Coquille Resident Elected Marine Board Chair
Coquille resident James Whitty is the new chairman of the Oregon State Marine Board. He was elected to the position during the June 25 meeting in Gold Beach, replacing outgoing chair Court Boice, of Gold Beach. Whitty will serve one year in the position.
The Marine Board is Oregon's recreational boating agency. It is charged with registering and titling all powerboats, and sailboats greater than 12 feet, and provides marine law enforcement, boating access and safety education.
Whitty was first appointed to the board in 1997, and was reappointed for a second term in 2001. He first became involved with the Marine Board while serving as a port commissioner in Coos County in the early 1970s. Whitty is probably best known as a District 47 State Representative, elected to office in 1984 serving 10 years in the Oregon House. As a rookie legislator, Whitty carried the bill that transferred motorboat fuel taxes to fund Marine Board programs such as boating safety education, marine law enforcement and boating access projects.
"I'm always honored to serve, especially with the Marine Board," said Whitty. "I'm a boater and my friends are boaters. Because of all our water, we have a disproportionately high percentage of the population using Marine Board facilities. I'm looking forward to serving in this position."
The Marine Board is funded entirely by boat title and registration fees, motorboat fuel tax and federal dollars related to the Sport Fish Restoration program. Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Each member may serve up to two concurrent four-year terms. Whitty's term will expire in 2005.
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