Port of Port Townsend, Washington

Port Commission

Under Title 53 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), the powers of the port district are directly vested in its board of commissioners. Like a city council, the port commission is the district's policy making and regulatory body. Commissioners are responsible for making decisions concerning discretionary policies and operations of the district in both internal and external matters. Port commissions are independent of the cities and counties in which they are located. Examples of commission responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

adoption of harbor improvement plans
establishing employment policies and work positions
real property management, purchases and sales
constructing and maintaining facilities and equipment
establishing rates, charges and regulations applicable to facility users
adopting periodic and supplemental budgets
levying taxes
borrowing funds when necessary

District 1: John N. Collins

Current Term: January 2008 - December 31, 2011

Commissioner Collins

John Collins is a retired professor of public service and a collegiate rower now active in the

community's rowing club.

Collins spent more than 35 years as a professor of public service at various schools around the country, including almost a decade at Seattle University, where he headed the Institute of Public Service. He has taught courses on strategic planning and financial management for both local government and nonprofit sectors.

All three of his degrees are in political science. Collins holds a bachelors degree form the University of Washington and attended Northwester University for his masters and doctorate degrees, specializing in the study of governance processes.

Collins rowed crew in college with a team that advanced to the National Championships. After moving to Port Townsend from Vashon Island in 2004, he was the founding president of the Rat Island Rowing and Sculling Club when it formally organized in 2005. He still serves on the club's board, gets out on the water often and races occasionally.

District 2: David W. Thompson

Current Term: January 2010 - December 31, 2013

1st Term: January 2006 - December 31, 2010

Commissioner Thompson

Dave Thompson is a shipwright, a caulker and a marine surveyor. His business, Charlie Noble Enterprises, is a leaseholder in the Port's boatyard.

Thompson was born and raised in Spokane where he spent 3 summers during high school fighting forest fires in WA, MT and ID for the Department of the Interior. After a tour of military service in the Far East he pursued additional education at several west coast colleges and universities. He also worked as a pulmonary therapist; in an insurance accounting office; and in real estate sales.

He arrived in Port Townsend by boat in 1974 and took permanent moorage as a liveaboard. He was employed by the Port hauling boats, pumping gas and cleaning restrooms. He then worked at Port Townsend Boatworks repairing wooden boats, and in 1982, with 7 others, founded Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op. Upon leaving the Co-op he worked on military and private projects in Miami and San Diego, and worked a planking contract on the Lady Washington in Aberdeen.

Thompson recently chaired an advisory committee for a student boat building project at Chimacum High School and teaches the occasional caulking class at the Northwest School for Wooden Boat Building in Port Hadlock. He did a caulking demonstration at the first PT Wooden Boat Festival in the 1970s, and for the next 30 years was an annual presenter.

District 3: Leif W. Erickson

Current Term: January 2010 - December 31, 2013

Leif Erickson

Leif Erickson is the production manager for Townsend Bay Marine, a company specializing in building and refitting high-end yachts that is the largest employer in the Port's shipyard.

Erickson was raised in Bellevue, served in the Marines, and came to Jefferson County in the mid-1990s on a marine trades career trajectory that has included work at Kvichak Marine Industries in Seattle as a mechanical manager, Delta Marine Industries in Seattle as an owner's representative, Falcon Marine in Port Townsend as an engineering department manager, Admiral Marine in Port Townsend and Port Angeles as a mechanic, and since 2000, Townsend Bay Marine in Port Townsend as the production manager.

At Townsend Bay Marine, Erickson manages the workflow of the jobs and helps develop budgets and project plans. He also does outside sales to bring in new business. An early riser, he's the one who unlocks Townsend Bay Marine's doors at 6:00 a.m. each day.

In 2005/06, Erickson took a leadership role in forming the Port Townsend Marine Trades Association, an advocacy organization for the local industry. He helped develop the by-laws, served as the board secretary, and held the position of vice president when he resigned due to potential conflict of interest after being elected to the Port Commission.

His District 3 residence is in Mats Mats, near Port Ludlow.

Regularly scheduled meetings of the Port Commission include (please note changes, effective February 10, 2010):

the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, Port Administration Building, 375 Hudson Street, Point Hudson, Port Townsend, WA, and the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the same location
a workshop preceding the regular meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m.

You can find public notice of special meetings and workshops, meeting locations, and time changes at either the Peninsula Daily News, The Leader or on this website.