Port interviews five applicants for open commissioner post

Port of Whitman County officials have to make a selection from among a rancher, a farmer, an accountant, an engineer and a retired school administrator to serve as District 3 port commissioner for the next 18 months.

The seat became vacant after the death of Bob Gronholz of Colfax.

Commissioners Dan Boone and John Love, along with port staff, interviewed five candidates Monday.

“It’s unfortunate we have to do this,” Love said after the interviews. “But we are very fortunate in that we have some real high-quality candidates for this position.”

The five candidates were Jack Fulfs and Jeff Phelps of Pullman, and Tom Kammerzel, Eric Larson and Don Cox of Colfax.

The port board is composed of three commissioners. The positions are not paid.

The port operates sites for shipping at Central Ferry, Almota and Wilma along with facilities at the industrial park in Pullman.

Most pressing question from Boone and Love was whether the appointee would look for a long term seat on the commission. They stressed stability on the port’s board of directors has been key to the organization’s success.

Since forming in 1958, the port has had eleven commissioners.

Fulfs, Kammerzel and Phelps all expressed intent to seek subsequent terms. Larson and Cox said they would definitely serve out Gronholz’s term, but did not commit to future terms.

All five candidates were asked if they supported the port’s property tax levy. All five said yes they did.

County taxpayers now pay about 37 cents for every $1,000 of property value to the port district. That equates to $37 for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Love said the levy was the main issue in his campaign for port commissioner. Love’s election was the last time a commissioner election was a contested race.

He and Boone noted the levy is primarily used to invest in infrastructure and in legal battles to prevent breaching of the Snake and Columbia river dam system.

Fulfs, a recently retired farmer, said his key goal would be to strengthen the port’s role in strengthening Whitman County’s agricultural economy.

“By helping our port system grow, we can bring a better backbone to our ag economy,” he said.

Kammerzell, a rancher and custodian with the Colfax School District, said his focus is on attracting businesses that would provide employment for Whitman County youth.

“I firmly believe that we need to find a way to keep our best product – our citizens, our children – here,” he said.

Kammerzell said he would retire from his full-time school job if he was selected to serve on the port board.

Phelps works as the finance director for Washington State University’s public relations department. He said his university connections would help encourage university researchers to start up businesses locally. He noted Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories and Decagon Devices, both located in the port’s Pullman Industrial Park, were started by WSU professors.

“I have a lot of connections and contacts up there,” he said of WSU. “And a lot of people in my world don’t even know about the port.”

Larson, a retired engineer for McGregor, said he wanted to take the post to finish some of Gronholz’s efforts in developing the local economy.

“The port’s done a good job of becoming more or less self-sustaining,” he said. “I want to see that through – to help keep up those good efforts.”

Cox retired last year as state representative for the 9th District. Prior to that he was superintendent of Colfax schools. He said he still wanted to be in public service, and the port commission allows him to do that without the demand of living five months in Olympia.

“The Port of Whitman has probably contributed more to the economy of Whitman County than any other single entity, including the state,” said Cox.

Port commissioners will likely announce their appointment at their next regular meeting June 8.

Gronholz was elected to a third term last November.

The new commissioner will serve until a special election in November 2011. The person elected then will serve out the balance of the six-year Gronholz term to the end of 2015.