Oxnard Harbor District Executive Director Anthony Taormina, who oversaw the day-to-daybusiness operations of the Port of Hueneme, officially stepped down Monday after nearly five years at the helm.
Taormina, who also served as executive director from 1985 to 1996, will maintain a two-month consulting contract with the port worth up to $35,000.
Commissioner Mary Ann Rooney raised concerns about the lack of language in the consulting contract requiring Taormina to disclose other firms he is consulting for while under the port contract.
Taormina, who announced his decision to retire in April, said he would disclose the other businesses he is working for.
The board voted 4-1 in favor of the contract, with Rooney the only "nay."
In a separate action, the five-member Oxnard Harbor District board also unanimously approved the appointment of Deputy Executive Director Pete Wallace to serve as interim executive director. The board approved a temporary salary increase for Wallace from his current $152,625 to $188,370 while he fills the position. The district plans to conduct a search to permanently fill the executive director position.
Hueneme is the only deep-water harbor between the Long Beach/Los Angeles port complex and the San Francisco Bay area. A niche port specializing in automobiles, fresh fruit and produce, Hueneme is the US Port of Entry for California's central coast region.
