“POULSBO – It came down to six. Then two. But after a last-minute elimination, Glenn Gilbert of Fjord Drive was named as the newest commissioner at the Port of Poulsbo. The decision came last Thursday night, following a round of candidate interviews at the port’s wharf chambers. Separate discussions were held with each of the entrants before commissioners Mike Winters and Tony DeCarlo called an executive session to decide who would join them in running the port. Gilbert, according to commissioner DeCarlo, was selected and appointed after the list of prospective candidates was slowly whittled down. Well, I guess we chose him through the process of elimination, DeCarlo explained. We couldn’t decide on the others, but he was the one we both agreed on. Commissioner DeCarlo said he and Winters basically started down the list by eliminating those candidates neither would vote for before getting down to finalists. However, because one of the final candidates had turned in his questionaire late, Gilbert became the prime choice. When asked whether Gilbert had any experience with the port, DeCarlo responded, Not an awful lot. But he’s willing to learn, he added. We feel that he’ll be a good addition to the port. Once sworn in at the port’s Oct. 5 session, Gilbert will officially replace former Commissioner Ken Burns, who abruptly resigned his post after literally sailing away to California. Gilbert will serve until 2001. Reading from Gilbert’s questionaire, Winters explained the newly appointed commissioner’s interest in joining the port’s elected trio. He described himself as a resident of the City of Poulsbo for 22 years and a boat owner with a vested interest in the Port of Poulsbo, he noted. Expansion of the port, stricter environmental enforcement, eradication of derelict boats and improving the existing facilities, were points Gilbert touched on as important issues for the port. Making the port a prime destination for boaters was another, Winters said. The 62-year-old Gilbert has a Bachelor of Arts in public administration from the University of Puget Sound and an Associate of Arts degree in law enforcement. Now retired, he served in various capacities with the Seattle Police Department from 1965-1990 and on the Poulsbo Board of Adjustment from 1985-1990. All of them were good applicants, Winters said, noting that Gilbert’s service to the community and experience with the city clinched his spot. He also has experience with public administration, which we need down here at the port, Winters added. Some port tenants, like Nan Mader, felt wronged by the selection because prior to last Thursday’s session, Gilbert had never attended a port meeting. Mader, who also threw her name in the hat for the appointed position, said she wasn’t surprised that the commissioners went the route they did. They didn’t have the courage to appoint me, she remarked. I just hope he doesn’t do anything really stupid that discourages boating. “