2024 Port Day Agenda - Click Here

(agenda subject to change as we may add speakers)

Ports & Maritime Reception: Thursday February 1st, 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Location: Heritage Distilling Co. - 4200 Capitol Blvd SE Suite 104, Tumwater

Port Day on the Hill: Friday February 2nd

Location: Legislative Building, the Columbia Room

Time: 7:00 am

• Coffee & Pastries

• Briefing & Legislative Speakers

• Lunch, Speakers, & Wrap-up

Printable capitol campus map

Interactive capitol campus map

You can register for the Environmental Seminar and view event information here.

Please email Mandy Lill with any questions and for sponsorship inquiries.

WPPA 2021 Annual Meeting

Welcome to the 2021 Annual Meeting- we are so excited to be hosting our ports community at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue this year. Please read carefully through the agenda and the FAQ, after which you’ll find the registration button. You will be billed after the event; please mark down your payment preference on the registration form. Partial registrations are not available.

This year’s registration costs are: $490/WPPA member $525/non-member $50/WPPA member guest

Interested in sponsoring our event? Contact Director of Communications and Development Jessica Wilson.

Tuesday, November 30

1:00 – 5:00 pm Continuing Legal Education (CLE) (agenda)

Continuing legal education (CLE) for those in the law professions, hosted by our legal committee chair Lisa Lowe, together with several other presenters. Cost for the CLE is $250 for members and $275 for non-members.

12:00 – 1:00 pm Commissioner Luncheon (for commissioners who attend the training only)

1:00 – 5:00 pm Commissioner training (part 1)

New commissioner training is open to all newly elected commissioners, as well as existing commissioners who would like to refresh their education. Details of this training are still under development, but will feature presentations from Jim Darling of Leeward Strategies, Charla Skaggs and Abbi Russell of Maul Foster & Alongi, WPPA Counsel Frank Chmelik, Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act training, as well as political campaign rules training. The training includes lunch and costs $175.

2:30 – 5:00 pm Executive Committee Meeting

Evening On your own to enjoy the city of Bellevue

Wednesday, December 1

7:00 am Registration desk opens
* NO BREAKFAST OFFERED THIS DAY *

7:30 – 11:45 am Committee Meetings

• 7:30 – 8:30 am Committee Chair breakfast (for Committee Chairs ONLY) [Evergreen I, Lobby Level]

• 8:15 - 10:15 am Trade & Transportation (agenda) [Evergreen E, Lobby Level]

• 8:30 – 11:30 am Legal (agenda) [Evergreen A, Lobby Level]

• 8:45 – 10:30 am Marina (agenda) [Evergreen F, Lobby Level]

• 8:45 – 10:30 am Environmental Policy (agenda) [Evergreen BC, Lobby Level]

• 10:30– 11:45 am Aviation (agenda) [Evergreen BC, Lobby Level]

• 10:30 – 11:30 am Tax Increment Finance training with Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell & Stradling, Yocca & Carlson (Economic Development Committee) [Evergreen E, Lobby Level]

• 11:30 – 12 pm Establishing a TIF district with Randy Hayden, Port of Pasco (Economic Development Committee) [Evergreen E, Lobby Level]

9:00 - 11:45 am Commissioner training (part 2, conclusion)

The second half of new commissioner training will focus on the regulatory aspects of holding office, including training on the Public Records Act from Emily Venemon of the Secretary of State’s Office, and Open Public Meetings Act training from Flannary Collins of the Municipal Research and Services Center.

12:00 – 12:30 pm Luncheon – Official Start of Annual Meeting

President Kathy Pittis presiding [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

12:30 - 1:45 pm Keynote: A Real Estate Economist’s view on the future of housing with Matthew Gardner of Windermere Real Estate [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

1:45 - 2:00pm Break

2:00 – 2:45 pm Port Perspectives on Workforce Housing: A Discussion on Legal Authority and Responding to Community Needs [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

2:45 - 3:00 pm Break

3:00 - 3:45 pm Looking at the Practical Implications of the New Equity Legislation for Your Port [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

4:00 – 5:30 pm Associate Member Reception [Evergreen, Lobby Level]

Evening On your own to enjoy the city of Bellevue

Thursday, December 2

6:15 am Fitness Walk (optional) [Meet in Lobby]

8:00 – 9:00 am Ports Executive Breakfast [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

9:00 – 10:00 am WPPA 2022 Legislative Report [Evergreen D-I, Lobby Level]

10:30 – 11:30 am What I wish I knew: Former executive directors of ports talk about lessons learned [Evergreen D-I, Lobby Level]

12:00 – 1:30 pm Luncheon

Keynote: Overcoming disruptions in the global supply chain with President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, John McLaurin [Regency Ballroom, Level 2]

2:00 pm Port Reports [Evergreen D-I, Lobby Level]

• Port of Vancouver USA

• Port of Longview

• Port of Mattawa

3:30 pm Roundtable Discussions [Grand EGF, 2nd Floor]

• Looking under the hood: Your annual port checkup with WPPA Counsel Frank Chmelik

• Recent Cyber Attacks and How to Avoid Them

• Environmental justice strategic planning: how to incorporate new laws in Washington into your port’s environmental work

• Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission: An Update

• How ports’ lease holders have made money with carbon pricing

• Comprehensive scheme of harbor improvements and public engagement

• Marketing and community relations success with Cat Soper of the Port of Everett

• How to set rates for your marina

6:00 pm President's Reception Honoring President Kathy Pittis [Grand I J K & North Foyer, 2nd Floor]

Friday, December 3

8:00 am Awards Breakfast [Regency Ballroom, 2nd Floor]

• Award Presentations

• Port of the Year

• Outstanding Service to The Industry

• Lifetime Member

9:00 am Board of Trustees Meeting [Regency Ballroom, 2nd Floor]

• Committee Reports

• Treasurer’s Report

• President's Report

• Executive Director's Report

• 2022 WPPA Budget

• Nomination and Election of Officers

Adjourn

Annual Meeting FAQ:

*As of October 25, 2021, Washington’s Public Health Order requires proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test in the last 72 hours for all event guests. You will need to provide a copy of your vaccination record or a negative COVID test prior to entry to the Annual Meeting.
You are welcome to show proof of vaccination or negative test at the Annual Meeting Registration desk when you check in, but to assist with registration check in, it is asked that you upload your vaccination status prior to attending this event. For more information about the hotel’s requirements, click here.

Send your vaccination proof to Missy Goodell at mgoodell@washingtonports.org or upload your vaccination proof here: https://wppa.regfox.com/2021annualmeeting.

Hotel Information: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency for this event. Our special group rate is $179/night single/double occupancy; $204/night triple occupancy, plus applicable taxes and fees.

The cut-off date for room reservations is Monday, November 1, 2021. Please make your room reservations ASAP in order to take advantage of the special group rate; our block may sell out prior to the reservation cut-off date.

The hotel recommends using a web-based reservations system to make room reservations. Reservations may be made, modified or cancelled with this URL: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/BELLE/G-PP21. Alternatively, reservations may be made through the hotel’s Reservation Department by calling (877) 803-7534 and mentioning the 2021 Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) Annual Meeting. A credit card is needed to secure your reservation. To avoid cancellation fees, guests may cancel their reservation by 4:00 pm PST 48 hours prior to their arrival. Guaranteed reservations not cancelled within the 48 hours prior to arrival will be billed to the guest.
Upon arrival, all guests will be asked to verify their departure date. The guest may change their departure date if necessary anytime up until 12:00pm the day before their expected departure. If a guest checks out of the hotel prior to the their expected departure date without advising the front desk in advance as noted, a fee of one night’s room and tax will be assessed to the guest.
Check-In is 4:00pm; Check-Out is 12:00pm.

Parking: Ace Parking, a contractor, provides parking within the Bellevue Place complex. The hotel provides 3 hours of complimentary Self-Parking to all guests. Tickets can be validated at various locations in the hotel or at the Front Desk. Current rates for overnight guests are $28.00 for self-parking and $38.00 for valet parking plus tax. This charge covers a 24-hour period and includes in and out privileges. Parking rates are subject to change without notice.

Can I bring a guest and what portion of the event can they attend?
Yes you can bring a guest! Guests are invited and encouraged to attend the evening receptions and there is a $50 fee. The Ports Executive Breakfast on Thursday morning is for port commissioners, port employees and life members only.

Do I need to register my guest?
Yes, please register your guest. There is a place on the on-line registration form to register them. This helps to ensure that food and set-up preparations are correct.

If you have dietary restrictions, please note this in the appropriate area on the on-line registration form so accommodations can be made.

Do we receive Legal or Educational Credits for this seminar? Credits will be applied for.

Is there a Registration Deadline? The WPPA Annual Meeting registration deadline is November 23, 2021.

What if I have to cancel? A $75 administration fee will be charged for cancellations received after November 23 and for registrants who fail to show.

Can I register for just part of the event? We cannot accept partial registrations for the Annual Meeting. You are welcome to attend the sessions you can; we will be making Annual Meeting presentations available to all those who registered after the event.

Questions? Contact Missy Goodell at (360) 943-0760 or mgoodell@washingtonports.org.