The Port of Port Townsend has been against the wall with financial troubles while trying to balance fixing a failing jetty and answering to the public about how the port is going to proceed.

During their latest meeting, port commissioners decided to decline current bids for the jetty project, pushing the work back to at least 2019.

Now, the port has a lot of tough decisions to line out in front of it as they determine how they are going to proceed, in a “now-what?” type of matter.

During their meeting May 23, port commissioners acknowledged they are currently in a reactive versus proactive state and are trying to get that situation flipped.

It has been one hit after another for the port regarding funding – from not having the funds to begin with, to having funding pulled after a proposal from the Northwest Maritime Center was taken off the table, and now trying to plan ahead with funding that is not guaranteed, like grants and legislative support.

We believe the port took the right approach by breaking up its steps into multiple votes while proceeding in the next direction. Although it’s frustrating taking three steps forward and two steps back since 2014 while trying to get a project started, it is better to make sure it is done right each step of the way.

The port discussed that it could no longer move forward with the project at this time, which led to the vote to deny the bids. However, there were too many unanswered questions to able to decide the future of the jetty in the same vote.

Although funding is not available right now, will it be in the future? And if so, what will be the cost to replace the jetty in the future? Not to mention, if the jetty isn’t fully replaced can it be partially replaced, and with which funds?

These are questions the port commission asked staff to answer, sooner rather than later, in order for the commissioners to make a decision.

We recommend the commissioners keep in mind all options available for future planning in order to help develop a plan “B” and not place all of their eggs in one basket. You never know when something might fall through.

The cost of waiting too long could outweigh the cost of replacement. If the jetty were to completely fail, not only would there be a revenue avenue gone for the port, but if enough damage was done the port would then have to make a decision about whether it would even continue to operate Point Hudson.