Port decision was an act of betrayal | Opinion

Let’s look at some Port of Coupeville numbers from 2014. Commissioner Marshall Bronson is essentially correct in his statement that under our current contracts with the Greenbank Farm Management Group, the port allowed them to keep $87,000 in Greenbank Farm rents and a $49,500 yearly fee, for a total of $136,500. This has been the arrangement going back at least eight years.

Mike Diamanti

Guest Column

Let’s look at some Port of Coupeville numbers from 2014. Commissioner Marshall Bronson is essentially correct in his statement that under our current contracts with the Greenbank Farm Management Group, the port allowed them to keep $87,000 in Greenbank Farm rents and a $49,500 yearly fee, for a total of $136,500. This has been the arrangement going back at least eight years.

The Coupeville Wharf, in 2014, collected $31,620 in rents, $21,804 in marina fees, and net fuel sales were around $8,000, for a total of $61,424.  In the revenue category, the wharf takes in less money than the farm’s $87,000. The kicker is that the port spent $187,923 last year on compensation.

Commissioners were paid $6,324 combined, the executive director was paid $41,338, the assistant executive director earned $3,552, the port administrative assistant earned $4,393, the harbor master earned $37,731, the dock hands earned $13,042, the port handyman earned $53,440, the port accountant earned $22,210, the port attorney earned $4,260, the port diver earned $989 and the port webmaster earned $644.

The port needed all of these people to “operate” last year, and the large salary for the handyman was tied to necessary improvements and deferred maintenance for the Coupeville Wharf.

The pre-emptive strike at the July 8th port meeting by Commissioners John Carr and Bronson, was said by them to be about money.  They are right, but for a different reason than stating that the Greebank Farm is dragging the port down. Simply put, the port has not been making enough money to cover all its expenses.

When the port takes over the farm leases in 2016, rents will go up modestly, but that won’t increase the port’s bottom line by very much.

The new agreement presented by the management group would reduce the port’s expenses for the farm.

Carr and Bronson did not make public their change of heart about completing the negotiations in good faith.

The new port attorney review of the management agreement was expected the week of the port’s July 8th meeting.

Ten years of progress for the port, the Greenbank Farm, Central Whidbey and many others outside of the port’s boundaries, was arrogantly swept aside in one action.

Now two new commissioners, John Mishasek and William Bell, are facing monumental difficulties before they even take office in December and January.

Carr and Bronson have completely poisoned the well for the voters, who might be asked for a levy tax increase to help the port meet rising expenses associated with preserving the Coupeville Wharf and the Greenbank Farm.

For a decade, the management group has done everything the Port of Coupeville has asked them to do.  Most importantly, the management group adhered to the port’s comprehensive plan and the farm’s master site plan, both adopted by port resolution.  How can cutting them out be viewed as anything but a step backwards and an act of betrayal?

n Mike Diamanti is a District 3 commissioner for Port of Coupeville.

 

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