Ferry Tales: The More Things Change…

Welcome to the Guemes Island Ferry Committee's reappearance on LineTime.org. We knew you were out there.

Is yet another committee on the horizon? It appears as though Rachel Rowe, Ferry Manager cancelled the Naval Architect Selection Committee and formed another as yet unnamed committee. Evidently elected GIFC members are not privy to why this was necessary or even that it was happening, let alone invited to participate.  I am sure she has her reasons but neglected to share with us. BTW,  the newly formed Committee’s first clandestine meeting is being held this morning, August 14.  Don’t know time or place. Didn’t get the memo.

Why is this committee necessary? What is their mission? Who are their members? What are the qualifications of these members?

An All-Electric Ferry coming to a dock near you?  Some say that option is off the table.
This will be part of the discussion at the Tuesday August 29 public meeting, being held at the Guemes Island Community Center.

Islanders are asking some other questions as well.

Why the rush to design a vessel by the end of the year?

Will Guemes Islanders participate in the design specification process for the new ferry? Will we be asked what we would like in a new ferry?

Will it be ADA compliant?

Why not simply refit the existing hull?

Is there a taxing district in our future to pay for the ferry? 

Will the new ferry tax apply only to Guemes Islanders (for what we’ve always been told is a "County ferry") or will the Ferry Taxing District be county wide? We considered this once before and it didn’t fly.

Spoiler Alert. Perhaps this Guemes meeting will shed some light on County Road Administration Board (CRAB) funds available to our Ferry. Are funds available? Grants? Loans?

Should be an interesting meeting during the dinner hour.  Lots of issues to address. Hopefully there will be as many answers.

Maybe I will bring a snack to tide me over as the meeting drones on.

- Commentary by MJ Andrak

Tags: ferry tales