Small Town News

Petitions circulate to change port elections

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Two petitions, one to increase the number of port commissioners to five and the other to decrease the term of service to four years, are being brought forward by a resident of the port district who said it's time for a change.

Rahn Redman, who has been an outspoken critic of the port, told the commissioners about his efforts at the July 20 Port of Shelton meeting.

If Redman can garner 761 signatures from voters within the port district the two measures would appear on the November ballot. That figure represents 10 percent of those port district residents who voted in the last election.

Increasing the number of commissioners from three to five would allow two commissioners to get together without violating the Open Public Hearings Act.

If a group wants to meet with the commissioners Redman said only one can attend because if there were two of them, it would constitute a quorum and be a violation of the act. With five commissioners, two of them could meet with each other or a citizen or a group without there being a violation.

Having more commissioners would lead to more open and honest government, according to Redman, and would be "more public friendly."

Redman told The Journal the port has a "a long-standing history of questionable actions."

Redman said what happens with three commissioners is one of them can control the meetings with the support of just one other commissioner. "One commissioner cannot control five people," he said.

Decreasing the term from six years to four would allow for more frequent change "so we don't have to suffer through it for years," he said.

"Most people get into politics in their early 60s or mid 60s. They don't get out until their 70s. They can be re-elected if they chose to run again," he said.

Redman said his petitions have nothing to do with Adage, the company that wants to build a biomass fueled electric generating facility on port property.

"It has to do with a government entity that has to change," he said. "How many businesses has the Port of Shelton run off over the years?"

Redman has been out gathering signatures at the Mason Area Fair and by going door to door. He said this week he is about a third of the way to obtaining the 761 needed. He is funding the petition drive.



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© 2010 Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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