News and Insights

By Frank Chmelik This month’s focus is on the “best practices” for communicating with commissioners between meetings.  Port staff frequently have information about potential tenants or customers or other sensitive information that is not public information, but they need to communicate it to commissioners and seek timely individual commissioner [...]

By Frank Chmelik This month’s column is about “Delegation of Powers Resolutions” which was a lively topic at the recent executive directors’ seminar. Everyone would agree that the commissioners acting together as the port commission in an open public meeting really do govern port districts.  In a sense, the [...]

By Frank Chmelik Here is a bit of a different topic.  Last week at the Commissioner Conference in Walla Walla we discussed strategies for contentious commission meetings.  It was an interesting discussion led by me and Commissioner Troy Stariha from the Port of Kalama.  It turns out, from the [...]

By Frank Chmelik Following up on last month’s topic of “public comment” at commission meetings, this month we look at the recent changes to the Open Public Meetings Act which became effective June 9, 2022. In the last session, the Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1329 (“ESHB 1329”) [...]

By Frank Chmelik of Chmelik Sitkin & Davis, P.S. The topic for this month is “public comment” at commission meetings.  Commissioner Pam Petranek of the Port of Port Townsend and I were talking about this issue, and it is worthy of discussion here. We start with the Open Public [...]

By Frank Chmelik of Chmelik Sitkin & Davis, P.S. - WPPA Counsel and Chris Herman - Senior Director, Trade & Transportation - WPPA This month we look at RCW 47.06A.080, law affecting ports with freight-focused transportation projects. I must say it is a new statute to me and one [...]

By Frank Chmelik This month’s focus is on the “best practices” for communicating with commissioners between meetings.  Port staff frequently have information about potential tenants or customers or other sensitive information that is not public information, but they need to communicate it to commissioners and seek timely individual commissioner [...]

By Frank Chmelik This month’s column is about “Delegation of Powers Resolutions” which was a lively topic at the recent executive directors’ seminar. Everyone would agree that the commissioners acting together as the port commission in an open public meeting really do govern port districts.  In a sense, the [...]

By Frank Chmelik Here is a bit of a different topic.  Last week at the Commissioner Conference in Walla Walla we discussed strategies for contentious commission meetings.  It was an interesting discussion led by me and Commissioner Troy Stariha from the Port of Kalama.  It turns out, from the [...]

By Frank Chmelik Following up on last month’s topic of “public comment” at commission meetings, this month we look at the recent changes to the Open Public Meetings Act which became effective June 9, 2022. In the last session, the Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1329 (“ESHB 1329”) [...]

By Frank Chmelik of Chmelik Sitkin & Davis, P.S. The topic for this month is “public comment” at commission meetings.  Commissioner Pam Petranek of the Port of Port Townsend and I were talking about this issue, and it is worthy of discussion here. We start with the Open Public [...]

By Frank Chmelik of Chmelik Sitkin & Davis, P.S. - WPPA Counsel and Chris Herman - Senior Director, Trade & Transportation - WPPA This month we look at RCW 47.06A.080, law affecting ports with freight-focused transportation projects. I must say it is a new statute to me and one [...]