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Port of Skagit candidates clash over transparency, taxes and battery‑storage projects
Summary
At a League of Women Voters forum, Port of Skagit District 2 candidates Keith Chaplin and incumbent Melanie Mankenmeier debated performance evaluation of the executive director, infrastructure priorities, transparency and the need for public vetting of proposed battery projects.
Candidates for Port of Skagit Commissioner District 2 debated oversight, finances, and development at a League of Women Voters forum.
Incumbent Melanie Mankenmeier said the board had recently conducted an executive director evaluation and she would assess the director by tracking actions over the year, staff management and improvements in communication. “The role of the commissioner is to evaluate the performance of the executive director based on the actions that they have accomplished throughout the year,” Mankenmeier said.
Challenger Keith Chaplin urged measurement by outcomes and key performance indicators, including job creation, investment, communication with local jurisdictions and balanced budgets. Chaplin said he would require capital improvement planning for every port property and would vote no on any property tax increase in his first year unless a clear plan and communication strategy were in place.
On balancing maintenance and new projects, Mankenmeier said maintaining existing infrastructure should be a higher priority than new construction and noted that only a portion of port capital and operational budget currently comes from taxes, with the rest from grants, loans and other sources.
Both candidates discussed transparency and public engagement. Chaplin criticized the port’s communications—saying public notice of a rescheduled meeting appeared only in a small classified ad—and pledged better outreach, signage for businesses and easier website navigation. Mankenmeier acknowledged the port’s “image problem” and said the three‑member board’s public nature forces transparency while describing ongoing outreach to city councils, service groups and local organizations.
On proposed battery‑storage projects, Chaplin said he supported local moratoria and thorough vetting and public engagement before any approvals because of potential environmental impacts; Mankenmeier said the port has set aside nearly 750 acres of high‑quality wetlands as part of project planning and emphasized environmental consideration in project design.
Both candidates emphasized fiscal responsibility, public communication and the need for clearly measurable outcomes in port planning.
