PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      11b 
Date of Meeting    March 24, 2009 
DATE:    March 17, 2009 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Mary Gin Kennedy, Director of Commission Services 
SUBJECT:  Resolution No. 3611, Second Reading and Final Passage. 
Amendment of the Port of Seattle Commission Bylaws. 

ACTION REQUESTED: Approval of Resolution No. 3611, Second Reading and Final
Passage of the Amendment of the Port of Seattle Commission Bylaws. 
The Commission has proposed a major revision to its Bylaws to reflect its current policies and
practices. The Bylaws were originally adopted in 1958 and have been frequently amended over
the years, most recently on January 15, 2008. The Commission was briefed on the revised
Bylaws on February 3 and approved the First Reading of Resolution No. 3611 on February 10. 
The Bylaws govern the organization and transaction of business by the Commission. The major
changes to the Bylaws are as follows: 
The Preamble was expanded. 
Commission duties and responsibilities were incorporated into the Bylaws. (Art II) 
Additional procedures were added in case of a vacancy. (Art. III, Section 4) 
More detail was added on the structure and functioning of Standing Committees and
temporary committees. (Art. III, Section 6) 
A new section was added to cover Port-related Board memberships. (Art. III, Section 7) 
Work sessions were eliminated. All meetings are Commission meetings. (Art. V) 
The time of the meetings was changed to 1 p.m. on the first, second and fourth Tuesdays
of the month. (Art. V, Section 1) 
The Commission will meet four times annually outside the Port. (Art. V, Section 4) 
References to the Transparency Code of Conduct and the Open Public Meetings Act were
added to the Bylaws. (Art. V, Section 6) 
Executive sessions are limited to two per month except for exceptional circumstances or
when the purpose of the executive session is to discuss personnel issues or interview 
candidates for positions at the Port. (Art. V, Section 6, Clause B) 
Provisions were added to facilitate holding a Commission meeting when a quorum is not
present in Seattle. (Art. V, Section 8) 
The Order of Business was simplified and made more flexible. (Art. VI)

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
March 18, 2009 
Page 2 of 2 

Motions and resolutions must be seconded, but subjects raised for discussion under New
Business do not require a second. (Art. VII, Section 2, Art. VIII, Section 2) 
















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