Steve Burke resigns Port of Port Angeles commissioner position
Published 4:30 pm Thursday, April 30, 2026
PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Steve Burke submitted a letter to fellow commissioners on Thursday to announce his resignation effective Friday.
In his letter, which was addressed to fellow port commissioners Connie Beauvais and Colleen McAleer as well as CEO Paul Jarkiewicz, Burke said he could no longer serve effectively after Beauvais and McAleer moved to formally censure him at Tuesday’s meeting and after he refused to resign during an executive session.
If passed, the censure would remove Burke from leadership roles, including his position as vice president, along with committee assignments and as an official representative of the port.
“The censure measures would substantially limit my ability to participate effectively and advocate on behalf of the constituents who elected me, have made it clear that I can no longer serve in this role in the manner you deserve,” Burke wrote. “Public office should be about advancing the community’s interests, and when circumstances prevent that, it is appropriate to step aside.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, board president Connie Beauvais said concerns tied to a state audit last year of the Shore Aquatic Center — where Burke was placed on administrative leave as executive director on Oct. 28 — prompted the action.
“This has been going on for six months now and will go on for some time, and it really makes an impact with the public,” she said.
“We were losing trust with the public that he was still making decisions as a port commissioner.”
The Auditor’s Office cited the pool for inadequate internal controls over financial and accounting reporting in 2022 and 2023, finding Burke personally benefited from more than $40,000 in public funds over six years.
In their report, state auditors identified significant weaknesses in the pool district’s accounting practices, limited financial oversight, lax internal controls and incomplete records, as well as improper self-insurance medical payments and Burke’s credit card use.
The audit findings were referred to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which sent the case to the state Attorney General’s Office, where it remains under review.
“I felt that we needed to take a strong stand,” McAleer said of the censure. “The input I’ve received thus far is this is the right move.”
She and Beauvais intend to move forward with voting on the censure at Friday’s special meeting, which will take place at 1 p.m. at the port’s offices, 338 W. First St., during which public comment will be taken.
Burke has served as a port commissioner since March 2016 and was reelected in November 2025 with 85.43 percent of the vote.
Burke called his decade representing District 2 “one of the greatest honors” of his life, citing work to expand marine trades, support economic development and invest in infrastructure. He also pointed to partnerships, including efforts with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and initiatives aimed at strengthening the local economy.
In a telephone conversation, Burke emphasized that the state auditor’s findings are allegations and that no determination on the case has been made.
He said he was unaware he would be asked to resign and that issues surrounding the Shore Aquatic Center had not been raised with him.
“It hasn’t been really an item of discussion,” he said.
The remaining commissioners have 90 days to appoint Burke’s replacement. The port will post a notice asking people who are interested in serving as a District 2 commissioner to submit an application.
District 2 represents the central portion of the district, generally the greater Port Angeles area and immediate surrounding precincts.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
