As Washington State Ferries plots its future and ferry communities work to have a say, we have two updates: First, from the Kitsap Sun, a report on Saturday’s meeting of the “Citizens Write Plan C” group (a reference to Plans A and B in the WSF Draft Long-Range Plan); one of the main points they discussed, says the Sun, is shifting the two Evergreen State-class ferries that serve the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, the Klahowya and Tillikum, to Port Townsend and building bigger boats for major runs rather than smaller new boats for PT. Meantime, two events are coming up this Wednesday: A ferry-communities rally in Olympia (details here); and a ferry update during the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s all-neighborhood meeting that night (details here). From FCA’s Gary Dawson, we also have an update on reaction to Governor Gregoire’s proposal to abolish the Ferry Advisory Committees, whose members are unpaid volunteers representing ferry communities, as part of her “government reform” plan. He was part of a discussion about it in a meeting of FAC chairs and ferry system head David Moseley late last week – read on for his comments:

David arranged for a conference call with Jill Satran in the Governor’s office.

She explained that it isn’t the Governor’s intent to remove public input and feedback from the WSF process and operations, but to reform and provide efficiency in the Boards and Commissions. She encouraged all of us to check the Governor’s website for clarification of the intent.
access.wa.gov
Click on the Governor’s link, Government Reform.

There is significant resistance to the elimination of the FAC board even though it still is unclear as how it would effect the existing FACs. All of us are appointed by County or neighborhood councils and we collectively agreed we can still meet and coordinate within our communities, and David Moseley stated he will continue to meet with us and have public meetings in ferry communities.

Gary also forwarded us a copy of a letter signed by legislators including 34th District State Rep. Sharon Nelson of Maury Island, addressed to the legislator sponsoring the bill that would eliminate boards and commissions including the FACs; it begins:

We are opposed to the inclusion of the Ferry Advisory Committees (FACs) on the list of Boards to be cut in HB 2087. While we realize that these difficult economic times call for examining all of our options, whatever small efficiencies may be achieved by eliminating the FACs are not worth their loss.

See the full letter here.