BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Port of Bellingham is considering adding two members to their board of commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners held a public comment period on the issue on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 17.

A dozen people spoke in favor of expanding the number of commissioners, but that may not represent what the residents of Whatcom County think according to Doug Karlberg.

“If you can get from the public an overwhelming support that they want five commissioners, then it’s your duty to put it on the ballot,” Karlberg said. “But 200 noisy people or 500 noisy people in a county of 230,000 people is a hummingbird burp in the wind.”

Karlberg previously ran to be a Port Commissioner and carried a lot of influence in his endorsements.

The two speakers that did not want the board’s expansion said it would bring political agendas into the Port’s work.

If the Port wants to expand its board, it will need to put the vote before the entire county.