Candidate Q&A: Ilwaco port commissioner takes on former manager

Two candidates with deep familiarity with the Port of Ilwaco are facing off for the right to serve on its governing board for a six-year term. Butch Smith, the incumbent and chair of the port commission, is facing a challenge from Guy Glenn, Jr., who served as the port’s manager for eight years.

Smith, 61, has served on the port commission since first winning election in 2013. Owner of Coho Charters & Motel, which is located at the port, he also serves on the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and as president of the Ilwaco Charter Association.

Glenn, 52, served as manager of the Port of Ilwaco from 2013 — and added management of the Port of Chinook to his duties in 2016 — until his resignation in 2021. He has served as executive finance manager for the Port of Columbia County, in Oregon, since 2023.

Both candidates agreed to participate in a questionnaire with the Observer. Their full written responses, which have only been edited for grammar and clarity, can be seen below.

Chinook Observer: Why are you running to serve on the port commission, and what makes you qualified?

Butch Smith: I am seeking re-election to the port commission to ensure we maintain our current momentum of growth and expansion. With over 40 years as a business owner at the port, and the fact that I live and work full time right here in the district I serve, I have a unique, grounded perspective to get things done.

As the current commissioner, I know exactly what needs to be addressed, from seeing our current projects through to completion, to managing the crucial natural resource issues that affect our district.

Guy Glenn, Jr.: Since I began working as the finance director at the Port of Ilwaco in 2012, I have learned how impactful ports are in the communities they serve. The various port roles I have worked in and people I have worked with — from Ilwaco to Washington, D.C. — have helped build my professional expertise and qualifications on all aspects of ports. On a personal level, I am energized to help people, to make a positive difference and to take on difficult challenges. Ports are an amazing vehicle in terms of advancing economic development, representing their respective communities and collaborating with other public and private partners.

Community service has been engrained in me since childhood, following in the footsteps of my parents and grandparents. The primary role of a port commissioner is governance, looking at the direction and long-term priorities of the port. I believe effective leadership takes the courage to demonstrate the need for change, why it is needed and to be transparent and transformative in the process. With over 12 years of finance and executive experience in the public ports industry, I have extensive knowledge of how ports work, industry relationships and I have proven myself to be an effective leader both locally and within the region. I am familiar with the issues facing our community and I know and care about the people whose lives are impacted.

Observer: What is a critical issue facing the Port of Ilwaco, and how would you try to go about addressing it if elected?

Smith: One critical issue we are currently facing is the ever-changing regulatory permitting required for routine maintenance and repair across all of our facilities. Additionally, federal grants are shrinking, which significantly impacts our ability to fund major projects.

The commission and port staff have been diligently working on managing these complex permitting requirements, which is essential for facility updates, repairs and crucial maintenance like dredging. We must have these permits to remain competitive and help us attract even more new business.

If elected, I would focus on the aggressive pursuit of all available state and private funding sources to offset shrinking federal grants. Furthermore, I want to emphasize that I do not have a conflict of interest with another port out of town; all my focus is dedicated entirely to my district and all those I serve.

Glenn: The port’s current (2024) comprehensive plan identifies two main categories, “fishing related” and “non-fishing related” concepts. The financial condition of the port is concerning to me because the path we are on is not sustainable. When I started in ports, I discounted the value of planning but have since learned the value planning brings.

For this article, let’s focus on “fishing related” since I have to stay within a limit of 750 words. The Port of Grays Harbor (Westport Marina) completed a strategic plan in 2022 for modernizing their entire marina. This plan goes into a detailed analysis and identifies short-term, near-term and long-term projects. They identified over $35 million needed to modernize their marina (in 2022 dollars).

We only have about $1 million in reserves, and we are beginning to dip into our reserves to subsidize operational losses. How are we going to modernize, replace and redevelop our working waterfront in the next 10-20 years? Like it or not, these are the facts facing us. These large infrastructure projects take years, if not decades, to complete. Planning allows for a phased strategy to secure funding and integrate a series of projects over time, combined with public participation and transparency.

Observer: What do you think the most important function of the port commission is?

Smith: The most important function of the port commission is to set policies that make the port user-friendly for in-water and upland businesses, while also establishing the big, long-term goals for the port. This clear direction lets the port manager and staff focus on running the port smoothly every day. Most importantly, the commission makes sure all the port’s money is spent wisely by carefully checking and approving the port manager’s budget.

Glenn: I believe the most important function of the Commission is “… governance, which includes continuously assessing and adjusting the port’s strategic direction, adopting policies, allocating resources, responding to opportunities and risks, and establishing and maintaining a functioning culture that underpins the organization and its achievements. The success of the commission rests on the exercise of its authority, the quality of its decision making, and its willingness to be held accountable. Individual commissioners set the tone of the organization.” (Quoted from the Washington Public Ports Association Governance & Management Guide)

Observer: What types of development or infrastructure would you like to see at the port?

Smith: We have recently applied for a MARAD grant for major dredging of the Ilwaco boat basin and the construction of a fishermen’s work dock. This dock will include public hoists and a dedicated place for fishermen to load and unload gear and/or product. This facility has been highly needed for over 30 years.

Additionally, the port commission and I would like to see a cold storage facility developed at the port. We also plan to continue to support the expansion of land-based businesses and ensure we continue to make the port a clean, safe and inviting place for all of us to enjoy for generations to come.

Glenn: In addition to what I stated in previous responses, we need to consider marina maintenance dredging as “navigation infrastructure.” There’s nothing “sexy” about dredging; in fact, it is not even visible to the public. The Ilwaco marina requires more dredging than most marinas, which limits our financial capacity to invest in other projects.

We also need to take care of commercial fishermen and our land-based seafood processors to address their needs. The tonnage and off-ship value of the seafood they deliver to Ilwaco are critical metrics used to secure federal funding for channel maintenance. We must invest in the future of our port and raise our standards.

Observer: How can or should the port support the economic development of the wider community?

Smith: The port district’s economy is nature-based, relying heavily on industries such as fishing, shellfish, logging and farming. The port should always support these foundational industries, even when their operations do not take place directly at the Port of Ilwaco itself. For example, I have personally advocated in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the sand shrimp issue in Willapa Bay, demonstrating our commitment to protecting local natural resources. I also worked with the late state Sen. Mark Doumit on establishing reasonable riparian buffers and road-building regulations to help save logging jobs.

We will also continue to partner with the surrounding cities and Pacific County, as the port is always willing to form these partnerships to work toward common goals. Furthermore, we will continue to work with the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center to directly support our wider community. The center has created 17 full-time and nine part-time jobs (with more expected) and gives the community’s youth an advantage through early education and extracurricular programs for all, directly boosting the social and economic health of the entire area. We have the goal to have another seafood plant at the port and will continue working with Bornstein Seafoods to get their facility up and running again after the devastating fire.

Glenn: Collaboration and coordination with other local governments, regional partners and industry should be continually pursued to support economic development. Economic development extends into many areas, such as workforce housing, transportation infrastructure, broadband, tourism, recreation, environmental restoration and more. Ports can help secure funding and work with partners on advancing projects in the community. Ports can also help facilitate workforce training and development.

The commission should be open to possibilities while also having the discretion to focus limited resources on priorities in alignment with the port’s comprehensive plan and strategic direction. The port can and should play a leadership role when it comes to economic development in our community at-large.