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The Port of Seattle Commission is in an uproar over a severance package awarded to retired CEO Mic Dinsmore, as reported in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Wednesday, April 18.
Three of the five commissioners told the P-I they didn't know about a $339,841 salary and benefits extension that would take place after Dinsmore's official retirement last month. Commissioner Pat Davis signed the deal in October.
So now we have a royal mess. The newly arrived CEO, Tay Yoshitani, has to sort through an arrangement that, at worst, could be illegal or, maybe, simply expose faulty memories or sloppy procedures by the commission, which is in charge of our harbor and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Oddly, port staff members are lining up to defend the arrangement, saying the matter was discussed by all five commissioners during a closed-door meeting. But that contradicts commissioners who are calling it "inappropriate" or "outrageous." Commission President John Creighton says the deal did not comply with state legal requirements.
Welcome to Seattle, Mr. Yoshitani.
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Comments:
Posted Thu, Apr 19, 7:19 a.m. Inappropriate
Pat Davis or Bart Simpson: The Port of Seattle takes $68 million a year from King County taxpayers, they deserve better than the Pat Davis defense "I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it, you can't prove a thing."
Posted Fri, Apr 20, 7:46 a.m. Inappropriate
My retirement as a Port defender: Foolish blunders like this are forcing me to retire as a Port supporter and defender. This continuing drumbeat of stupid decisions makes it difficult to defend the Port on more important matters.
If the Port's actions are alienating its supporters then imagine the ammunition it is generating for its critics.
The Port has a slick team of public relation specialists and advisors that could have averted this public disaster by looking after the interests of the Port rather than Disnmore's retirement package. Now it's a double loss. Dismore won't get his money and the Port's already questionable reputation is further tarnished. patricia stambor
Posted Fri, Apr 20, 2:56 p.m. Inappropriate
Game Plan or the Port: When nice little $339,841 golden parachutes are handed out at a whim, that's a sign that there's enormous waste at the Port, and that it's an unaccountable, rogue agency that needs to be cut down to size. Apparently, that's just peanuts in the annual $68M Port budget. It would be interesting to see how many such golden parachutes have been given in past years. I think we can throw a few well placed rocks at this Goliath and subdue it:
Here's the plan to stone the beast:
1. Split the airport from the seaport. We need world-class in both, not uncompetitive mediocrity. When big, vast bureaucracies fail, they need to be split off into focused parts.
2. Cut all salaries, retirement plans, and the number of employees in half. I bet the new employees they'll work harder, smarter and more productively. This guy's salary should be maybe $150K with a bonus for performance. No performance, no bonus. And don't get me going on his retirement. $50K is too much. And make the the CEO salary less than the Governor's.
3. Stand up to the unions. Most unions have been dealt huge blows by the economy and technology and off-shoring, so in a real sense need to be given a break. On the other hand, when technology and all the other ports are passing you by, and you've got horrible, horrible relative productivity, you've got to do something about making the work and workers more productive. Doesn't look like this is happening. This particular union does strikes really well, coordinating them across the West Coast. My recollection is s that the Port caved in to ridiculous wage and staffing level demands in their last negotiations. I'd compare the Port to GM or Ford in the onerousness of its labor contracts.
4. Make the Port a part of WDOT. Right now the Port is unaccountable and seems to dole out taxpayers' money like lottery winnings. They build stuff, but with $68M a year, who can't? Airports and seaports and freight are all part of the overall transportation plan, and require huge infrastructure investments that must be traded off against other transportation infrastructure such as highways, bridges, and mass transit. Note that the Port needs the good throughput on the viaduct for freight, that its the TERMINUS of our several billion dollar light rail investment, and that it's right in the middle of the BN railroad right-of-way for the airport discussions. Why have six arms of government negotiating with themselves. The result is what you see with all our current transportation planning.