Monique Moyer resigned last month from her post as director of the Port of San Francisco, and she leaves behind a strong legacy of a revitalized operation.
Monique Moyer
By Patrick Burnson
Published: March, 2016
Monique Moyer resigned last month from her post as director of the Port of San Francisco, and she leaves behind a strong legacy of a revitalized operation.
“I thank Monique Moyer for her unwavering nearly 20-year service to the residents of San Francisco,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “She leaves a lasting legacy to the San Francisco waterfront that will continue to benefit San Franciscans for generations to come.”
Peter Dailey, the port’s maritime director, told Bay Crossings that Moyer established her “street cred” in cargo operations early in her career. “Under her leadership the port expanded its Foreign Free Trade zones and got back into the ship repair business,” he said. “Both she and former maritime marketing manager Jim Maloney, who resigned late last year, will be missed.”
Moyer, who assumed the top spot in 2004, successfully delivered many projects during her tenure, including the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27, the Exploratorium, the 34th America’s Cup, and delivered numerous parks and open spaces. She also addressed seawall vulnerability and sea level rise and made historic investments in infrastructure on port property to make sure San Francisco’s waterfront serves all its diverse communities, businesses and visitors.
The Port Commission is conducting a national search for a permanent port director, and may soon name a new maritime marketing manager too. In the meantime, Mayor Edwin Lee appointed Deputy Director Elaine Forbes as interim director of the Port of San Francisco. Her appointment is effective this month.
“Elaine’s leadership and extensive background in policy and financial management make her an outstanding choice to lead the port during this time,” said Mayor Lee. “Elaine is a proven leader and is an invaluable member of the port’s executive team, showing her commitment and dedication to the port and our city. I am confident she will continue to serve the port and all of its stakeholders during this transition.”
Forbes is currently the Deputy Director for Finance and Administration for the Port of San Francisco and has held executive management and leadership positions at both the Planning Department and the San Francisco International Airport. In addition, she has worked in San Francisco’s Budget Analyst’s Office and Office of the Legislative Analyst providing fiscal and policy analysis and evaluating and reporting on complex municipal issues.
Forbes also worked as a redevelopment agency planner for the City of Oakland and has worked for several nonprofit land use policy and economic development organizations, including the Urban Strategies Council and the California Budget Project. She holds a Masters of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Mills College in Oakland.
The Port of San Francisco is responsible for the 7.5 miles of San Francisco waterfront adjacent to the San Francisco Bay, which the port develops, markets, leases, administers, manages, and maintains. Its jurisdiction stretches along the waterfront from Hyde Street Pier on the north to India Basin on the south.
Port of Oakland Comes to Terms With Outer Harbor Terminals
The Port of Oakland has agreed to a lease termination with Outer Harbor Terminals. The port’s governing Board of Port Commissioners approved the agreement late last month. It will now be reviewed by a bankruptcy judge in Delaware overseeing Outer Harbor Terminals’ request for bankruptcy protection.
Outer Harbor Terminals announced in January its intention to close its Oakland operation, one of five privately operated marine terminals at the port. In January, the company also filed for bankruptcy protection. If the bankruptcy court approves the lease termination agreement, Outer Terminal will close April 29.
The port said it agreed to the termination to devote its full attention to improving service to cargo owners and other customers in the aftermath of the terminal closure. “We’re not pleased to see a terminal close, but this agreement helps ensure a smooth transition for our customers,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “All of our attention now is on efficiently migrating their cargo to the other terminals in Oakland.”
The port and terminal operator signed a 50-year-lease in 2009. The agreement reached last month would terminate that lease and impose several conditions:
• Outer Harbor Terminal will continue Oakland vessel and cargo operations through March 31.
• Outer Harbor Terminal will pay about $6 million in February and March rent to the port.
• The terminal operator will clean up debris and remove equipment on the 166-acre property.
• It will pay the port $5.1 million for additional cleanup and repair.
• The port will provide free rent in April to ensure Outer Harbor Terminal remains open for cargo operations until the shutdown.
The port has developed a continuity plan to move ships and cargo to adjacent terminals when Outer Harbor Terminal closes. It has worked with other terminal operators to relocate ships and cargo from Outer Harbor Terminal. It has also implemented a $1.5 million Transition Assistance Program to extend gate hours at port terminals.
Patrick Burnson is the past president and current board member of the Pacific Transportation Association, based in San Francisco. www.pacifictrans.org
