Port of Coupeville Schedules Special Commission Meeting for March 31

The Port of Coupeville posted a public notice on March 25 calling a special commission meeting for March 31, a session that arrives at a pivotal moment in the port's search for its next executive director.

Chris Michalopoulos, the port's executive director of more than eight years, is set to retire this spring, and the special meeting falls in step with the timeline his office and the board have been working through. The board determined that the top five candidates would advance to the first round of interviews, conducted during an executive session, beginning either March 31 or April 1.

The hiring process itself has drawn scrutiny from Greenbank Farm tenants and community members. Some Greenbank Farm tenants expressed concern that the search had become less than transparent, as Michalopoulos originally planned to narrow the candidate pool from over 50 applicants to several finalists through private interviews conducted without quorums.

Commissioner Marianne Burr, responding to those concerns, asserted that she and her fellow commissioners are full participants in a law-abiding hiring process. "The review and selection is being done according to established legal standards which include doing initial interviews in private to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the applicants," she said.

The notice for the March 31 meeting was posted to the Port's official website under its 2026 Agendas and Minutes section. Agendas for public meetings are posted on the Port's website a minimum of 24 hours prior to the meeting start time. Community members, staff, and the Board of Commissioners can attend meetings remotely or at the physical location at the Jim Davis House, Greenbank Farm, 765 Wonn Road, Suite E, Greenbank, WA 98253. There will be two public comment periods during all open public meetings, unless otherwise posted on the agenda.

All public meetings can also be watched on the Port of Coupeville YouTube page. Those wishing to receive notifications of upcoming meetings can contact the port at executivedirector@portofcoupeville.org. The March 31 session will determine which candidates survive the first cut as the port moves toward filling the leadership vacancy left by Michalopoulos's departure.