Lessons Learned from COVID-19: A Port Perspective

Last Thursday, for the first time since December, something unprecedented happened. We held a regular meeting in our Mill Street office. I thumbed through a hard copy of the 17-page Commission packet. We discussed the agenda topics through masks, rather than thumbnails on a Zoom screen. Commissioner Kammerzell even banged the gavel on the cherry oak board table. 

It was the first time in several months that we’ve been able to hold a regular Commission meeting with an “in-person meeting component." This meant that we could sit six feet apart in the board room, while streaming the meeting on Zoom to give members of the public the option to watch and comment online.

More people joined by Zoom than we had seated around the board table. And that is a critical takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic. Citizens need remote capabilities for accessing open government.

Over the past year, the Port has transformed how we interact with citizens to meet the renewed call for digital inclusion in government. The shift to online meetings is just one example. We also moved from a static, one-page website to a mobile-responsive web presence outfitted with new communications tools. The Port’s website now features a media center with Port news such as press releases and blog posts that can be updated daily. We also launched our first e-newsletter, “Port Progress.” 

In addition, we enhanced our IT infrastructure to ensure a well-equipped remote workforce. Port staff have remained available to citizens by phone, email and video throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you live in downtown Colfax near our Mill Street office or 45 minutes away in Tekoa, you can quickly access a Port staff member without stepping into our building. (Unless, of course, you prefer face-to-face interaction…Port staff are happy to schedule in-person meetings by appointment).

All of this is to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on open access government. Perhaps, when life returns to “normal,” these new digital tools – and more – will become a permanent fixture of your local public port district.

In the meantime, if you have ideas for how we can improve our digital services, please do let us know. 

About the Author: Karl Webber is the District 1 Commissioner of the Port of Whitman County.