2025 Commissioners Seminar Agenda & Sponsors
Meeting Location:
Semiahmoo Resort
9695 Semiahmoo Parkway
Blaine, WA 98230
360.318.2000
Monday, July 21
6:00 pm – Reception and Dinner – Semiahmoo Resort, Tent Pavilion (outside location)
Spouses invited and encouraged to attend the evening event
Tuesday, July 22
7:00 am – Breakfast Buffet
8:15 am – Welcome and Announcements
8:30 am – What’s on Your Mind? Open Discussion Forum: One success and one challenge from the past year or the year ahead: We will ask each port to speak, rather than each commissioner
10:00 am – Executive Director Turnover
Moderated by Eric ffitch
- Establishing Clear Expectations
- How does commission on board a new Executive Director
- What support can you expect from the association for onboarding
- Tips on succession planning from other ports
10:45 am – Break
11:00 am – Port Planning & Comprehensive Scheming, Commissioners Role in the Planning Process
- Tim Schermetzler, CSD Attorneys at Law
- Frank Chmelik, WPPA Life Member, Retired Attorney from CSD Attorneys at Law
11:45 am – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Maritime Career Pipelines
- Betsy Davis, Former Director (retired), Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding
- Katie Oman, Chief Operating Officer, Northwest Maritime
2:45 pm – Break
3:00 pm – Strategic Communications Plan Workshop
- David Fisher & Jocelyn McCabe, APR, FM Public Affairs
4:00 pm – Adjourn
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Cocktail Hour and Dinner Reception – Semiahmoo Resort, Tent Pavilion (outside location)
Wednesday, July 23
8:00 am – Breakfast Buffet
9:00 am – Continuity on the Commission: Commissioners Role in Replacing a Commission Vacancy
- Speakers Invited
10:00 am – Break
10:30 am – Port Commissioner Elections – Recent Legal Updates
- Tim Schermetzler, CSD Attorneys at Law
- Frank Chmelik, WPPA Life Member, Retired Attorney from CSD Attorneys at Law
11:45 am – Seminar Adjourn
Thank You to Our 2025 Commissioner Seminar Sponsor
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Mandy Lill for details.
The attorneys in the firm’s Port Practice Group assist port districts—large and small—to achieve successful outcomes for their communities by utilizing our specialized expertise and years of experience in the law unique to ports, including governance, leasing, land use permitting, labor and employment, environmental, litigation, construction, and insurance defense. CSD Attorneys at Law is proud to provide general counsel and special counsel representation to port districts all over Washington.
