Port of Coupeville considers reducing terms

Published 4:18 pm Thursday, May 16, 2013

The commissioners for the Port of Coupeville will start talking next month about possibly reducing the length of term they serve.

Members of the three-member board currently serve six years, but because of recent legislation that was approved by the state, they are considering reducing the term to four years.

“It’s a real stumbling block for recruiting people to these positions,” Port Commissioner Benye Weber said during the May 8 Port of Coupeville meeting. Weber is finishing her second term on the Port of Coupeville.

Port of Coupeville Executive Director Jim Patton said the commissioners should give some thought about changing the terms. The voters ultimately have to sign off on any change in the commissioner terms. A decision to place a proposal on the ballot for the November election has to be made by Aug. 6.

He added that if the proposal is approved, it wouldn’t affect the terms of the current commissioners.

The Port of Coupeville is able to put a proposal on the ballot to reduce the terms in office because of legislation that was signed into law by the governor at the conclusion of the recent session.

The ballot measure has to be approved by a simple majority.