PORT ANGELES – Monday’s termination of two longtime port employees was part of a larger effort to streamline the agency and focus its efforts on marketing and economic development, said Executive Director Bob McChesney on Wednesday.
“What we’re really trying to do is streamline our administration, consolidate operations and create the highest efficiency, so we can move forward with our strategic plan,” he said.
“We want to be a leader in economic development,” McChesney said.
“We have to do a better job of marketing and outreach and reach beyond Clallam County to build relationships and do a better job of recruiting businesses.
“We have nothing really to hide. We’re just trying to get our work done,” he said.
Two longtime Port of Port Angeles employees, Planning Manager Susan Bauer and Properties Manager Pat Deja, were terminated Monday when they arrived at work.
Port commissioner John Calhoun of Forks said the move was the result of extensive review.
Bauer had worked for the port for nine years and Deja for almost 10.
Deja was making $84,361 a year and Bauer was making $66,099 a year.
McChesney emphasized the port took “necessary business precautions” to protect proprietary information such as observing the cleaning out of desks and accompanying the employees throughout the building as they left.
But both employees handled the incident “very well” and did not need to be escorted off the premises, he said.
“We treated those two with every dignity and professional courtesy that was well-deserved,” McChesney said.
“We were as dignified and professional as possible. We gave them the full measure of dignity and professional respect.”
McChesney said he personally notified both the city of Port Angeles and Clallam County Economic Development Council following exit interviews conducted with Bauer and Deja.
