WALDPORT — The Port of Alsea board chose Ron Graves of Waldport as the probationary candidate to become port manager after interviewing three candidates Tuesday.
Graves will start in mid-April and work three days a week during a six-month probationary period before taking over as port manager in the fall for Roxie Cuellar, who is retiring after nine years on the job.
Graves will take on normal port maintenance duties and shifts at the Dock of the Bay store two days a week and work one day in the office under the tutelage of Cuellar. The position pays $19 an hour during the probationary period and approximately $65,000 a year once he becomes manager.
Graves applied for a vacant board position last fall, but board members selected George Gray of Waldport.
Graves was chosen in part because he has been attending board meetings the last few months, Cuellar said. The other applicants were Lynn Bisby of Waldport and Peter Adolph of Yachats.
“And he has actually bought himself some of the software (used on the job) so that he could start practicing on it,” she said. “So he has shown the board that he very much would like to have this position. And that he is willing to put in the work to do that.”
Graves is currently employed at Alsea Bay Power Products as a marine service adviser, internet sales manager and human resources assistant, according to his resume. He has worked there since 2013.
The Port of Alsea district stretches from an area south of Seal Rock through Waldport, east to the Lincoln-Benton county line and south through Yachats to Lane County. It is overseen by a five-member board and the manager, who is responsible for preparing the budget, which is about $500,000 a year.