Port of Port Angeles commissioners censure Burke

Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2026

PORT ANGELES — Two Port of Port Angeles commissioners moved to censure fellow commissioner Steven Burke after his refusal to resign on Tuesday, citing reputation concerns tied to a state audit of Shore Aquatic Center, where he is on administrative leave as executive director.

The censure — a public statement of disapproval — would remove Burke from leadership roles and revoke his vice president title, committee assignments and his role of representing the port.

Commissioners don’t have the authority to remove another elected commissioner from office, but they will hold a special meeting at 1 p.m. Friday to allow time for public comment and to take final action.

The motion by commissioners Connie Beauvais and Colleen McAleer followed an almost two-hour executive session during the Port of Port Angeles’ regular meeting.

“He’s got a long history of exceptional service,” Beauvais said. “However, at this juncture, due to what’s happening at the Shore Aquatic Center, I think it’s prudent and important for him to step down from his position.”

Beauvais said the situation has affected how the public views the port.

“The most important capital, the most important thing that any public institution can have, is public trust,” she said. “And we have to preserve that.”

Burke said he was disappointed in the other commissioners’ actions and that he intends to continue carrying out his role.

“Ever since these issues have come up, I think my track record here has shown that I can adequately function in this position,” he said. “I was elected by the public, and they have entrusted into me to do port business.”

He added, “If anything that I have done in the past actually occurred that is incorrect, that affords me due process, and I want to take advantage of that.”

A November 2025 report from the state Auditor’s Office found the Shore Aquatic Center district lacked adequate financial controls and oversight, and it concluded that Burke personally benefited from more than $40,000 in public funds through self-insurance payments, tax refunds and credit card charges.

The audit also identified additional questionable expenses, and the findings were referred to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which referred it to the state Attorney General’s office.

Burke’s attorney Brett Purtzer said the audit has “major flaws” and noted that the Attorney General’s office hasn’t made a decision yet.

“The port is making a tremendous error here, and I’m not entirely sure what benefit they see by entering the censure against Steve at this point in time,” he said.

Contracts approved

Prior to the executive session, commissioners approved a professional services agreement with Moffatt & Nichol to complete a required mooring analysis tied to the port’s bid to host federal Ready Reserve Force vessels.

The amendment, presented by Senior Operations Manager Scott Hough, adds $78,482 to an existing contract with Moffatt & Nichol for preliminary work and will complete the engineering study needed for the port’s RRF bid.

The RRF is a fleet of cargo ships maintained by the U.S. Maritime Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation kept in standby status for military and emergency use.

Hough said the analysis will determine how large vessels can be safely moored at Terminal 1, including evaluating wind forces, line configurations and structural capacity.

“It basically tells MARAD what the facility can hold,” he said.

If the port is selected, one or more of those vessels could be stationed at Terminal 1 and deployed from the harbor when activated.

Hough said the port has received letters of support from waterfront stakeholders who see the vessels as beneficial to local business, adding that hosting them would be “a good contract to have.”

Commissioners also approved two grants and a contract related to William R. Fairchild International Airport.

Katharine Frazier, the port’s grants and government affairs manager, said the agency plans to apply for about $1.5 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program, which would support new air service through a minimum revenue guarantee program. The port is contributing a 10 percent match of $150,000.

Frazier said the port received a grant through a similar program in 2016 but did not use it.

Airport Manager James Alton presented a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program grant application for $942,581 toward a roughly $2.4 million project to construct hangars.

Alton said the port has a letter of intent from Citizen Air to lease all four planned hangars and pointed to long waiting lists for hangar space at Boeing Field and Paine Field as evidence of demand.

Commissioners also approved a $321,973.75 contract with Century West Engineering for design work tied to the hangar project.

Among other commissioner approvals:

• The purchase of the 5.05-acre Lee Shore Boats property on West Edgewood Drive for $660,000. The site includes industrial land and a roughly 2,400-square-foot house that has been retrofitted for office use.

• The purchase of a surplus emergency fire and rescue boat through an interlocal agreement with the city of Bremerton.

• A 10-year lease with the FAA at $783 per month for a small equipment site at the airport.

• A five-year lease with Fire Chief Equipment for about $1,731 per month for expanded space following its relocation within port facilities.

• A five-year lease with Olympic Peninsula Seafood for $3,180 per month for its building and adjacent yard space.

________

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