| Outside the Lines: Ferry Tales XXXVIII Naval Gazing? Whether you are an opponent or a proponent of the extended hours of the Guemes Ferry, fill out and mail in the survey that recently arrived in your mailbox from Skagit County, if for no other reason than to identify the group that best represents you on all ferry issues. {Question #2} To my knowledge this is the first time the county has asked this question. Skagit County is attempting resolution of the controversies surrounding the Guemes Ferry or at least initiating dialogue about those controversies. This survey is billed as The Guemes Island Outreach Survey. Is anyone keeping count as to how many surveys have been sent and tabulated regarding ferry matters in the past 5 years? The letter also invites all of us to a public meeting on June 1, 2007 at the Community Center to initiate public process and express concerns about ferry operations. This survey doesn't have anything to do with the Berk and Associates findings. Of course it doesn't have the expensive price tag attached to it either. The Guemes Island Ferry Committee's recommendations are not included. It doesn't use information from Guemes Island Property Owner's Association survey either. What was the point of these previous surveys? Perhaps that could be a question on the current survey. Seems if the results are not to the county's liking they just send out another survey. Is it a waste of Guemes Islanders time to fill out yet another survey? Yes and no. Surveys and meetings have not resolved anything in the past. The extended hours have been divisive ever since the beginning. People feel strongly about it. The one common thread is that all but a mere handful of us moved here knowing full well that ferry service stopped at 6 pm Monday through Thursday. Will the County hear any new opinions now? Claims that service has deteriorated in recent years, from common courtesies afforded the foot passenger arriving two minutes before departure and watching the gate come down or cars left in staging as drivers watch the ferry depart with car space available on board have multiplied. Let's also remove any incentive for riders to use tickets and cards and process all cash transactions. In fact, let's add a fourth crewperson to do what three had done. Costs have increased and actual number of runs has decreased. The number of parking spaces has been reduced, in spite of the new lot, with future reductions a possibility. Did I leave anything out? The GIFC meeting on Monday night didn't accomplish much. GIFC believed that an agreement had been reached about a daytime schedule but Public Works changed their collective minds at the last minute. The meeting of the BOCC on Monday May 21 will determine what, if any, changes will be made to the current schedule. This discussion does not even touch on extended hours. This is not unusual behavior from Public Works or our BOCC. We should be used to it by now. While the BOCC may continue to run roughshod over Guemes Islanders, they have at least presented a small opening to communicate with Guemes Island residents and property owners. They are looking to you to help sort out the several voices each claiming to speak for the majority of riders. Who knows how many more opportunities the BOCC will afford us? So speak for yourself. Commentary by MJ Andrak [5.20.7] Send a message to the Commissioners, Public Works Director and ferry manager.
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