Public Comment at Port Commission Meetings

Open Meetings

*NOTICE:  Please take notice that the Port of Seattle Commission’s public comment rules for Commission meetings have changed with the adoption of Resolution No. 3817 at the January 23, 2024, Commission meeting.  For more information, please see Resolution No. 3817.

All meetings of the Port Commission and its standing committees are open to the public, subject to the provisions of Chapter 42.30 RCW, the Commission’s Bylaws and Rules of Procedure, and standing committee charters.  Meetings are conducted in a manner that provides the public the opportunity to hear and observe the proceedings.  Access to meeting rooms is subject to safety considerations and the ability to conduct the meeting in an orderly manner. 

Onsite Meetings with a Virtual Component (Microsoft Teams and Alternate Telephone Access): 

• Public comment is taken at regularly scheduled Port of Seattle Commission Business meetings on matters on the Commission agenda or related to the conduct of Port business.  PLEASE NOTE: Public comment is limited to these topics.
• Virtual public commenters (for general public comment or for specific public hearings) may sign up to speak by sending an email request to speak, with the meeting date and topic they wish to address to: [email protected], no later than 9 a.m. PST on the day of the meeting.  Microsoft Teams platform access information will be sent to persons signing up to comment virtually in advance of the meeting.  Public commenters will receive meeting procedures and be asked to be available for a sound check prior to the meeting.  Every attempt will be made to provide visual access to the meeting and Commissioners; however, this is based on the technology available at the time of the meeting.
• Public commenters joining the meeting by telephone-only will follow the instructions sent to them and will call-in in advance of the meeting to receive meeting procedures and sound check.
• For public comment given at the physical meeting location, the sign-up process is onsite and available prior to the meeting.
• Written comment may also be submitted through the email above and will be distributed to all members of the Commission prior to the meeting.  All written comment must as well be related to matters on a Commission agenda or to the conduct of Port business to be accepted as public comment and must follow the same rules of public comment for in-person comment provided for in the Commission’s Bylaws and Rules of Procedure.   Written comments must be identified in the subject of the email, or in the body of the email, as intended for ‘Public Comment for Commission Meeting.’  Written comments are accepted 3 days prior to the meeting and before 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting.  Late written comments received after the meeting, but no later than the day following the meeting, will also be included as public comment in the meeting record.  Written public comments received will be summarized at the time of the meeting and will be included as part of the meeting record.  Correspondence received outside of this timeline will be forwarded to the Commission’s correspondence system. All correspondence whether public comment or general are transmitted to the Commission. 
   
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On-site Meetings with Telephone Access Only (This meeting option may be scheduled if a Microsoft Teams platform is not available for a meeting.  *Please note: on-site only meetings with no telephone access may be held if this technology is not available at the meeting location):    

• Public comment is taken at regularly scheduled Port of Seattle Commission Business meetings on matters on the Commission agenda or related to the conduct of Port business.  PLEASE NOTE: Public comment is limited to these topics.
• Remote public commenters (for general public comment or for specific public hearings) may sign up to speak by sending an email request to speak, with the meeting date and topic they wish to address to: [email protected], no later than 9 a.m. PST on the day of the meeting.
• Public commenters joining the meeting by telephone-only will follow the instructions sent to them and will call-in in advance of the meeting to receive meeting procedures and sound check.
• For public comment given at the physical meeting location, the sign-up process is onsite and available prior to the meeting.
• Written comment may also be submitted through the email above and will be distributed to all members of the Commission prior to the meeting.  All written comment must as well be related to matters on a Commission agenda or to the conduct of Port business to be accepted as public comment and must follow the same rules of public comment for in-person comment provided for in the Commission’s Bylaws and Rules of Procedure.   Written comments must be identified in the subject of the email, or in the body of the email, as intended for ‘Public Comment for Commission Meeting.’  Written comments are accepted 3 days prior to the meeting and before 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting.  Late written comments received after the meeting, but no later than the day following the meeting, will also be included as public comment in the meeting record.  Written public comments received will be summarized at the time of the meeting and will be included as part of the meeting record.  Correspondence received outside of this timeline will be forwarded to the Commission’s correspondence system. All correspondence whether public comment or general are transmitted to the Commission.

General Public Comment Procedures, Rules Related to Public Comment, and Information Pertaining to Disruption Procedures

General Procedures:  

• Public spoken comment shall be heard only during the time designated for public comment on the day’s agenda.
• If you are in physical attendance during a meeting and have printed materials to share with Commissioners, a member of the Commission Office – Clerk’s Team - will be happy to distribute them for you.  Please be sure to bring nine (9) copies for distribution.
• Normally, Commissioners do not respond to questions or engage in dialog during public comment, but on rare occasions they may ask for clarification or direct requests to Port staff.
• The overall length of the comment period is limited to 45 minutes, and members of the public typically are given two minutes to speak. However, the amount of time provided to individuals is subject to change by the presiding officer at the time of the meeting in order to ensure meeting efficiency.
• Persons providing public spoken comment shall approach the podium or testimony table when recognized by the presiding officer and shall use the microphone provided. Each speaker shall repeat their name for the record and shall identify the agenda item or other subject related to the conduct of Port business to be addressed.  An initial failure to repeat a speakers name or identify the subject of public comment will not be considered a disruption if the speaker immediately does so when reminded by the presiding officer.
• Individuals attending a Commission meeting, including those providing spoken public comment, must not engage in speech or conduct that disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of any meeting.

Disruptions. Disruptions include, but are not limited to, violations of the following standards:

• Individuals may speak out only if they have been recognized by the presiding officer for spoken public comment.
• Individuals may not hold or place a banner or sign in the meeting room in a way that endangers others or obstructs the free flow of people or the view of others at the meeting.
• Individuals may not intentionally disrupt, disturb or otherwise impede attendance or participation at a meeting.
• Individuals must follow the direction of the presiding officer or security personnel.
• Public comment must be related to agenda items or the conduct of Port business.
• Public comment must be made to the Commission as a body and not to any individual member, except as related to action taken by that member in the member’s Commission capacity.
• Spoken public comment must be completed within the allotted time.
• An individual’s spoken public comment period may not be used for purposeful delay, including remaining silent or engaging in other activity without conveying a discernible message.
• Public comment for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition is not allowed except when addressing action being considered or taken by the Port on a ballot proposition.
• Spoken public comment cannot be directed to the audience.
• Individuals in attendance at the meeting, including those providing spoken public comment, must not engage in abusive or harassing behavior including, but not limited to, derogatory remarks based on age, race, color, national origin/ancestry, religion, disability, pregnancy, sex/gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, marital status or any other category protected by law; the use of obscene or profane language and gestures; assaults or other threatening behavior; and sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.
• Individuals, including those providing spoken public comment, may not physically approach Commissioners or staff at the meeting table during the meeting, provided individuals may provide written public comment before or after the meeting, and in addition, speakers may offer written materials to the Commission Clerk for distribution during their testimony to Commissioners.

Process for addressing disruptions:

• Warning process for disruption and loss of speaking privileges.
  • First Disruption: If a meeting is disrupted, the presiding officer shall warn the individual that the disruptive conduct is out of order and that further disruption will result in the speaker’s loss of speaking privileges.
  • Second Disruption: A second disruption at the same meeting or within 90 days after the first disruption, will result in loss of speaking privileges. The presiding officer will, if the individual is providing public comment, direct that the speaker’s microphone be turned off to end the individual’s comment period and will announce that any further disruption by the individual within the next 180 days will be grounds for exclusion from Commission meetings.

Exclusion from meetings.

• Third Disruption:  If an individual engages in a disruption within 180 days from losing speaking privileges, the individual shall lose attendance privileges for the Commission meeting in which the disruption occurs and for 180 days thereafter.  The presiding officer will, if the individual is providing public comment, direct that the speaker’s microphone be turned off, and will direct that the individual be removed from the meeting.  In addition, the presiding officer shall inform the individual that they are excluded from attendance at future Commission meetings for a period of 180 days.
• If, during the three years following a 180-day period of exclusion, an individual engages in another disruption, the presiding officer shall follow the process in subsection (g)(2)(i) and the individual shall lose attendance privileges for the Commission meeting in which the disruption occurs and for one year thereafter.

Notice of exclusion.

• At the Commission President’s direction, the Commission Clerk or designee shall notify an individual in writing of the specific reasons and length of the exclusion by mailing the notice to the individual’s last known address, if any.  The notice shall advise that if the person desires to address the Commission during the period of exclusion, they may submit written comment to the Commission Clerk by email or by leaving them at the Port reception desk, which will be provided to the Commission if the comments follow the rules set forth above in subsection (b) of this section. If the individual attempts to attend a Commission meeting during the period they are excluded, the Commission Clerk shall provide the individual with a copy of the written notice of exclusion and the individual shall be removed from the meeting.

Meeting Assistance

Public Hearings

Public hearings are special opportunities to speak on specific port actions, usually required by state law. Public hearing testimony is accepted at the time of the hearing in its regular agenda order. 

Your Comment is a Public Record

Recorded comments, the identity of speakers, and meeting sign-in sheets are public records subject to disclosure under Chapter 42.56 RCW, and the names of speakers are recorded in the meeting minutes. 

Executive Sessions

The Commission may recess to an executive session to discuss or receive briefings from staff regarding sale or lease of real estate, personnel matters, litigation or other subjects as set forth in the Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30) and other applicable statutes. 

In the event an executive session is to be held, the regular meeting shall convene at 10:30 a.m. and shall immediately recess to an executive session, which is closed to the public. The open public meeting then shall reconvene at 12:00 noon. An executive session also may be called at any time after 12:00 noon, if necessary. 

Industrial Development Corporation

The Port Commissioners also sit as the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of the Port of Seattle. By authorization of the Washington State Legislature, the IDC can issue tax-exempt revenue bonds to finance industrial development within the corporate boundaries of the port. The meetings of the IDC are open and public.