One’s in, one’s out at Olympia port

The future is different for two members of the Olympia Port Commission.  Port Commissioner Bill McGregor has announced his decision to seek re-election to his current seat, while Commissioner Paul Telford has decided not to seek re-election.

Telford has said that he believes in term limits and his two terms on the Olympia Port Commission are up.  He has told several people that he will not be a candidate for re-election.

Telford represents the western portion of  Thurston County which includes much of Olympia’s west side,  parts of Tumwater, Rochester and Grand Mound.   Whoever seeks the seat has to live in that area.

McGregor represents the Northeastern part of Thurston County which includes, Lacey, Yelm, and Rainier.   He was appointed to the commission in 2006 to replace Steve Pottle and was elected in 2007 to serve the unexpired term.  He is now seeking election to a full term.   To date, no one has indicated an interest in running against him.

Only one name has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Telford’s soon to be vacated seat.  That’s Sharon Coontz, who was active in Friends of Rocky Prairie and took issue with the port’s action to build a shipping center near Maytown.   Coontz has not made her plans public.

Filing period is the first week of June.  You can check with the Thurston County Auditor’s Office to see what Port Commission District you’re part of.  You must live in the district to run for the office and only voters in that district vote in the Primary.  The finalist run countywide in November.