The commission for the Port of Coos Bay had two slots come open and two more openings on the five person commission were vacant when Dan Smith and Caddy McKeown resigned. Sources indicate that Gov John Kitzhaber has appointed Eileen Ophus, Community Development Director of CCD Business Development and Eric Farm of Menasha Forest Products to fill two commission seats. These appointments would indicate that Kitzhaber supports the port’s role as an economic development agency while simultaneously ignoring the effect of a healthy environment on local industry. No one on the port appears to represent the environment or the fishing industry.
If the man considers the port to be an “economic development agency” why not appoint persons who have created jobs, not hired a person. What are both persons track record of Coos County economic development? Hasn’t the my poop don’t stink chairman of the port commission got enough work thanks to that assignment (sure he has created jobs for his company with port related work) and isn’t it time he made way for a person who can create jobs for all? And speaking of that, what does Callery and Hamner and a few others do to deserve big bucks from the public trouigh other than meaningless powerpoint presentations?