Port 2 commission hikes salaries, sets interviews with 2 candidates

Commissioners of Port District 2 boosted salaries and picked out two candidates to fill a vacancy on the three-person board when they met Tuesday.

Commissioners Brian O'Connor and Austin Burkhalter recessed into executive session at the end of their meeting to consider applicants to fill the vacancy created by Lee Tischer's resignation to assume a position on the county board of commissioners.

When they returned to open session, attorney Tim Hanigan announced that the board would interview two candidates, Mike Backman and Allen Bennett, at the February 16 meeting and pick one to fill the vacancy.

In other business, commissioners approved a raise for Manager Jeff Smith, boosting his salary to $57,000 retroactive to January 1.

They also adopted the state recommended per diem rate for commissioners, raising the rate from $114 to $128 per meeting.