Submitted by: Port of Bellingham
Michael Shepard and Ken Bell were sworn into office as the Port’s newest Commissioners on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
“I am pleased to welcome Michael Shepard and Ken Bell to the Port’s Board of Commissioners,” said Port Executive Director Rob Fix. “Commissioner Shepard has worked on a broad range of issues important to the Port of Bellingham including workforce development, marine resource management and affordable housing. Commissioner Bell is a successful businessman with experience working with major ports throughout the world and on contaminated property redevelopment projects like those that exist at the Port of Bellingham. Commissioners Shepard and Bell bring a wide array of skills and interests that will benefit our business community, the environment and the citizens of Whatcom County.”
The Board of Commissioners is a non-partisan, three-person elected body that oversees all Port operations by providing policy direction and decisions in public meetings.
Shepard teaches graduate and undergraduate eLearning classes at Goucher College, and is a Research Associate at Western Washington University’s Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Bell is the President/CEO of Best Recycling, a waste management company known for its ability to work in very remote locations like the Yukon Territory of Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland and the Aleutian Islands.
Port Commission Selects 2018 Officers, Adjusts Meeting Schedule
Port Commissioner Ken Bell was selected by the Commission on Tuesday to serve as President of the Board of Commissioners for 2018. Commissioner Bobby Briscoe was picked to be Vice President and Michael Shepard was chosen for Secretary.
Commissioners also determined who would serve on local boards for 2018:
• Whatcom Council of Governments: Bobby Briscoe
• Washington Public Ports Association: Ken Bell
• Whatcom County Economic Development Investment Program Committee: Michael Shepard
• Western Crossing (Shared Port and Western Washington University Development Entity): Ken Bell
The next Port Commission meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 16, at 4:30 p.m. in the Harbor Center Conference Room, 1801 Roeder Avenue. Commission meetings are to be held starting at 4:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month in 2018, except for July and August when there will be only one meeting each month on July 10 and August 21.
All meetings are live streamed and archived on the Port’s YouTube Channel.
An essential part of the Board of Commissioners’ decision-making process is public input. Two public comment periods at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. are included as part of all regularly scheduled Commission meetings. Written comments are always welcome and can be submitted by email to commissioners@portofbellingham.com or by mail to:
Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners
1801 Roeder Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
