Mayor Michael Laws is keeping mum about what was discussed at a special Wanganui District Council meeting on Friday about the city's port.
The council is in an ongoing dispute with lessee River City Port about port maintenance and providing funding for that maintenance and permission for development.
River City Port chairman
Colin Cashmore said he didn't know the Friday meeting was held or what was discussed.
He had now had two meetings with Mr Laws, with a third one scheduled. What was discussed at them was confidential, he said.
Meanwhile, a port bill set down for Parliament time this week will be formally withdrawn, Whanganui MP Chester Borrows said.
A new bill might be needed in future but the shape of it would be determined by negotiations between the port company and the council.
The council is also due to present its evidence on the port to an arbitrator on Friday.
Asked about this, Mr Laws would not confirm it. He said there would be no public comment on progress relating to negotiations with River City Port.
"When there is something to report, a public statement will be made."
Mr Cashmore said he and his workmates wanted to carry on with plans to keep the port open for coastal shipping and also turn it into a recreational area.
"Look at other things we've done. We don't walk away lightly from something half done."
He lived in Wanganui for 20 years, had business interests in Budget Waste and Cashmore Contracting and owned a farm on the Parapara stretch of SH4.
Having sold all that about four years ago, he had bought a vineyard near Russell, was involved in Northland's waste collection and disposal and was spending a lot of time sailing the Pacific.
He hadn't cut ties with Wanganui, his wife's home town, and said he still owned equipment and commercial property here, and a farm at Horopito.
