COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
ACTION ITEM
DATE:

September 3, 2019

TO:

Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director

FROM:

Mike Merritt, Commission Chief of Staff
Paul J. White, Commission Clerk

Item No.
Date of Meeting

8f
September 10, 2019

SUBJECT: Commission bylaws object statement amendment
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Adoption of Resolution No. 3761: A resolution of the Port of Seattle Commission
amending Resolution Nos. 3742, 3744, and 3754, regarding bylaws governing the organization
and transaction of business of the Port of Seattle Commission, to revise the object statement in
Article I.
SUMMARY
The Port of Seattle currently lacks consistent messaging in its mission as an entity. As the Port
continues advancing economic growth in a sustainable and equitable manner, its mission
statement should be one that reflects those priorities consistently.
The Port's current mission statement exists on the Port's website. There are different iterations
of the mission statement on publicly accessible documents such the Port's Long Range Plans,
the Commission bylaws and the footer of Commission regular and special meeting agendas.
The overarching goal for updating the Port's mission statement is to have a statement that
simply and accurately conveys the Port of Seattle's duties and commitment towards King
County and its residents that is consistent across the board. Important elements of an updated
mission statement are commitments to equity, accountability/transparency, environmental
sustainability, and quality of life.
The text of the resolution introduced on August 13 is attached to this memo. Further
refinement of this text is proposed in an amendment filed September 4 that, if adopted, would
have the bylaws read as follows:
Founded in 1911 by a vote of the people as a special purpose government, the Port of
Seattle's mission is to promote economic opportunities and the quality of life in the region
by advancing trade, travel, and commerce in an equitable, accountable, and
environmentally responsible manner.

Template revised April 12, 2018.

COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. _8f_
Meeting Date: September 10, 2019

Page 2 of 2

This proposal reflects basic port authority around trade, travel, and commerce and adds the
responsibilities to support quality of life, equity, accountability, and environmental stewardship.
The amendment would add the following underlined text about how the port commission is
constituted by elaborating on Article II, Section 1 (Membership). The verbiage at the end of this
section is existing text to which no change is proposed:
The Port is led by a board of five commissioners elected by King County voters to four-year
terms pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 53.12 RCW. Election and terms of port
commissioners....
The amendment will be considered for adoption prior to adoption of the resolution at the
commission regular meeting of September 10, 2019.
Attachments to this memo include a draft of Resolution 3761 as introduced on August 13,
proposed Amendment 1, and redline of the proposed bylaws change.

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.