We may have an issue in the future
But Local 52 President Christ Romischer urge the commissioners to include strong language to protect the current footprint of existing cargo terminals.
“We don’t believe the Port of Seattle Commission is looking to change existing cargo terminals,” Romischer said at the meeting. “But we are concerned that in the future, if there is not strong language to protect terminals, such as Terminal 46 or Terminal 5, from developers trying to change them into condos or arenas, we may have an issue in the future.”
The meeting comes nine months after the ports petitioned the Federal Maritime Commission for approval to work cooperatively to improve their competitiveness, as they face steep global competition from the Ports of Los Angeles and Prince Rupert as well as the widening of the Panama Canal.
The alliance would unify the ports’ management of marine-cargo facilities and the commissions plan to ask the FMC for final approval March 31, after six months of working out the details, such as how to split the profits and the costs.
The commissions will hold six public meetings on the Seaport Alliance: Oct. 22 and Nov. 6 in Tacoma and Oct. 28 and Nov. 25 in Seattle.
Arthur West, an Olympia resident and open-government advocate, attended Tuesday’s meeting to object to the ports conducting their sessions in private. While he said he supports the attempt to be more competitive and bring more jobs to the region, he believes the two ports did not follow the law in holding their private meetings.