyurl.com/5xv5xty6.

Marina permits

Separately, progress on the Herb Beck Marina improvement has been slowed by a federal permitting issue tied to Endangered Species Act Section 7 review.

Matt Klontz, the port’s capital projects director, said the agency plans to include all marina improvements in a single federal permit — including dock and pile replacement, dredging, breakwater work and other upgrades — rather than pursuing multiple reviews.

He said the approach is intended to streamline permitting and tie all improvements to a single mitigation strategy, including a fish habitat project at Short’s Farm.

The port is now exploring whether the boat launch replacement could move forward under a separate permit, although it remains unclear whether that option would keep the project on schedule.

Nonetheless, the port is moving ahead with design, permitting and other work while it awaits federal approval, with the goal of keeping the project on track for construction this fall, Klontz said.

Commissioners also unanimously agreed to a lease with Karyn Stillwell of Seaside Sauna for 2,000 square feet of land at Point Hudson at $600 per month for a mobile sauna unit. And they discussed updates to the port’s liveaboard policy, clarifying priority access for marine trades workers while limiting long-term use to maintain turnover and availability.

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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.