Consultant to Help Port Find Funding

A former port commissioner will be paid $125 an hour to help the Ventura Port District find and secure grant funding to ease the hardship of a 30-year, $15-million bankruptcy payoff.

Jean Getchell, who served on the commission from 1996 until her term expired in May, will work 10 hours a week. She will also be reimbursed each month for long-distance telephone calls and for travel expenses.

Port Commissioner Monty Clark said Getchell was an obvious choice for the task.

“She has spent just an inordinate amount of time to better the district,” Clark said. “When you have someone with that passion, you need to utilize it.”

The need for extra funding is urgent, Clark said, because the district needs to save as much money as possible in anticipation of 2002, when the district will begin paying the $15-million principal from bankruptcy negotiations. The grant funding, if found, will go toward maintenance and funding for several projects planned for the Ventura Harbor.

Getchell, an attorney, was contracted for 90 days in the vote last week. Clark said the district doesn’t expect to be awarded any grants by then, but it expects to have discovered some funding sources. Getchell could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Clark said Getchell’s experience with the district will be invaluable, as district general manager Oscar Peqa is new to his position and much of the staff is already busy.

“We have no idea what’s out there,” Clark said. “If anyone could find it, Jeannie can.”