PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles employee Colleen McAleer and event-services company owner Del DelaBarre emerged as early primary election leaders after results were tabulated in Tuesday’s balloting — with incumbent appointee Paul McHugh a distant third.
The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.
McAleer, 46, whose whistleblower complaint factored into the June 24 resignation of port Executive Director Jeff Robb, had 3,498 votes, or 59.76 percent, while DelaBarre, 75, had 1,449 votes, or 24.76 percent.
McHugh, who took office in January 2012 as an appointee to fill out the term of Jim McEntire, had 906 votes, or 15.48 percent.
The next count of ballots probably will be Friday, county Auditor Patty Rosand said.
The port race, which was confined to Sequim-area District 1 — the same boundaries as the Sequim-area county commissioner position — will be countywide in November.
“I was excited,” McAleer, the port’s director of business development, said Tuesday of the results.
Her whistleblower complaint centered on port-related lease issues.
It became a central part of an internal port report on Robb’s relationship with employees that was highly critical of his performance and led to Robb’s hiring by commissioners to a lesser position at the same salary.
“I suppose it shows to people that I have integrity and I stand up for what I believe is right regardless of the negative impacts I may personally have,” McAleer said of the impact of the complaint.
“So people know I am very sincere about my message and what I know our community can be doing and should be doing.”
Relative unknown
DelaBarre, co owner of BaRay Event Services, which manages American Kennel Club events, said he emerged from being a relative unknown with no name recognition to come in second to McAleer.
He sat well ahead of McHugh after the votes were counted Tuesday.
“We started out and wanted to make a difference,” DelaBarre said. “We got everyone talking about the port.
“The community is engaged. I feel like that’s a win all by itself.”
McHugh, a former Sequim City Council member, did not return calls for comment Tuesday night.
The Clallam County voter turnout was 25.28 percent, with 10,939 voters returning ballots out of the 41,208 issued in the county in races for port commissioner, Port Angeles School Board and Fire District No. 3 commissioner.
McAleer had reported $16,540 in campaign contributions to the state Public Disclosure Commission as of Tuesday.
DelaBarre had raised $4,524, while McHugh had no campaign contributions reported as of Tuesday.
Port of Port Angeles commissioners oversee a budget that this year includes a $6.2 million general fund and an $11 million capital improvement fund.
The port has 48 employees by head count.
Commissioners are paid $114 per diem for meeting days up to 96 per year, and $254 monthly to a cap of combined salary and per diem of $13,992 annually, have mileage reimbursed at 56.5 cents per mile and have insurance.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
