A board of commissioners should resemble superhero teams like the Avengers or Justice League, uniting diverse experts—economists, environmentalists, and community advocates—for a shared mission. Collaboration, adaptability, and situational leadership drive innovation and resilience. By embracing unique strengths, the board creates equitable, impactful solutions for Clatsop County. I bring broad experience with issues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Issues including irrigation, power generation, transportation, tribal issues, fish passage, and recreation. The board must communicate the Port's needs effectively to government agencies, investors, and partners. Having board members with diverse backgrounds ensured the message is received.

The Port of Astoria's master plan has been approved and is progressing toward implementation. There is broad consensus among current commissioners and candidates that this plan is well-designed and must move forward. With steady leadership guiding the Port and a promising future ahead, my role as a commissioner in this context is to act as a cheerleader, supporting the vision, and a facilitator, ensuring smooth execution of the plan. Specifically, my priority is the urgent need for repair to Pier Two. Activities there are crucial to our local economy. A failure of the pilings beneath Bornstein or Da Yang seafood operations would be catastrophic to health and safety. I will work to enable cooperation to accomplish work on Pier 2.

I can’t place one user above the next. It’s my opinion that the commercial users provide a bridge between the industrial and the recreational. All three are critical to the continued economic success of our port. I’m sensitive to the cumbersome regulations placed upon the industrial users that make profitability more challenging than it has been in previous decades. But likewise, we cannot discount what the port provides to recreational users, particularly in the form of fishing and tourism. These users drive our economy and bring revenue to the commercial tenants. It’s a symbiotic relationship between recreational commercial and industrial. Each of their unique needs should be considered to facilitate success in our community.

I've been a commercial fisherman in Astoria for over three decades. In that time I've made many deliveries of fish and crab to the processors that lease space from the port and I maintain my vessel at the Ports haul-out facility. I have an intimate understanding of the ports importance for my community and how it works and its services. I've been on the board of several fishing organizations and I've read Roberts Rules and understand how the meeting are supposed to work.

- Repairs to the west side of pier 2 to keep processors and boats working.

-350 ton travel lift for shipyard haul-out to accommodate more of the local fleet, and bring more work to the yard.

-Implement waterfront master plan to make port property more useful and appealing.

I think it is very important that we keep our working waterfront working, in addition to the jobs it creates its also part of what makes our town unique and it draws people here. I think commercial and recreational can share space to enhance our visitors experience with authenticity. Food system security and year round jobs are two of my highest priorities.