Time for Port of Olympia to change its name

It’s time for the Port of Olympia to change its name.

When Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts used a meeting of the Olympia City Council to blast the port for doing business, it became obvious that Roberts, as well as a significant number of people, think that the Port of Olympia is a political arm of the City of Olympia.

The Port of Olympia is a separate political entity, that operates with its own board of elected officials.   It has a duty and responsibility to ALL of the taxpayers of Thurston County to meet its obligations of economic development and the creation of jobs.   It does not answer to the City of Olympia for how it conducts its business.

Whether it ships military cargo, logs, cattle or fracking sand is not the business of the City of Olympia or the Olympia Police Chief.  Yet, the chief felt he could stand before the public and criticize what the port ships in and out of its docks.  If he had been dealing with the City of Tumwater or the City of Lacey, Roberts would have been more judicious in his words.   He may have even talked with the elected officials of those cities first before making his comments.

But, Roberts, like many other people think that because the Port of Olympia bears the “Olympia” name, that it belongs to the people of Olympia.  That’s not the case.   The port operates an airport in Tumwater and several other activities around the county.   The port is just the most visible – but not necessarily the most important.  The port belongs to all of the people of Thurston County.

One way to make that point is to change the name of the Port of Olympia (which probably doesn’t deserve the port).  Any number of names would suffice – – Port of Thurston County – Port of South Sound – – or any other that doesn’t carry the “Olympia” nomenclature.

The port should explore a name change.  Determine if it can be done and how it can be done.   The actual name of the port would be the last step.

While we’re at it.  Lets change the name of the “Olympia” airport to the Tumwater-Thurston County airport.