Port Hueneme councilmembers spent substantial time on Nov. 17 discussing the joint Community Benefit Fund (CBF), the port-allocated pool intended to finance community, shoreline protection and economic development projects. Staff reported the Port had proposed a different set of priorities after a port workshop earlier that day; the Port’s list included a Beacon feasibility study for shoreline preservation, $5,000 for a robotics competition, $20,000 for tree planting, $31,000 for wayfinding signage and $31,000 for grant writing.

The council revisited a Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC) priority list submitted in April that emphasized smaller, city-based nonprofits and programs (level-1 projects). Several councilmembers urged fidelity to the CAC’s process and to prioritize Port Hueneme organizations; others advocated a pragmatic negotiation stance in which the city would present a narrowed set of priorities at the upcoming joint committee meeting and seek compromise (for example, funding wayfinding signs and grant writing while preserving some CAC priorities).

Public commenters urged the council to protect city-centered beneficiaries and criticized perceived Port reluctance to fund Port Hueneme organizations. Staff said the Port’s list was an initial proposal ahead of Wednesday’s joint committee meeting and emphasized that the CBF remains a negotiated joint process: if the two bodies cannot agree, the contract provides steps for an ultimate joint full-board vote.

Council approved a motion to receive the update and provide direction to the city’s representatives on the joint committee. Staff and council leaders said they would continue negotiations and bring refined proposals back to council after the next joint meeting.

Next steps: city representatives on the City-Port joint committee will present negotiated options at the next joint meeting and return with updates; staff suggested using existing allocations (for example, a prior $50,000 grant-writer allocation) as leverage while seeking compromise.