I took a look at the calendar the other day and realized when next month arrives, I will be writing my last “Down at the Port” column.

I have gone through three laptops since I started this little adventure. It is the fourth quarter of this game and my last count is about 121 published editions. I bet my expository writing professor at Central Michigan University would be proud.

Things are winding down from a very busy summer in your port. The tent is gone, Farmers Market is done and the Concerts on the Cove have moved into the planning stages for summer 2016. The annual summer plantings have been removed and Ray has been placing lots of bulbs for those great spring daffodils and tulips we all enjoy. There is still no shortage of kids, dogs and Frisbees darting across the lawn.

You may have noticed outdoor staff in late September and October renumbering the parking spaces. In the end, this project will realign the distribution of spaces and how they are used. We have reduced the number of permit spaces and opened more numbered spots for people to use. It is not free two-hour parking, but if you are heading eastward on the ferry, you will have more choices.

Boating tenants who have a yellow parking permit in their vehicles will be able to park in any spot, whether it is a permit or numbered pay spot. Make sure you have that yellow permit showing or you will get a ticket. Next spring, they will work on new striping of the spaces.

It is true, the port purchased the house and property on West Kingston Road between the parking lot and the little park we have to the west. I am excited for the future of the port having the ability to develop beyond our current footprint. People ask me what we plan for this site.

When I stand at the top of the boat launch ramp and look at those properties my imagination runs wild. In our Master Plan update, adopted about three years ago, acquisition of upland property was a paramount piece of our short-term goals. Keep watching and get involved. This site has the potential to change the whole personality of Kingston’s waterfront district.

Twelve years ago this month, my name was on the ballot and you elected me to serve in stewardship of one of the jewels of Puget Sound. Six years later, you extended my opportunity. I hope I have met your expectations.

This port has been a huge part of my life since 2003. I have only missed one general meeting, when I was running a fishing boat in southeast Alaska in 2012. Next month, I will try to relate what I believe are the hits and misses of my tenure, plus a few personal plans. I do know it is with a little melancholy coupled with excitement about the future I will leave this post.

I am a term-limits guy. I don’t believe elected officials should stay too long in any position and two terms is a good length of time to get things done then move aside for fresh ideas and new visions. Whatever you do, on Nov. 3, please don’t forget to vote.

So, there you have it: Down at the Port, Edition 122. I hope you found something interesting or informative here and enjoyed reading this stuff as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you.

Go Hawks!

— Pete DeBoer is a Port of Kingston commissioner. Contact him at pete@pete deboer.com.