PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      6a 
ACTION ITEM 
Date of Meeting     April 14, 2015 
DATE:    March 27, 2015 
TO:     Port of Seattle Commission 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Tom Barnard, Research and Policy Analyst 
Lindsay Wolpa, Issues and Policy Manager 
SUBJECT:  New General Delegation from the Port of Seattle Commission to the Chief
Executive Officer 

ACTION REQUESTED 
Request First Reading of Resolution No. 3704: A Resolution of the Port of Seattle Commission
repealing portions of Resolution No. 3605, as amended, and adopting the General Delegation of
Authority ("General Delegation") from the Port Commission to the Chief Executive Officer. 

SYNOPSIS 
The Port Commission intends to adopt the new General Delegation through Resolution No.
3704. This resolution includes the repeal of  specified sections of Resolution No. 3605, as
amended, ("Resolution No. 3605") known as the Master Delegation of Authority. Upon final 
adoption of this resolution, the Commission further intends to adopt a motion to develop Policy
Directives to replace the remaining sections of Resolution No. 3605. These Policy Directives
will be created through the work of a series of Policy Committees. This motion will specifically
create the first two Committees, the Energy and Sustainability Policy Committee, and the
Projects and Procurement Committee. 

BACKGROUND 
The General Delegation 
The Port of Seattle is a public agency critical to sustaining a healthy economy for the region. The
port's mission, adopted as part of the Century Agenda on December 4, 2012, is to create jobs by
advancing trade and commerce, promote  industrial growth, and  stimulate  economic
development. The Century Agenda's strategies, objectives, and regional initiatives represented a

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 27, 2015 
Page 2 of 4 
more proactive and strategic approach to the coordination of the administrative programs and
operations of the Port of Seattle. The Century Agenda vision over the next 25 years is to add
100,000 jobs through economic growth, for a total of 300,000 port-related jobs in the region,
while reducing our environmental footprint. 
In order to more successfully pursue the aims of the Century Agenda, the Commission would
adopt the General Delegation through Resolution No. 3704. This will include the repeal of the
following sections of Resolution No. 3605: 
Preamble 
Section 1, Roles and Responsibilities of the CEO 
Section 11, Investment of Temporarily Idle Port Funds 
Section 12, Insurance Programs 
Section 13, Trade Development Programs 
Section 14, Issuance of Tariffs 
Section 15, Administration Rules and Regulations 
Section 17, Travel of Employees and Other Authorized Representatives of the Port 
Section 18, Sale of Personal Property 
Section 19, Working Funds 
The new General Delegation creates clarity and alignment by clearly delineating  the
responsibility and authority of the Commission and the CEO as follows: 
The Commission governs the Port, leads all inter-governmental functions, and oversees
the CEO. 
Together, the Commission and CEO develop the Port's overall vision, strategies,
objectives, Policy Directives, long-range plans, major programs, and budgets. 
The CEO executes the long-range plans and major programs, oversees all enterprises and
supporting functions, and advises the Commission. 
This General Delegation emphasizes long-range plans as the means of pursuing the Century
Agenda strategies and objectives.  It utilizes the long-range plan approval and update processes
to align the Commission and the CEO. Long-range plans will identify what work needs to be
done to pursue strategies and achieve objectives, described by: 
1.  Strategy and objective(s) being pursued; 
2.  Work plan, resources, and timeline; 
3.  Metrics that monitor progress; and 
4.  Reporting frequency to the Commission.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 27, 2015 
Page 3 of 4 
Long-range plans will be developed around strategies and objectives, not around operating
divisions and budgeting periods. 
Policy Directives 
The General Delegation provides transparency and accountability through the development and
adoption of Policy Directives to guide the Port's efforts in pursuit of its strategic objectives.
Policy Directives will provide high-level guidance about how the Port does its work based on
public values and applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Further, they will inform operational
policies regarding specific functions at the Port. They also will deliver standards that support the
effective use of the internal audit function to verify compliance. 
Policy Directives provide principles and guidelines that steer crucial strategic choices.
Policy Directives reconcile the inherent trade-offs between enterprise effectiveness and
commitments to social and environmental responsibility as a public agency. 
Policy Directives set out the limits of delegated authority and provide auditable standards
that reinforce compliance and accountability. 
Policy Directivesempower Port staff to develop long-range plans and execute strategies 
by providing a stable and clear policy environment. 
Temporary Policy Committees will be created to oversee the development ofPolicy Directives 
called for in the new General Delegation. These groups will be a collaborative effort between
Commissioners and Port staff, led by Commissioners appointed by the Commission Co-
Presidents. Internal and external subject matter experts will be engaged as needed. Participation
in these working groups will vary by topic. 
The first two Policy Committees will be: 
Energy and Sustainability 
Projects and Procurement: The Policy Directive from this committee will replace
Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 when adopted. (Public Works Projects, and non-public Works
Projects, Contract and Procurement Administration, Personal and Professional, Purchased
Goods contracts, CEO Utilization of Port Crews). 
Upon completion of the preceding two Policy Directives, other subject areas that will first be
considered include: 
Economic Development 
Workforce and Small Business

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
March 27, 2015 
Page 4 of 4 
Steps to enact the new General Delegation 
The process behind the enactment of the new General Delegation will take several steps. These
Policy Directives will be developed over the next several months. The suggested steps include: 
1.  Repeal specific sections of Resolution No. 3605 and adopt the General Delegation. At
that time, pass a motion approving the formation of Temporary Policy Committees. 
2.  Policy Committees determine their work product, staffing needs, public involvement, and
timeline. 
3.  Individual motions  detailing that work approved by Commission  for each Policy
Directive. 
4.  Policy Committees develop  draft Policy Directives, to be then adopted by the
Commission through the form of resolutions. 
5.  Adopted resolutions are incorporated into the General Delegation, and the corresponding
sections in Resolution No. 3605 are repealed. 
6.  Policy Committee dissolves. 
7.  Next Policy Committees form, process begins anew. 
8.  Once all Policy Directives and Resolutions are completed and adopted, officially sunset
Resolution No. 3605 in its entirety.
Legal will conduct a final review of the new General Delegation following any changes to the
document between first and second reading. The goal is to ensure that the new Delegation is
clear enough to replace more specific language in the current Resolution No. 3605. 

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
General Delegation of Authority 
Resolution No. 3704 enacting General Delegation 
PowerPoint presentation 

PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
February 24, 2015, briefing, introducing the new General Delegation of Authority.