As a former employee of the Fort Worden Public Development Authority, I was disturbed at the slant taken regarding Dave Robison’s long tenure at the fort.

Dave accomplished complex and challenging projects in an often difficult environment. He is a visionary and a planner and relied on other staff for financial matters and carrying out the day-to-day operations. Dave focused on the big picture: planning, fundraising, and coordinating capital projects like Makers Square and development of Taps as well as the necessary improvements necessary for maintaining 73 historic buildings in a 100-acre campus. 

These responsibilities can be overwhelming allowing scant time for daily oversight of all employees. Dave trusted his directors to do their job and manage their staff. I know first-hand that the PDA had trouble finding and retaining a competent general manager. 

Obviously, some mistakes were made in the last year during COVID, but the tone of the article was targeted to do damage to a long-standing and successful public servant. Many of the allegations seem to be hearsay and are presented as facts. These call into question the fairness and objectivity of the author. I am concerned that this type of reporting may deter other individuals in our community from seeking public service or taking on difficult projects for fear of reprisal from our local newspaper. Please let the truth be known.

Tom Duke
PORT TOWNSEND