Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton: 2013 a Great Year for Taste Washington

Each year, Seattle plays host to Taste Washington, a premier event focused exclusively on the food and wine that originate within this great state. Over 225 wineries are expected to participate in the 2013 event, scheduled for March 23 and 24, and Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton hopes that visitors will be encouraged to come back for a repeat visit to Washington wineries and wine tasting rooms at a later date.

Taste Washington brings needed tourism dollars to the region, as those who participate often choose to stay the night in local hotels. The amount of wine poured makes driving a bit unsafe, and there are so many different delicacies to try that people often need both days that the event takes place in order to sample everything that's available to them with their ticket packages. But, according to Commissioner Creighton, Taste Washington could bring the Seattle area even bigger benefits down the line.

Wine and food enthusiasts might be drawn to the event due to the participation of heavy hitters from around the state, but participants may particularly enjoy the samples of food that come from the local region. This is an area that's often overlooked by food and wine critics, and it's a shame, as Seattle has some wonderful options available. As participants sip, nibble and swirl, they'll also have the opportunity to look out on the lights of the city, and when the event is over, they may choose to visit local restaurants for a more substantial meal, or they might choose to take in a show at the Fifth Avenue Theater, or visit a museum such as the Seattle Art Museum or Experience Music Project, or a local attraction such as the Space Needle or Chihuly Glass Garden. In short, the event could provide a doorway into the wonders that Seattle has to offer, and people might find that they'd like to come back and take a closer look at the city.

Why Tourism is Vital to the Success of Seattle

Recently, the Yakima Herald ran an excellent column on the importance of tourism for the state of Washington. The article, written by John Cooper of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, contained some alarming statistics about spending on tourism promotion within the state, suggesting that while Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia all have significant funds to allocate to tourism promotion to lure visitors, Washington continues to keep spending low. In fact, the state tourism office was shuttered and completely defunded in 2011, as a result of budget concerns.

John Creighton, Seattle Port Commissioner, shares the concerns expressed by Mr. Cooper, and he hopes to convince policymakers and the public alike to revise their thinking about the importance of tourism within the state. Since tourism is responsible for some 51,000 jobs in the Seattle area alone, it's a conversation well worth having.   Last year, revenue from the state tourism sector topped $16 billion.

People who live in Seattle might be well aware of the sights and sounds the city has to offer. They might know all about the concerts they can attend, the wines they can try, the restaurants that provide the choicest morsels and the museums they can visit. Those who don't live in the area, however, might not have any idea that any of these delights even exist. They might believe that Seattle is all about coffee and fish, and without promotion, their ideas might not ever change.

For  Commissioner Creighton, every dollar spent on tourism promotion is a dollar well spent. Each tourist will spend money on food, transportation, lodging and entertainment. And if the experience is positive, that tourist might tell a friend, and another visit might take place in the future. Luring in just one person could mean bringing in much-needed revenue for the state, and those funds could be used for infrastructure, education and more. Budgets are tight, Commissioner Creighton knows, but promoting tourism could be the key to a successful future for Seattle.

Commissioner John Creighton Solicits Ideas for the Port of Seattle Century Agenda

As a port commissioner since 2006, John Creighton has been intimately involved in helping the Port of Seattle to grow and thrive, adding jobs to the community while at the same time working to reduce the environmental footprint of the port. During his time on the commission, Commissioner Creighton has served as the co-chair of the committee working on the commission's Century Agenda: an ambitious plan that will add 100,000 new jobs to the region within the next 25 years. It will take a strong partnership between the port commission, local government, academic and nonprofit organizations and private industry to make this plan a reality.  Commissioner Creighton notes that particularly with respect to the Century Agenda’s regional initiatives, these are goals and objectives that the port cannot accomplish alone.  Creighton is soliciting any and all ideas that business, government and other regional leaders have that will help strengthen and support the Century Agenda as 2013 begins.

Asking for input from the community isn't new, as Commissioner John Creighton Seattle is quick to point out.

"The commission has a long history of reaching out to regional stakeholders, asking for their input on important decisions and planning projects," says Commissioner Creighton. "We hold public meetings and discussion groups on issues that impact us, and we've also sent letters and other documents to leaders within the community, asking for their input. But as 2013 begins, I thought it might be a good time to once again reiterate the need for public input. Perhaps we'll get some good ideas we've not yet heard before."

The goals of the Century Agenda are extensive and ambitious, and it's easy to see how the public might be able to add to the conversation in a meaningful way.

"One of the main goals of the agenda involves the environment, making sure that the jobs we add don't come at the expense of the health of our planet," says Commissioner Creighton. "Private business leaders might have excellent ideas about how we can reduce our footprint and use smart technologies to help us streamline and recycle, without polluting the environment."

The Port also hopes to advance tourism within the region, and help people across the world think of the Puget Sound region as both an ideal business gateway and vacation spot.  Once again, leaders within the community might have excellent suggestions on how this goal might be achieved.

"Business leaders might have national or even international contacts that need to hear more about our region, and why they should hold their next conference here," says Commissioner Creighton. "We'd also like to know more about how our local leaders choose their own business destinations, and perhaps we can use that information in order to strengthen our own plans."

Port Commissioner John Creighton says interested parties can call 206.787.4371, or they can send an email message to CenturyAgenda@portseattle.org.

Seattle Port Commission Announces Open Position

Ports hold a key position within the state of Washington. There are 75 port districts throughout the state (see the Washington Ports report), and most of what residents eat, wear and use come through these ports. Ports do more than just facilitate the distribution of goods, however, as ports also help to move people in and out of the state, and bring vital tourism dollars into the community. Getting involved in the ports industry is intensely rewarding, says Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton, and King County residents have the opportunity to do just that, as a member of the Seattle port commission is resigning at the end of January of 2013.

Port Commissioner John Creighton is hoping that the selection process for the port commission opening will be quite competitive, attracting many good candidates. The candidate selected will have to stand for election this year in a special election and then again in 2015.  Commissioner Creighton encourages those who are interested in serving the public to apply, even though the hurdles to running for election county-wide may be daunting, as the region needs qualified, dedicated people serving in public office.

Interested parties have until February 1 to submit applications. The commission will review those applications carefully, and select 4-6 finalists for the open seat.  On February 26 and 27, the commission will hold town hall meetings to allow those finalists to introduce themselves to the community and answer questions. A final vote will be held sometime after these meetings, and the new commissioner will take office in March.

Commissioner Creighton holds one of four votes in the selection process, and he's open to applicants of all backgrounds and political affiliations. He's committed to the community and wants to ensure that the right person is found for the job, so a commitment to hard work and personal integrity will rank higher with Commissioner Creighton than almost any other attribute an applicant might possess.

"The commission is currently working on an ambitious 25-year strategic plan that will add some 100,000 new jobs to the region," says Commissioner Creighton. "It's vital that we add the right person to our team, someone who can help us put in place the policies and initiate the projects necessary to meet all of the goals that we have set out for the port. I am confident that many qualified people will apply for the position and that the commission will be able to come to a consensus in choosing the new commissioner.  We look forward to getting to work in 2013 with our new colleague."

Seattle Port Commission Seeks Dedicated Applicant

On January 31, 2013, Commissioner Gael Tarleton will resign from the Seattle Port Commission. Under Washington law, the commission has 90 days after the resignation to designate a replacement. Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton hopes to find the right person to fill this open position, and he's being vocal about what attributes he thinks make a good commissioner.

Since the commission is relatively small, cooperation between members is key. Commissioner Creighton hopes to find an applicant who is committed to clear and open communication, ensuring that the commission runs smoothly without interpersonal conflicts.

"I'd like to find an appointee who has the courage and integrity to say what they mean and mean what they say," Commissioner Creighton says. "If someone is prone to not being upfront or hiding information in a small board like this, the group can become incredibly dysfunctional incredibly quickly. We need to work together as a team to achieve all of our goals, so the ability to work well in a collaborative environment is vital."

Commissioner Creighton would also like to ensure that the appointee is invested in the success of the community, and is willing to do a significant amount of work for a relatively low level of compensation.

"This position involves about 20 hours of work per week, but the monthly salary is only $500 per month," says Commissioner Creighton. "A commissioner is also expected to participate on port-related outside boards and handle other port-related responsibilities throughout the week. We need someone who has the financial flexibility to handle all of this work for a low level of compensation. Ideally, we'll find someone who feels so strongly about the community that the position is worth doing no matter how small the paycheck might be."

Applicants have until February 1 to respond. The commission hopes to hold a vote to appoint the new commissioner sometime during the month of March. Commissioner Creighton will be one of four commissioners selecting the new board member.

"I hope all qualified people will apply and take advantage of this opportunity to serve the people of King County," Commissioner Creighton says.

Seattle Port Official John Creighton Calls on TSA to Update Security Scanners at Sea-Tac Airport

Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton is concerned about the health impacts and reliability of the security machinery being used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and is calling on the federal government to replace the current scanners being used with newer, less controversial technology.

The TSA operates “backscatter’’ Advanced Imaging Technology in the security lines at Sea-Tac Airport.   Sea-Tac Airport is the 17^th busiest commercial airport in the country, with 32.8 million passengers having passed through the airport in 2011.  Backscatter scanners are used by the TSA to detect hidden weapons, tools, liquids, narcotics, currency, and other dangerous or prohibited items from being carried aboard planes.

Passenger rights groups and some members of the academic and scientific communities have expressed concerns about the type of radiation emitted from, and privacy and reliability with respect to, the backscatter scanners.  Because of these concerns, many passengers choose to “opt out” of going through Backscatter Scanners, choosing a physical pat-down and older technology x-ray machines instead.

In the wake of the concerns raised by these groups, TSA Administrator John Pistole made a commitment to Congress to conduct an independent study on the effects of backscatter scanners and plans to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study the effects of the technology.

Backscatter scanners are one of two types of “whole body” imaging technologies being used to perform full body scans of airline passengers.  A competing technology is the millimeter wave scanner. 

The energy that is emitted by a backscatter scanners is a type of ionizing radiation.  Some groups point to studies that have shown ionizing radiation to be carcinogenic even in small doses, though the doses used in airport scanners are believed to have a negligible effect.  Millimeter scanners use a different, less controversial scanning technology.

Over the last year, the TSA has been quietly replacing the backscatter scanners in use at many of the nation’s largest airports with millimeter-wave machines that do not emit x-rays and feature privacy software that produces a generic image of passengers’ bodies.

            Commissioner Johan Creighton Seattle intends to sponsor a motion calling on the TSA to replace the current security machinery in use at Sea-Tac Airport with the millimeter-wave machines being installed at other large commercial airports across the country.“The health and safety of the traveling public is our paramount concern at the Port of Seattle, said Commissioner Creighton.  “In view of the high volume of travelers that passes through Sea-Tac Airport every year and the health and other concerns raised by the Backscatter Scanner technology, I am asking the Port Commission to call upon the TSA to invest in safer, more reliable machinery at Sea-Tac Airport, just as they are doing at the nation’s other large airports.”