Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Port of Kalama Names New Commissioner


The Port of Kalama Commission has named Alan Basso its new District 2 commissioner, filling the vacancy left by the death of longtime commissioner Jim Lucas.

Basso, whose appointment was announced June 14, assumed his new role effective immediately and is expected to serve out the remainder of Lucas’ term, which ends next year. The contest for the District 2 seat will be part of the November 2013 general election cycle.

“We had a very qualified group of interested citizens to fill a vacant port commission position and (are) happy to announce Alan Basso is the new District 2 Commissioner,” port commission president Randy Sweet said. “We thank all of those who applied and encourage anyone interested to run for local office in the next election.”

Basso is a long-time Kalama resident and currently is a lieutenant and fire investigator with the Longview Fire Department as well as a part time juvenile detention officer with the Cowlitz County Juvenile Detention Center. He graduated from Kalama High School in 1980, earned a BA degree at Washington State University in 1986 and received an AAS in Fire Protection Technology from Portland Community College in 2010.

Lucas, the man Basso replaces, was a port commissioner from 1984 until he died April 4, 2012 from cancer-related health complications.

The Port of Kalama, which is located in southwest Washington on the Columbia River, is 30 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon and about 120 miles south of Seattle.