A Centralia resident was removed from Wednesday’s Port of Centralia meeting by local security after grabbing toward the phone of an attendee who was recording a video.
In response, Commissioner Kyle Markstrom described the act from Jan Banevich as an “assault” in a statement and said she could be trespassed from port property.
After Banevich’s public comment was curtailed due to what Markstrom called “repeated violations” of the port’s guidelines for public comments, she returned to her seat, but not before she appeared to extend her hand toward attendee Alicia Fox’s cellphone while Fox recorded a video.
Fox, a former Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce director, is in a relationship with Port of Centralia Executive Director Kyle Heaton, whom Banevich has repeatedly criticized in port meetings. Banevich was confronted by a security officer with SecurUs Asset Protection, telling the officer that she asked Fox to stop recording. According to an activity report from the agency released by the port, Banevich refused multiple verbal requests to leave the meeting before she voluntarily stood and was escorted out.
Banevich, a regular attendee of the port’s twice monthly meetings, opened the heavily attended meeting by providing a public comment to Commissioners Markstrom, Peter Lahmann and Julie Shaffley.
Banevich, who manages a Facebook page that is often critical of the port and hosts frequent calls for transparency at port meetings, directed her comments at Markstrom and Shaffley regarding their comments and questions during the Oct. 8 election debate hosted by The Chronicle at Centralia College. Specifically, they were in response to questions related to Port District 2 candidate Ally Pickard’s now-deleted Lewis County political cartoons page, which often depicted port commissioners and staff. Pickard and Shaffley are competing for a seat on the three-member commission in the Nov. 4 general election.
“Last week, I, along with many others, were subjected to deeply concerning behavior from a county commissioner, two port commissioners, and the port director and his friend,” Banevich said during the meeting. “While the director’s behavior was predictable, the actions of Commissioners Markstrom and Shaffley were both shameful and appeared to be carefully orchestrated for a specific purpose. Additionally, someone at (Port Executive Director Kyle) Heaton’s table loudly threatened a candidate with litigation over a simple satirical cartoon. Yet you think it’s acceptable for Commissioner Markstrom to write letters filled with false accusations…”
At that point, Markstrom stopped Banevich’s public comment, citing her failure to direct her comment toward port business. He told her that she was speaking to campaign-related materials, which Banevich denied. Banevich’s comment began to reference a question during the debate from Fox toward Pickard about Pickard’s potential ability to work alongside Heaton, if elected, given her political cartoons and suggested that litigation should be in place. Banevich also referred to a letter Markstrom wrote to The Chronicle in the Oct. 11 edition supporting Shaffley’s re-election to the port commission. In the letter, Markstrom mentioned Pickard’s cartoons page, writing that “she has demonstrated a pattern of carrying vendettas and mocking those she disagrees with. That approach does not build bridges — it tears them down. In light of recent political violence in our country, we cannot afford leaders who sow division. We need leaders who bring people together.”
Markstrom also asked Pickard about the drawings during the debate at Centralia College, and Shaffley began to give a comment on the topic at the podium before it was cut off by moderators.
The port’s legal counsel in attendance at Wednesday’s port meeting confirmed that “anything related to a campaign is not related to port business,” and Banevich replied that she was speaking to Markstrom’s letter, not a campaign.
Banevich stated to Markstrom that the matter was indeed related to port business “when you use your title” and continued reading her prepared comment.
“Yet you think it’s acceptable for Commissioner Markstrom to write letters filled with false accusations with anyone who you perceive as a threat to your position at the port, aiming to damage reputations,” Banevich said. “How can you justify your unprofessional behavior when it not only offends the moral values of citizens but also tarnishes the reputation of the port and Markstrom’s employer, the City of Centralia?”
Markstrom once again intervened and repeated that Banevich’s comment is not directed at port business.
“I have warned you once, and I’m going to end your comment time. Your comment has ended. You are not commenting on port business,” Markstrom said, as Banevich repeatedly asserted that she was speaking to port business. “I’m not going to argue with you, Ms. Banevich. Your comment time has been suspended.”
Banevich collected her belongings from the podium and turned toward her seat along the back wall opposite the commissioners as Markstrom began to read the name of the next person signed up for public comment. As she passed Fox, Banevich appeared to say, “Stop that,” while grabbing at Fox’s cellphone and appearing to hit it out of her hand. Fox yelled, “Don’t touch my stuff.” Banevich said, “Quit photographing me,” as other attendees asked for her to leave. Banevich then turned toward the commissioners’ desk and said, “Please stop her from photographing me” before she sat down in her seat.
Kieran Arne, the on-site security guard with SecurUs Asset Protection, quickly stepped into the room and asked Banevich to leave.
Banevich responded, “She doesn’t have the right to photograph a citizen” as Arne insisted that she leave or law enforcement be contacted. Another attendee told Banevich that she nearly hit him in the face, which Banevich denied. Elizabeth Rohr, Toledo School District board candidate and chair of the Lewis County Republican Party scholarship program, yelled to the security guard, “She’s scaring me. She’s physically aggressive. This is an aggressive woman sitting next to me.”
After Markstrom called for order, Banevich said, “I asked her to stop photographing me and she refused.” Arne gave Banevich one final request to leave, and she voluntarily stood and was escorted toward the exit, holding a green folder to Fox’s still-recording phone as she passed by one final time.
According to Arne’s activity log, which classifies the incident under “assault,” Banevich “grabbed (Fox’s) phone from the individual’s hand and told her to stop recording. The victim attempted to retain possession of her phone, but Ms. Banevich refused to release it until I intervened.”
Once outside, Arnes reported that Banevich apologized for her behavior and made several remarks alleging that “the commissioners are evil people” and that they should not be trusted. She then departed the area without further incident, according to the report. The port meeting continued as scheduled without any further mention of the incident.
In Resolution 2023-01, approved by the commission in 2023 to amend guidelines for public comment at meetings, Article VI includes a section diving into limitations on use of public comment for campaigning or advertising.
“No person may use public comment periods for the purpose of campaigning or promoting a political campaign, whether for an election or ballot proposition,” the resolution reads. “In addition, no person may use public comment periods for the purpose of commercial advertising. These limitations do not prevent or preclude any person addressing the Commission from expressing views or opinions over matters related to the Port’s business or within the Commission’s jurisdiction. In addition, these limitations do not prohibit individuals or organizations from promoting public events.”
Additionally, the resolution states that “the president will enforce these requirements and shall be allowed to curtail any individual public comment that exceeds allotted time, is beyond the reasonable scope of port business, is overly repetitive or lengthy, or includes disruptive behavior as defined in Section VI-C below.”
Section VI-C describes disruptive behavior as “speaking beyond the allocated time limit, preventing members of the public from hearing or viewing the discussion of the commission, using crude, offensive, abusive, discriminatory or derogatory language, making personal attacks on port employees or officials, and speaking in a volume louder than low, conversational tone when not recognized by the president for public comment.”
Under Section VI-D titled “Curtailing Public Comment,” the resolution gives Markstrom, as the current president of the commission, discretion to curtail public comment that violates the port’s guidelines.
“The president first will request that the commenter follow these guidelines. If an individual fails to comply with the president’s request, the president may deem the individual out of order and curtail the individual’s public comment,” the section reads. “If the individual presents a threat to those present at the meeting, the president may direct that the individual be removed from the commission meeting and request assistance from law enforcement in removing the individual.”
Banevich told The Chronicle in an email Friday that her comment was related to port business because it was regarding the behavior of commissioners and the director “while identifying as port representatives” and that it was not about campaigning despite Markstrom’s claims. She also stated that Cynthia Mudge, Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce director, is frequently allowed to make comments “completely unrelated” to port business to announce events during public comment time and “is never told to stop.”
Banevich also said the attendance of Fox and “three of their friends” was a rare occurrence and that once she saw them “lying in wait for me,” she wished she had left the meeting prior to the incident.
“These are people who do not live in Centralia or pay taxes to the Port District like I do and have not been to a meeting in years, if ever, before this and suddenly they all show up together at this time,” she said.
Banevich and Fox did not have a prior conversation or incident prior to Banevich returning to her seat following the suspension of her public comment. Banevich confirmed that she was unaware that Fox was recording until she was passing in front of her and “noticed her camera out towards my face.”
“On the advice of my attorney, I won’t be making any statements right now about the harassment I faced while trying to return to my seat. I’d just ask that people hold off on forming opinions from a short video that doesn’t tell the whole story,” Banevich told The Chronicle in an email.
Banevich also wrote to the public Facebook group she manages, titled “Centralia Citizens for an Open and Honest Port” shortly after her removal.
“I will not be reporting on the port meeting today, as I was removed from the meeting,” she wrote.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Markstrom condemned Banevich’s actions, insisting that she “engaged in campaigning activity.” He stated that filming in public meetings is permitted and allowed under the Open Public Meetings Act and added that Banevich has previously exercised that right herself.
“Due to the aggressive nature of the confrontation, the individual was immediately removed from the premises by security,” Markstrom said in the statement. “Let me be unequivocal: violence, intimidation or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated at the Port of Centralia. We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all attendees. Public participation is a cornerstone of our democratic process, and we will continue to uphold the standards that protect that right for everyone.
“An individual who violates these standards, particularly through acts of aggression or disruption, will be subject to immediate removal and trespass from port property,” he continued.
Markstrom told The Chronicle that no action has been taken toward a potential trespass from port property but that the port is consulting legal counsel on the matter.
