Thursday, 11 October 2012

Port Commissioner John Creighton Explains the Role


As Port Commissioner, John Creighton is a public figure in Seattle, and he must run for election in order to obtain the job. As a result, people might be familiar with his name, and they might even be familiar with his face. However, it's also quite likely that people don't really understand what a port is, and what a commissioner is asked to do in order to help improve the port. This quick article may help to alleviate some confusion.

The Port of Pasco describes a port as a, " … municipal corporation, organized under state law and authorized by a majority vote of the residents in the proposed district ... The District can be as large as an entire county or as small as a city or town; its boundaries are defined when it is formed." A port, in other words, is an independent government agency that has specific borders that are defined by state law and voted upon by local communities. Under Washington State law, port districts also are governed by elected boards of commissioners.  Describing the governing structure makes a port just a bit easier to understand, but John Creighton says a quick peek at the operations of a typical port might make the distinction even more clear. The 75 public port districts in Washington State operate cargo terminals, cruise terminals, railroad and barge depots, grain silos, marinas, conference centers, tourism and recreational facilities among other operations [note: see www.washigtonports.org]  

A portcommissioner, John Creighton says, is a member of a board that's asked to oversee policymaking and budgeting for a port. It's an elected position, and at the Port of Seattle, those positions last for four years. Each commissioner has a vital role to play in setting policies for the Port of Seattle. 

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