TagPort Of Seattle(2611)

The Port of Seattle awarded $150,000 in Tourism Marketing Support grants to 18 organizations across Washington State in 2017, helping fund projects ranging from whale-watching promotions to international media campaigns. Each recipient was required to provide a matching contribution at a two-to-one ratio, generating a combined total of over $257,000 in tourism marketing funds. For 2018, the Commission increased the program budget to $200,000, with the additional $50,000 designated for cultural, eco, sustainable, or nature tourism activities.

A January 2018 Port of Seattle memo prepared for the Commission outlines a briefing on the 2017 Airport Economic Impacts Study, which measures Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's effects on jobs, wages, business revenues, and tax receipts. The study, conducted by Community Attributes Inc., follows a series of similar assessments the Port has conducted roughly every five years since 1987. Results were shared with key stakeholders at a State of the Port Breakfast on January 18, 2018, ahead of a formal Commission presentation on January 30, 2018.

The Port of Seattle's 2018 Federal Legislative Agenda outlines policy priorities for both aviation and maritime operations, including efforts to increase FAA accountability to communities near airports affected by noise and to confirm that airport-area public schools are eligible for FAA noise insulation grant funding. The agenda also calls for research into the relationship between aviation activity and ultrafine particulate emissions. Approved by the Port Commission in January 2018, the agenda directed staff to engage federal officials in support of these and other infrastructure, immigration, and trade priorities.

The Port of Seattle's Airport Community Ecology (ACE) Fund offers a Small Matching Grants Program providing funding to non-profit organizations and community groups in SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines to support local environmental improvement projects. Applicants must demonstrate a 3:1 match for every dollar of Port funding requested, meaning three dollars of community value must be identified for each grant dollar awarded. The program has distributed over $85,000 to projects ranging from invasive weed removal and community gardens to marine wildlife education and plastics reduction awareness.

Resolution No. 3744 is a Port of Seattle Commission resolution from 2018 that amends the commission's governing bylaws. It removes the requirement that the Commission Vice President automatically serve as chair of the Audit Committee, and adds language clarifying that the Audit Committee and its chair play a direct role in reviewing the performance of the internal audit director alongside the chief financial officer.

A 2017 economic impact report from the Port of Seattle shows that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport supported $22.5 billion in total economic activity and approximately 151,400 jobs across the region, including direct employment and multiplier effects. More than 350 employers operate at the airport, with on-site jobs averaging $73,500 in total compensation, and the surrounding communities of King and Pierce counties benefiting significantly from visitor spending and airport-related business revenues.

This is the Port of Seattle's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report covering financial data as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015. Prepared by the Port's Accounting and Financial Reporting Department, the report provides a detailed overview of the Port's financial position and results of operations across its facilities, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It serves as an official public financial disclosure document for the Port of Seattle, a Washington State government entity.

This November 2017 City Council study session presentation outlines a proposed 2018 Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between the City of SeaTac and the Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Because Port properties make up 42% of SeaTac's total land area and the airport creates unique demands on city services, the two governments have used ILAs since 1997 to manage operational and authority issues. The proposed agreement, intended to replace the expiring February 2018 ILA, aims to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and avoid litigation through a mutually beneficial, comprehensive package of terms.

The Highline Forum meeting, hosted by the City of Tukwila on November 15, 2017, focused on air quality concerns related to Sea-Tac Airport, featuring a briefing from University of Washington researchers on an ultrafine particles study and a discussion of related federal legislation (HR 4087). The agenda also included updates from the City of Tukwila and the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable, presented by Port of Seattle Aviation Managing Director Lance Lyttle. The two-hour session concluded with a discussion of emerging issues and planning for the 2018 Highline Forum schedule.

The Des Moines Aviation Advisory Committee met on November 7, 2017, to discuss several airport-related topics, including an Air Cargo Study being conducted by the Joint Transportation Committee and updates on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement process presented by Port of Seattle representatives. Key community concerns raised included nighttime flights, aircraft noise frequency, and whether airport-impacted communities would have a voice in upcoming stakeholder meetings. The committee also nominated member Sheila Brush to represent the City of Des Moines on a new Public Forum Panel headed by the Port's Director of Aviation, expected to launch in early 2018.