Editor,

Please start attending Port of Coupeville meetings. Our port commissioners need our help. They need our support and encouragement. The next meeting is 10 a.m., Thursday, March 31 at the Coupeville Masonic Hall.

The current board of William Bell, John Misashek and Mike Diamanti hold office because they stepped up to serve and had no competition for their elected positions. They have not realized signing stacks of payment authorizations without knowing what was included for a total of over $70,000 of our public money, two months worth, is a terrible mistake. They seem to believe that inspecting the bills after the checks have gone out is OK.

They have not given their “overworked and understaffed” executive director, Forrest Rambo, any guidance in what needs to be done or any limit on how much can be spent without pre- approval. He reported that the septic tanks at the Greenbank Farm were overflowing and were in the process of being pumped. That was a health emergency and certainly needed to be fixed with our money as soon as possible. That is the only emergency issue reported so far.

Rambo reported at a meeting that he bought a garden tractor and cart because he got a call stating that it looked bad to have a man out on the field picking up dog poop on foot. This purchase was not discussed or approved before it was made. Remember, our commissioners did not look at the bills before they authorized payment.

Our port commissioners need our help. They need to be the decision makers. They need to set policies. They have not discussed the overall financial position of the port. They do not seem to be aware that the grants they hope to receive are reimbursement grants. The port pays for the grant-approved work first. The grant money comes as a reimbursement. If they keep up their spending habits, they may not have enough left to qualify for grants.

Our commissioners are allowing their executive director to decide on his own how to spend our money on whatever comes up with no spending limit. They have made no effort to understand port finances, cash flow or grant rules.

Instead of making the financial plans they need to ensure the continued existence of the port, they are allowing the port executive director to spend our money on whatever he decides is important day by day.

Please come to port meetings. With enough support and encouragement our commissioners will be able to become better stewards of our money.

Marianne Burr

Coupeville