PORT ANGELES — A joint meeting today between the City Council and the Port of Port Angeles will review the reasons for creating the Harbor-Works Public Development Authority.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers of Port Angeles City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
According to an agenda released Monday by the city and port, the group will “identify questions and issues requiring further research to be considered at a subsequent meeting” and the possible scheduling of that meeting.
The meeting is open to the public, but no comment from the audience will be taken.
Entire City Council
The City Council unanimously decided on Dec. 2 to form the task force, so far made up of the entire council, to resolve concerns and answer questions brought up by the public about the way Harbor-Works was formed and its purpose.
At least two of the three port commissioners expect to attend the meeting, said Bob McChesney, port executive director.
Since there was no public knowledge of the formation of Harbor-Works prior to May 20, the reasons behind the formation as well as the process and negotiations have been questioned.
The five-member Harbor-Works Board of Directors decided last week not to make any major decisions — including hiring an executive director and forming a 2009 budget — until it receives direction on its future from the task force.
The city and port each provided $150,000 out of economic development funds to start Harbor-Works.
Formed to acquire
Harbor-Works was formed to acquire from Rayonier Inc. the site of its former pulp mill, assist in the waterfront property’s environmental cleanup and direct its redevelopment.
The property is contaminated with pockets of PCBs, dioxins, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and other hazardous contaminates from the 68 years the pulp mill operated on the site. It closed in 1997.
Remnants of a Lower Elwha Klallam village are buried under part of the property.
