2008 Slate of Officers to be Sworn in at Board of Port Commissioners Meeting

Thursday, 03 January 2008

Meeting at the San Diego Convention Center will include public hearing for a Coastal Development Permit for Lane Field Development

WHAT:

Swearing-in ceremony and luncheon for new Port
Chairman and incoming officers, followed by public
Board of Port Commissioners meeting

WHEN:

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Noon: Lunch and swearing-in ceremony (check-in at 11:30 a.m.)
2:00 p.m. : Port Commission Meeting

WHERE:

Lunch and swearing-in: Rooms 28 A, B and C
San Diego Convention Center
Board meeting: Rooms 28 D and E
San Diego Convention Center
111 West Harbor Drive, San Diego

WHO:

Sylvia C. Rios, outgoing Port Chairwoman

Incoming Officers for 2008:

Michael B. Bixler, Chairman-elect
Stephen P. Cushman, Vice Chairman-elect
Robert “Dukie” Valderrama, Secretary-elect

SIGNIFICANCE:

Michael B. Bixler, who represents the City of Imperial Beach on the Port Commission, will be sworn in as chairman for 2008. Bixler will deliver an inauguration speech highlighting his vision and goals for the coming year. First appointed to the board in June 2002, Bixler is a vice president of Merrill Lynch Private Client Group. Bixler has many years of political experience, having served as Imperial Beach mayor from 1990 to 1998. He is a past Chairman of the San Diego Association of Governments and past president of the California Council of Governments. A Naval aviator, he earned his masters degree at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. and is a graduate of UC Berkeley. He lives in Imperial Beach with his wife, Sally.

In addition to the new Chairman, the oath of office will be administered to Vice-Chairman-elect Stephen P. Cushman and Secretary-elect Robert “Dukie” Valderrama.

Following the swearing in, the board will hold the regular meeting. On the agenda is a public hearing for an appealable Coastal Development Permit for the Lane Field development project. The proposed project includes two new hotels on the Lane Field site, located north of Broadway between North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway. The project includes restaurants, retail shops and 1,276 parking spots. The public is invited to comment at the hearing.

The Port of San Diego is a public benefit corporation and special government entity. Created in 1963 by an act of the California legislature, the Port manages San Diego harbor and administers the public lands along San Diego Bay. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities – Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego. With a $10.6 billion economic impact on the San Diego region, the Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 16 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, a Harbor Police department and the leases of over 600 tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.