Zadow appointed to Port Commission

Grant Zadow, a business representative of Electrical Workers Local 48, has been appointed to the Port of Portland Commission by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. Zadow, 53, will fill the unexpired term of Rob Cook - who resigned to take a full-time job as manager of navigation services for the Port - then serve a four-year term starting Oct. 1 and continuing through Sept. 30, 2003.

Cook was a field staff supervisor for Operating Engineers Local 701.

The Senate Rules and Elections Committee recommended Zadow's confirmation on a 5-0 vote and the Senate confirmed him 22-0.

Zadow's appointment brings the Port's nine-member commission to nearly full strength following a two-year political clash between the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber, which stopped new members from coming on board and old members from leaving.

Problems began in 1997 when the Senate refused to confirm Portland book store owner Michael Powell for a second four-year term on the commission. The action angered Kitz-haber, who resubmitted Powell's name. The Senate ignored the nomination, so Kitzhaber asked Powell to continue to serve.

Senate Republicans then sued to get Powell removed, but a Multnomah County judge ruled that Powell could serve until a replacement was seated. But as the controversy grew, the Senate continued to decline to consider any other commission appointments, resulting in five expired terms and one vacant position. The standoff raised concerns about the Port's credit rating and ability to have a quorum at meetings.

The commission acts as a board of directors for the Port, a government agency that controls marine operations at the Portland harbor, aviation activity at three airports and other industrial development. In addition to major airport improvements, projects include a light-rail spur, possible deepening of the Columbia River channel and the development of West Hayden Island. Commissioners meet monthly and have the final say on everything from general Port policies to multimillion-dollar construction projects. They are not salaried.

Last month the logjam finally broke when the Senate confirmed the reappointment of Portland public relations consultant Cheryl Perrin to another four-year term, and Portland attorneys Jay Waldron and Gerard Drummond to first terms.

Drummond replaces Al Gleason, the current commission president. Drummond was the former chief executive of Nerco Inc., leaving in 1993 when the mining company was sold by corporate parent PacifiCorp. Gleason was president and chief executive of PacifiCorp from 1985 to 1994.

Waldron, an environmental attorney with the law firm of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, succeeds Dick Wise of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Both Wise and Gleason served two terms, plus extended duty while the Senate messed with new appointments. The only holdup now is Powell, whom senators still have refused to confirm to a second term.

Zadow will be organized labor's only voice on the Port Commission.

A resident of Tualatin, Zadow has been a business representative at Portland-based Local 48 for seven years and active in the local since 1966, when he started his apprenticeship. He served as president from 1989 to 1992.

Zadow is president and a chief negotiator for the District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU), a coalition of unions with members who work at the City of Portland, and the District Council of Unions, which represents workers at Portland School District No. 1. He also represents workers at Cascade General and the Portland ship repair yard under contract with the Metal Trades Council, at Multnomah County (also under the umbrella of the DCTU), the Housing Authority of Portland, Local 48's Sound and Communications low-voltage technicians, and handles the broadcast agreement at KPTV, KGW and KWJJ.

For many years two representatives from organized labor have sat on the Port Commission, and at one time in the 1980s, when Republican Vic Atiyeh was governor, three union leaders were commissioners.

Also on the commission are Bob Walsh, Junki Yoshida, Ann Nelson and Keith Thompson.