Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
6j
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
August 11, 2020
DATE: July 16, 2020
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Sandy Kilroy, Director, Maritime Environment & Sustainability
Jon Sloan, Sr. Manager, Environmental Programs
Alex Adams, Sr. Environmental Program Manager
SUBJECT: Interlocal Agreement with University of Washington, Sea Grant, Hershman
Fellowship Program
Amount of this request: N/A
Total estimated project cost:
$58,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Authorization for Executive Director to sign an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with University of
Washington’s Sea Grant program, substantially in the form attached, with minor changes to be
approved by legal counsel. The ILA will allow the Port to host two (2) 12-month Hershman
Fellowship positions.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Washington Sea Grant, based out of the University of Washington (UW), was established to
help people understand and address the challenges facing Washington’s oceans and coasts.
Sea Grant funds research, fosters education, and supports several graduate fellowship
programs. The Hershman Fellowship program is for soon-to-graduate or recently finished
graduate students who are engaged in ocean and coastal policy issues. The purpose is to
develop marine and natural resource policies related to Port operations and/or management of
Port properties and share the Fellows’ expertise with a host agency. The Port applied to the
program in February 2020 and was accepted to host two (2) fellows starting on September 16,
2020. In exchange for the services of the fellows, the Port will provide $58,000 to the Sea Grant
program ($29,000 per fellowship). Sea Grant will provide the balance of the funding. Funding is
already authorized in the annual expense budget for the Environment and Sustainability Center
of Expertise. The Fellows will be employees of the UW, which will pay their salaries and
benefits, but the Fellows will be hosted by the Port and embedded within Maritime
Environment and Sustainability (ME&S) and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI).
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _6j___ Page 2 of 4
Meeting Date: August 11, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
JUSTIFICATION
The Port of Seattle’s ME&S and OEDI departments routinely work to address complex
environmental and social equity matters critical to the port, the maritime industry, and
important for improving conditions in near-port communities. This work creates opportunities
to engage young people through internships and/or fellowships to participate, providing value-
added services to the Port while also furthering career-development and educational
objectives. The Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship program provides 12-months of
employment for highly competent recent post-grads with interest in our work, at very low cost.
In exchange, the Port will receive the benefit of their experience and assistance with developing
policies related to operation of its seaports, including
energy, habitat restoration, climate
resiliency, and community engagement
.
Diversity in Contracting
The Port participated in interviews of seven (7) fellowship candidates through a “matching”
process managed by the University of Washington. The interviews included questions about
the candidates’ views on diversity, equity and inclusion. During the selection process
candidates ultimately matched to the Port expressed a passion for environmental justice and
examining the disparities within historically under-represented groups. The Office of Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion’s framework commits to making the Port of Seattle a leader in regional
efforts to achieve equity and social justice. The vision is to develop a Port that mirrors the
diversity of our community and instills principles of equity in all programs and services. Our
selection and successful match of two candidates reflected the importance of their responses
to these questions.
DETAILS
The Maritime Environment and Sustainability (ME&S) Department applied to be a host agency
to the Hershman Fellowship program in February 2020 and were accepted. The Sea Grant
Fellows will be assigned to assist with the following focus areas in ME&S and OEDI:
(1) Climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Evaluate policy and program options
related to Port operations to respond to sea level rise, coastal nearshore marine water
acidification, greenhouse gas reduction/sequestration, and energy planning.
(2) Habitat restoration and blue carbon. Identify opportunities for marine area habitat
restoration and blue carbon enhancement/sequestration, including new approaches for
active management of shoreline and upland natural areas on Port property.
(3) Environmental outreach, engagement and stewardship. Work with ME&S and OEDI to
prepare environmental curriculum materials for use with staff, interns, students, business
partners, and citizen groups to carry out existing Port commitments on Port property
and/or related to Port operations.
(4) Environmental and societal data analysis. Help improve the Equity Index by finding and
identifying key data sets within the Port of Seattle to use incorporate into the index.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _6j___ Page 3 of 4
Meeting Date: August 11, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
The above work is critical to achieving the Port’s environmental and social equity goals related
to operation of its seaport facilities. Additional staffing support provided by the Hershman
Fellows will help the Port make progress on these goals and will also help fill staffing shortfalls
that have resulted from the COVID-19 crisis. At the same time, the work will provide an
outstanding experience for the Fellows that will help prepare them for careers in the maritime
and/or environmental industry.
Schedule
Fellowship positions are scheduled to begin on September 16, 2020 and will run for 12 months.
The interlocal agreement must be finalized with the University of Washington prior to
September 16, 2020.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1. Engage graduate or undergraduate interns to participate in the work.
Cost Implications: Cost would be higher at ~$40k per position for 12 months of full-time work.
Pros:
(1) Expand a robust internship program (though it is either paused or greatly reduced at
present due to COVID-19).
(2) Introduces maritime environmental issues to students earlier in their education and
helps develop a pipeline for workforce development.
Cons:
(1) Interns are typically less experienced and have not completed their degrees.
(2) Interns are generally limited to a 3-month period.
(3) Cost per position is higher.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 2. Engage full-time staff to undertake the work.
Cost Implications: Cost would be substantially higher at $175k per position.
Pros:
(1) Hiring full-time employees is an investment which develops long-term internal
competency and provides the Port with more consistency over time.
Cons:
(1) Hiring freeze makes it difficult to bring on FTE’s without special approval.
(2) Cost of a full-time employee is substantially higher.
This is not the recommended alternative.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. _6j___ Page 4 of 4
Meeting Date: August 11, 2020
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Alternative 3 – Engage two (2) Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellows to participate in the
work.
Cost Implications: Positions require contribution of $29k per position to University of
Washington.
Pros:
(1) Port benefits from experience and energy of highly capable post-grads who are eager
to engage in maritime environmental issues at a much lower cost than hiring a full-
time employee.
(2) Enables the Port to continue with projects that are on pause due to limitations on
hiring during the COVID-19 response.
Cons:
(1) Because the fellowship is only a short-term (1 year) employment opportunity, the Port
can only access the experience of the individual fellows during the one-year period.
This is the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There is no funding requested as part of this authorization.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Draft Interlocal Agreement
(2) Presentation slides
