PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA             Item No.      7b 
Date of Meeting       March 8, 2011 
DATE:    March 2, 2011 
TO:      Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Tom Barnard, Research and Policy Analyst 
Geri Poor, Regional Transportation Manager 
SUBJECT:  Century Agenda Committee Monthly Briefing 
SYNOPSIS: 
The Century Agenda Committee has held eight internal meetings since its inception on January
4, 2011, planning around the following topics: 
Possible overarching strategic focus areas 
Panel topics and questions 
"Givens" that would form the parameters of the panel discussion 
Communications and Outreach planning, including a Media Panel on March 8, 2011 
Budget 
Panel logistics 
Five meetings have been held by the Century Agenda Committee itself, and three additional
meetings have been held with senior Port staff. The regular schedule starting on March 8 and
continuing through September will have public panel discussions generally held on the second
Tuesday of each month. Panels will be composed of members of the public who have particular
expertise in each area under discussion. Some participation by Port staff and experts outside of
our local area is anticipated. 
Panel topics proposed so far include: 1) Creating Economic Opportunity, 2) Growing Seaport
Trade and Tourism, 3) Increasing Air Travel and Cargo, 4) Stewarding our Real Estate Assets, 
5) Enhancing Community Values, and 6) Aligning Revenues and Strategic Goals. There will
probably be some fine tuning of these topics between now and the second panel on April 12.
A cycle is proposed following each focus area, whereby at the internal meetings held on the
fourth Tuesdays of the month, the Century Agenda Committee and senior Port staff will review
the panel's discussion from the second Tuesday meeting. Out of th ose discussions will emerge a
preliminary strategic goal, which will be presented to the Commission at monthly briefings. The
Commission would use those occasions to approve the preliminary strategic goal, which can then
be fleshed out by Port staff.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
March 3, 2011 
Page 2 of 2 

By late September, a short list of strategic goals should be reviewed and approved by the
Commission. Port staff will then work out five-year objectives to achieve those goals. Final
approval of both the strategic goals and their objectives will be completed by December 2011. 
BACKGROUND: 
Starting in 2008, the Port of Seattle began creating a "Century Agenda"  a comprehensive
vision and strategic plan that focuses on the Port's next quarter-century. The goal of the Century
Agenda is to refresh the Port's strategic plan, using a process that builds upon the
accomplishments of the first century with a visionary look forward to the emerging challenges
and opportunities of the 21st century. 
The first stage of the Century Agenda's work was completed on August 4, 2009, with the
adoption by the Commission of the "Century Agenda: Expert Panels' Recommended Guiding
Principles." Since that time, both the Commission and Port staff have engaged in iterative
discussions to develop strategic goals to further work on the principles embodied in that report.
The need for a formal process to finalize these goals prompted a proposal to form a temporary
Port of Seattle Commission Committee, as provided for in the Commission's Bylaws, to oversee
the next steps in the Commission's strategic planning process. On January 4, 2011, the Century
Agenda Committee, chaired by Commissioner Albro, and joined by Commissioner Creighton,
was approved by the Commission.
BUDGET: 
The Commission is also being asked to authorize a budget in a separate memo to carry out this
phase of the Century Agenda work. It includes both anticipated items and possible potential
additions as the work of the Century Agenda Committee is further developed. The source of
funding is Commission contingency funds, which is set at $400,000. T he total estimated cost
will not exceed $145,000, with currently planned activities not to exceed $85,000. Major cost
items will involve the hiring of a part-time intern at $20,000, and the video recording of public
meetings, at no more than $40,000. 
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BRIEFING: 
Century Agenda: Expert Panels' Recommended Guiding Principles dated August 4, 2009