Port of Skagit candidates emphasize broadband, workforce training and agriculture at forum

At a League of Women Voters forum, three candidates for Port of Skagit commissioner outlined priorities for the port including expanding rural broadband, supporting aviation and marine trades training, and recruiting value‑added agricultural businesses.

The candidates said the port should balance economic development with preserving local property rights and maintaining fiscal stability for the citizen‑owners of the port.

Melanie Mankemeyer, the current Port of Skagit commissioner, said she would advocate continuing the port’s rural broadband work and cited specific project areas: “the Burr Island and Bowhill area” as places to extend service. She said about 80% of the port’s operating revenue “comes from fees and charges and rents,” and that future capital work will depend on the port’s ability to obtain grants.

Edwin Stickel, a candidate and longtime local aviation professional, emphasized workforce and safety. Stickel said the port should support aviation training by partnering with local education providers, proposing “to base an A and P Aviation Mechanics School on our port campus” and saying that aviation and boat repair businesses need a pipeline of trained workers.

Keith Chaplin, another candidate, focused on agriculture and local incubator projects. Chaplin said the county is driven by farming and urged the port to recruit “value added” agricultural businesses; he cited his involvement building a barn for Viva Farms, a local farm business incubator, as evidence of the need for more capacity to support producers.

Candidates also addressed the port’s near‑term fiscal challenges. Mankemeyer warned that available grant funding could decline and that the port must prioritize among an “aging infrastructure” list of projects. Chaplin noted the port’s reliance on a mix of property taxes, tenant leases, grants and business revenue and said maintaining a stable base that does not overdepend on intermittent grants will be important.

On governance, Stickel said he supports increasing the commission from three to five members, arguing it would allow “more voices to be heard” and reduce the chance of informal, nonpublic deliberations between commissioners.

The forum was a candidate Q&A and closing statements; no motions, votes or formal port actions occurred during the event. Candidates repeatedly referenced training partnerships, broadband extensions, and recruiting agricultural and marine businesses as implementation priorities.

The forum moderator closed the session and reminded attendees that candidates would be available afterward for questions.