NAHCOTTA — A lawsuit filed against the Port of Peninsula on Oct. 9, 2023 by Pacific Seafood is active and moving through the legal process.

The suit asks Pacific County Superior Court to block the port from selling property, prevent it from destroying public records, require it to abide by the state Open Public Meetings Act, properly manage finances, and conduct proper accounting.

Judge Donald J. Richter has so far acted on one of the six requests by granting a temporary restraining order on Oct. 23, 2023 after the port and Pacific Seafood negotiated a mutually stipulated order barring the port from selling property. The order has since been extended through March 11.

Pacific Seafood’s attorney, Heather J. Van Meter, of Miller Nash LLP, said last week that the remaining requests for judicial intervention remain in play.

“All of the claims in the complaint remain pending and active,” Van Meter stated. “No claims have been dismissed or resolved. There is a stipulated temporary restraining order in place, mutually agreed upon by the parties, in lieu of the previously scheduled hearing on the plaintiff’s motion for [a] temporary restraining order.”

Miranda Ries, Pacific Seafood’s director of regulatory affairs, has regularly attended port commission meetings and continues to keep a close eye on the port. She defended Pacific Seafood’s stance on the port.

“While we continue our belief that this lawsuit is bigger than Pacific Seafood and includes all users and taxpayers of this district, we are challenged to completely halt all port business,” Ries said.

“The current order does, however, remind and hold accountable the Port of Peninsula to operate any real estate dealings to the letter of the laws, regulations and ethics that are placed upon a public entity and elected officials,” Ries added.

Jay Personius, the port’s executive director, states there has been no wrongdoing. In a Feb. 6 email, he said, “This case is about a multi-billion dollar company trying to force our community to rent valuable land to it for pennies on the dollar of its actual value. It is against the law for any public agency to give a gift of public funds to any private company. So, to coerce us into giving the public’s land away for well below market value they have resorted to lying about us. We look forward to our David vs Goliath moment in court to refute these ridiculous and defamatory lies.”