BELLINGHAM — Port of Bellingham Executive Director Jim Darling gets an annual salary of $126,712.

That's more than Mayor Dan Pike, who gets $118,248, or Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen, with $119,772.

While Darling makes more than the city and county bosses who preside over organizations that are 10 times the size of the port, he also makes less than his peers in comparably-sized port districts. Everett's John Mohr makes $136,000, while Larry Paulson at the Port of Vancouver, Wash., makes $159,120.

Darling oversees a staff of about 87 employees who work for a government agency that includes a cruise terminal for the Alaska ferry, marinas in Bellingham and Blaine, waterfront commercial properties and Bellingham International Airport. He also oversees the ongoing redevelopment planning for 137 waterfront acres that the port acquired from Georgia-Pacific Corp. in 2005.

The Bellingham Herald is publishing port salary information as part of Sunshine Week, the annual open government campaign sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

The rest of the top 10 highest-paid port employees include:

• Facilities Director Fred Seeger, $103,971

• Aviation Director Art Choat, $103,005

• Marine Services Director Dan Stahl, $101,846

• Real Estate Director Lydia Bennett, $98,345

• Environmental Director Mike Stoner, $96,537

• Planning Director Sylvia Goodwin, $90,565

• Human Resources Manager Larry Boone, $78,224

• Senior Project Engineer John Hergesheimer $76,887

• Airport Manager Daniel Zenk, $76,320

The salaries are approved by the three elected port commissioners, Jim Jorgensen, Scott Walker and Doug Smith. In approving Darling’s last pay increase unanimously in January 2007, commissioners cited his experience and job performance.

The commissioners make less than their elected counterparts at City Hall and the Whatcom County Courthouse. Walker and Smith get a base salary of $6,000 apiece, while Jorgensen gets $8,400 because he has been re-elected since the three voted unanimously to increase their own pay. Under state law, public officials can't collect a pay increase they have voted on until after they go before voters.

Besides the base salary, commissioners also collect a per-diem payment of $90 per meeting day that boosts their total pay close to $13,000 a year. Bellingham City Council members make $19,596, while the County Council gets $16,500 apiece.

Commissioners and their dependents also are eligible for the port's medical, dental and vision coverage plan.

While the city and county are supported mostly by tax revenues and fees for services, most of the money for port salaries comes from operating revenues. The port gets income from its marine terminals, marinas, airport and rental properties estimated to be $15.8 million for this year.

The port also will collect $7.1 million in 2008 from a countywide property tax levy. Port commissioners have reserved the tax money for environmental programs, public services such as parks, waterfront redevelopment and repayment of debt.