Commission Procedures

Port of Seattle Commission meetings are open to the public and you are encouraged to attend. Individuals and groups wishing to speak must first sign-up. Details are listed below.

Public Testimony Procedures at Port Commission Meetings

Port of Seattle Commission meetings are noticed and held in accordance with Washington's Open Public Meetings Act (Chap. 42.30, RCW). Meeting notices and agendas are available on our web site or through a number of media outlets. Public testimony is taken at Port Commission meetings to provide commissioners with information, public perspective and opinion on matters before them for action. The following procedures organize and clarify how the public may provide testimony at Port Commission meetings.

Any person wishing to speak at a Port Commission meeting must register on a sign-up sheet and identify the specific agenda item to which he/she will speak before the agenda item commences.
The Commission does not generally take public testimony for non-action agenda items such as "Policy and Staff Briefings" or Work Session presentations, but may do so at the discretion of the Commission Chair.
An individual may testify on an agenda item for up to three minutes. Organization representatives may testify for up to five minutes.
Any person wishing to speak on a topic not appearing on an agenda may sign up to speak under "New Business." All testimony provided under "New Business" is limited to three minutes.
In the interests of time, the Commission Chair may limit the number of persons speaking on any topic or may limit testimony to those having new information or material to present.
The Commission Chair may alter the time allotments for testimony to ensure that more speakers have an opportunity to be heard.
The identity of each testifier will be noted in the meeting minutes. An individual or organization representative may have the text of his/her remarks appended to the Commission minutes by submitting a written text at, or before, the meeting. The appended written text will be preserved permanently.
All testimony is digitally audio recorded. Digital audio recordings are retained in Port files for a period of six-years and are available upon written request for transcription or duplication during their respective six-year retention period. A charge is assessed for digital audio recording transcription or duplication.
The Commission does not engage in discussion or debate with testifiers during Commission meetings. Questions and requests for information or documents may be addressed to Port staff or to individual commissioners outside of Commission meetings.

Work Sessions

Work sessions are held at 4:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the Commission's first regular meeting at Pier 69, Alaskan Way between Clay and Vine streets. In the event an executive session is to be held, the work session shall convene at 3:00 p.m. and shall immediately recess to an executive session, which shall be closed to the public. The open public meeting shall reconvene at 4:00 p.m. An executive session also may be called at any time after 4:00 p.m.

Executive Session

The Commission may recess to an Executive Session to discuss or receive briefings from staff regarding real estate, personnel matters, litigation, or other subjects as set forth in the Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30).

Industrial Development Corporation

The Port commissioners also sit as the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of the Port of Seattle. By authorization of the Washington State Legislature, the IDC can issue tax-exempt revenue bonds to finance industrial development within the corporate boundaries of the Port. The meetings of the IDC are open and public.

For further information about Commission meetings, call (206) 728-3222.