Eric LaBrant, president of the Fruit Valley Neighborhood Association, has announced his candidacy for the District 2 seat on the nonpartisan Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners that is now held by Nancy Baker.
LaBrant, 34, works for a global freight firm in Portland. He has two children. He said he regularly provides feedback to the port to help integrate port projects with the surrounding neighborhood. He opposes a proposal to build the nation’s largest rail-to-marine oil transfer terminal at the port.
“A big part of my job is asking tough questions and collaborating on solutions,” LaBrant said in a news release. “It’s time to have an open and honest discussion with the community about the challenges ahead.”
LaBrant said nearly every proposal the port’s staff makes to commissioners is approved unanimously, often in the face of public outcry. A graduate of Fort Vancouver High School, LaBrant is a mentor in Washington State University Vancouver’s Small Business Mentoring and Analysis program.
