Kersey announces resignation as port director
Don Kersey, pictured, announced his resignation as the Port of Moses Lake director Monday.
File photo
MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake Director Don Kersey has announced his resignation, effective Oct. 24. Kersey announced his departure for a position with Group14 during the regular commission meeting Monday.
“The port is a very special place, and it always will be. I’m just glad I was a part of it,” Kersey said to commissioners in making his announcement.
Commissioner Kent Jones paid tribute to Kersey for his work.
“He was the right man at the right time,” Jones said. “Brought his talents to us, and I appreciate that very much.”
Jones said after the meeting that in the past commissioners have hired a recruiting service to help them find suitable candidates. Commission Chair Stroud Kunkle said commissioners are considering that again.
“We’ve made some contacts,” Kunkel said.
Kersey started his job as port director in January 2020. Previously he was the plant manager at the Joyson Safety Systems Moses Lake facility.
During his announcement, Kersey expressed gratitude to the port’s staff for their support and assistance.
“The amount of knowledge you guys have — encyclopedia after encyclopedia after encyclopedia. It’s just absolutely amazing,” Kersey said.
He also expressed gratitude to the port commissioners.
“Thank you for giving me a chance almost four years ago,” he said.
In other business, commissioners approved an agreed order with the Washington Department of Ecology, and an agreement with ExxonMobil to pay part of the costs of the study that will be required under the order.
Holly Stafford, the attorney representing the port, said the next step in the process will be for WDOE to publish the order and solicit public comment.
The study will evaluate the options for cleaning up a piece of port property called Pumphouse 1, the location of old underground fuel tanks and pipes. The tanks dated back to the period before the port took control of the airport, Stafford said and eventually began to leak. The port and ExxonMobil will be responsible for cleaning up the site.
Jones said he thought Pumphouse 1 was part of the airport’s federal superfund hazardous materials site, but Stafford said it’s not. It does qualify for cleanup under state guidelines.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.