Two of the three Friday Harbor Port Commission candidates attended the League of Women Voters July 13.

The third, Randy Cowley, verbally dropped out of the race.

“I was very excited to be running for Port Commissioner, and I got a lot of good feedback and support from islanders,” he told the Journal. Cowley owns a yacht sales business. His clients buy boats for over $250,000. As he was filling out the financial disclosure forms he realized he would have to disclose personal information about them and did not want to impact their privacy in that way. It was too late to drop out and remove his name from the ballot. The deadline was May 22.

According to Camolyn Armstrong, San Juan County Elections Manager, any vote for Cowley does count, and if he is one of the top two in the primary, he will remain on the ballot for the General Election. Should he win the General Election he would be sworn in, only to resign that same day. The Commission would then appoint someone to that position until a new election could be held.

The two candidates at the July 13 forum were Greg Hertel and Rich Goodhart.

Hertel has lived on the island since 1974, and has served as Port Commissioner for a number of years in the past. He told the crowd that as a former commissioner, he had been instrumental in getting Skagit Valley College located on Weber Way, and the Mullis Fire Station moved from the center of town to its current Mullis Street location.

“But this is about the future and what’s coming,” he said, adding that the port’s budget is twice that of the Town, and it is a critical part of the community.

Goodhart has lived all over the country, moving to Orcas in 2011 and San Juan Island in 2018. His experience is largely in aviation, an area that has been lacking on the Commission.

“I love boats too, I’ve sailed them and built them,” Goodhart added.

The two agree on several topics. Both would vote no to expanding the airport runway.

Hertel explained that he was involved with the settlement with neighbors in the 90s when they sued the Port for airport noise. “I told the neighbors at that time I would never vote to expand the runway. I would not then and I will not now,” he said.

Goodhart explained that the only realistic place to expand the runway would be toward Cattle Point, and the impact to those residents would be too high. Besides the increasing noise, those neighborhoods would also have to keep trees and buildings low.

To a question regarding economic diversity and how the port could support businesses that were not tourist-based, Goodhart brought up using Jensons as a way to increase island boat mechanics and other service-oriented jobs that people currently often go off-island for.

Hertel noted the difficulty of getting away from a tourist-based economy but suggested using some of the port properties, particularly those south of the airport, and leasing them to businesses that serve the community. He added that it was important for the Commissioners to be flexible in addressing the issue.

Housing was also brought up. Neither candidate was a fan of the visitor housing currently being built, however, airports can not have long-term housing.

Hertel suggested worker housing rather than visitor rentals, stressing the difficulty people are having. San Juan Brewery recently cut back their hours due to staffing shortages. Businesses are having a difficult time finding staff due to housing shortages.

“In my experience airports and housing almost never works,” Goodhart said, however, if the port was going to go down that road to ease the island’s housing crisis, worker housing or dorms would be better than visitor housing. However, “it’s a slippery slope,” he said.

Having a policy in place allowing the public to express their opinions about potential art was supported by both candidates.

Hertel said he would love to see the Spring Street building be turned into a Native American Center where tribes could tell their stories, and discuss where they are today.

Goodhart supported the idea in theory but was concerned that some tribes would be left out.

He also suggested involving the University of Washington Marine Laboratories in some way.

Hertel didn’t respond to the suggestion of involving the labs, but did agree all the Coast Salish would need to be involved.

In closing, Hertel noted that the port had always been a leader environmentally, and was one of the first to get electric vehicles. New technology is being developed all the time, and electric planes are currently being tested, he continued. “I want to make sure the port is ready for those things when they come.”

Goodhart discussed the environment as well, and impacts of climate change and sea level rise. “We need to take a look at how to mediate those issues.” Goodhart also took a moment to encourage everyone to vote. “Greg and I are up here embarrassing ourselves, you get to do the easy part. Just pick up a .. pen, blue or black and drop it off by Aug. 1. It’s free, you don’t even have to buy a stamp!” he said as the crowd laughed.