On October 13, the Thurston County League of Women Voters is sponsoring a morning and an evening forum on the Port. Speakers will briefly address the Port’s history and role in the region, its finances, environmental issues related to Port activities, and creative visions for the Port’s future. The morning forum begins at 7 AM at Ruby’s Cafe, 700 4th Avenue E, Olympia; the evening forum begins at 6:15 PM at Traditions Cafe at 300 5th Avenue, SW, Olympia. If you have questions regarding these two events, contact Eve Johnson, League Chair, at 754-1455.

The Port of Olympia owns 190 acres of prime waterfront real estate adjacent to downtown Olympia. It owns almost 1500 acres in Tumwater, divided between the airport and the Air - Industrial Park. Its comprehensive plan identifies its goals as enterprise, economic development, environmental integration, and public service. In pursuit of these goals, it collects 3.7 million in taxes each year from residents throughout Thurston County.

On occasion, the Port emerges from its relative obscurity, most recently due to the transport of military equipment from Iraq and a plan to provide Weyerhaeuser a forest product export facility. But just as quickly, the Port recedes from view. Few taxpayers appear to have any clear idea of what the Port does, how it relates to city and county government, and what role the public can play in setting the future direction of the Port.