The meeting included an in-depth discussion of local transportation alternatives, possible short-term solutions and next steps for the 2025 legislative session.

||| BY SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

On Saturday, August 24, San Juan County officials met with Governor Jay Inslee in Friday Harbor to share data, discuss ferry operational challenges and discuss potential next steps. The governor opened the productive, 30-minute meeting, which included Council President Jane Fuller, Health and Community Services Transportation Voucher Program Coordinator Richard Uri, County Manager Jessica Hudson and Ferry Advisory Board Vice Chair Ken Burtness. Councilman Richard Gefffen and staff from Inslee’s office were also in attendance.

“I was pleased that the Governor reached out to us to hear our stories, process our data and help us plan next steps to address the challenges posed by disruptions to ferry service,” said Chairman Fuller. “I am grateful for his time, attention and support.”

The meeting included an in-depth discussion of local transportation alternatives that have developed due to unstable WSF services. From the Community Water Taxi to unique uses of the Transportation Voucher Program, innovative solutions are being developed locally to subsidize government services. Governor Inslee reiterated that it is “worth considering” short-term solutions that could help with the current ferry situation in the islands.

During the meeting, Council Chairman Fuller reviewed the three components of the county’s request for executive assistance:

• Water taxi service for inter-island passengers only $ 279,450.00
• Passenger-only ferry service between Anacortes and San Juan Islands, $659,295.00
• On-call barge transportation for essential/critical services USD 56,925.00

The governor reiterated the limitations on declaring a “state of emergency” and allocating emergency funds that prevented the office from complying with the council’s recent request, noting that he was willing to think broadly to find some options for relieving congestion on island routes in the short term.

The governor hopes that negotiations with the Marine Engineer Beneficial Association (MEBA), which are expected to be completed in September and will bring stability to the staffing issues, will provide short-term relief. The governor also reiterated his support for adding new electric ferries to the fleet, but noted that the procurement of diesel vessels could add two years to the current timeline.

County staff learned that the county is unlikely to receive capital for the boat purchase until the state completes the two remaining studies on the economic impact of ferries and passenger-only services. In the meantime, the county will work to draft a bill for the 2025 legislative session.

“I left feeling optimistic,” said Chairman Fuller. “I am motivated to work with my fellow board members on a compelling and actionable legislative proposal that will help us better take care of ourselves in the event of future ferry service disruptions.”