tExecutives meet with Ferry Community Partnership

Last week, San Juan County’s Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) Chair Ed Sutton and Council Member Howie Rosenfeld met with their counterparts from other FACs and the Ferry Community Partnership (FCP).

The purpose of the joint meeting, according to Sutton, “was to gather together as many stakeholders as possible from the various committee groups to discuss the anticipated recommendations of the Transportation Commission. “It is always useful for San Juan County to participate in these discussions, because we are rather ‘out of sight, out of mind’ to the folks ‘down sound,’” said Sutton.

Rosenfeld said that in addition to the Oct. 18 meeting, he and council member Rich Peterson have also been attending meetings organized by Kitsap County of ferry-served commissioners and mayors, usually in Bremerton. On Oct. 15, council members Rosenfeld, Bob Myhr, Gene Knapp, and County Administrator Pete Rose had a two-hour private meeting with David Moseley in Anacortes.

“Basically, we’re trying to participate in all relevant activities that could affect Washington State Ferries (WSF),” said Rosenfeld. “It is all too easy for our needs to be overlooked if we are not present. We think it is important to keep track, and be a player in these activities as we approach the ‘09 legislative session, where long-term ferry funding will be on the agenda. We are also establishing important personal relationships with those in other ferry-served communities, with State and local legislators, and with WSF management.”

Topics under discussion at the joint FAC/FCP meeting were discussion of Transportation Commission membership, other commissions, re-activation of the Ferry Tariff Committee and the need for ferry riders to have better representation, said Rosenfeld, noting that ferry riders pay 70 percent of operations cost but lack a commensurate voice.

Bainbridge Island representatives announced that a special Ad-Hoc WSF Committee (made up of three council members) had been formed with the sole focus on negotiating on the City’s behalf matters related to the WSF.

The Vashon Island representatives presented a recent 1,400 member Transportation/Economic Survey that had been in print and online. That group also brought forward a position paper responding to the proposals being brought forth from WSF.

Rep. Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo recommended a re-allocation of the gas tax to fund ferries, an idea that she promoted at the 2007 legislative session.

It was noted that WSF planned to issue “pink slips” streamlining their work force on Oct. 23, and that union ferry workers had been given “generous terms,” according to Rosenfeld. The union is now in renegotiation for June, 2009.

The FCP agreed to write a letter to the Governor regarding gaining greater voice in the decision making process, be it forming a stakeholder group, or advocating for appointment changes that reflect a true ferry rider/commuter perspective into the Transportation Commission.

The joint FAC/FCP committee is crafting a composite statement in response to the expected Transportation Commission decisions which will be discussed further at the FAC Executive Council meeting on Oct. 30. If the statement is approved at that meeting, it will be forwarded to Ferries Division head David Moseley as the official position of the FAC groups, Sutton said.