Council signs FTA ferry-support letter, considers solid-waste update and accepts city manager evaluation

At the May 4 meeting the Port Townsend City Council approved a letter of support to the Federal Transit Administration for a rural ferry-service program and discussed a county-wide solid-waste plan update; the council also completed a performance-evaluation process for the city manager and accepted a written evaluation.

The presiding officer asked whether the council wanted the mayor to sign a letter supporting the FTA 'service for rural communities' ferry program; the council agreed and staff said they would collect signatures (electronic and paper). Council members characterized the letter as a demonstration of regional support for rural ferry-service funding.

Council also reviewed a county solid-waste management-plan update that staff said would include organic-waste provisions and the transfer-station and recycling program elements; staff noted a contract amendment to implement a BIN swap for recycling may come before the council soon.

Later in the agenda, council convened an executive session under the cited state RCW to review a public-employee performance evaluation and then, in open session, accepted the city manager's written evaluation covering the period Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025. One council member noted an abstention during the evaluation vote due to absence from parts of the process, and no further employment action was recorded at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will gather council signatures for the FTA letter, bring recycling-contract amendments to the council for consideration, and file the accepted city-manager evaluation in the public record per established procedures.