Port of Centralia Commission emphasizes "industry standard" contract for new port director

Port of Centralia Commissioner Ally Pickard stressed last week that a new port executive contract was nothing like the one that afforded a nearly half-a-million-dollar severance payment to former longtime Port of Centralia Executive Director Kyle Heaton.

"Heaton's contract was in the trash and not reviewed and not edited in any way," Pickard said. "This is brand new. Fresh start."

The Port of Centralia Commission ratified a contract with new Port of Centralia Executive Director Amy Graber during its meeting on Wednesday, June 3. The new contract stipulates a $210,000 base annual salary for Graber along with what Pickard referred to as "a very typical termination clause."

The port commission announced that Graber would take on the executive director role at the previous meeting. Graber has served as interim executive director virtually since the beginning of the year, shortly after Heaton's termination. She has worked for the Port of Centralia for roughly 22 years.

The final base salary set for Graber - confirmed by a final copy of the contract acquired by The Chronicle - starts Graber at roughly $40,000 shy of Heaton's annual salary of $250,000 when he was terminated from the position late last year.

The contract also offers Graber a benefits plan, which includes language that will allow her to continue participating in those plans if the plan themselves allow even after termination. The contract also allows the port to cancel any employee benefit plans at any time.

According to previous reporting by The Chronicle, Heaton's contract stipulated that the port would continue paying mental and dental insurance premiums on Heaton's behalf for up to 18 months after his termination or until he acquired new full-time employment with medical benefits - whichever comes first.

The termination or severance terms referred to by Pickard establish a scaling severance agreement which, for the first three years of employment, offers a lump sum severance payment equal to three months of base salary. The severance pay terms scale from there offering an additional months worth of salary for each additional year of service in the role, maxing out at a lump sum payment equal to six months of base salary.

Graber's contract, as it exists now, including her current base salary would afford her a lump-some severance payment of $52,500. At its maximum, after at least five years of service, it would amount to a $105,000 lump sum payment.

The new terms are a far cry from those that prompted widespread criticism of Heaton's termination agreement. Heaton's severance payout, not including health benefits, unused vacation time and other payments not linked to base salary, amounted to incremental payments equal to 18 months of his base salary pay - a sum of $326,451.

Graber's contract allows the port of Graber herself to terminate her employment. Graber is only eligible for severance pay from the port if she is terminated by the Port of Centralia Commission without cause.

Other stipulations in the contract around potential termination call for the port and Graber to enter mediation and arbitration, as opposed to a trial by jury, to resolve any disputes. It also includes language that requires Graber to testify in court at the port's urging at any time even after leaving her role with the port.

During the meeting, Pickard and Commissioner Kyle Markstrom both referred to the contract as "industry standard." The meeting was the last for Markstrom after he announced his resignation at the prior Centralia Port Commission meeting, as previously reported by The Chronicle.

All three commissioners, including Port Commission President Peter Lahmann, took moments during the meeting and approval of the contract to compliment Graber on the work she has already done.

"She's done an excellent job during her interim position, and I'm looking forward to working with her in the future," Lahmann said. "She's really opened up our communication processes. I thank her for that."

Also related to Graber's promotion to the position of executive director, the port announced that it would appoint existing port employee Erin Maloney to the role of port auditor. According to remarks from Graber during the meeting, Maloney has worked for the port for roughly 18 years.

Pickard commented during the meeting that Maloney's promotion was part of the negotiations for Graber to take on the executive director position long term.

"I had to take some things off of her plate, and I think it's great to be able to elevate staff and be able to grow here," Pickard said.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 11:18 AM.