Guemes Island Public Works Public Meeting

Location: Guemes Island Community Center

Date: 1/30/03 Time: 6-8 PM

Purpose: Final Public Comments on Management Analysis Report

Attendees: GIFC-Cady, Elder, Fosbre, Orsini, Veal and Public Works- Martin, Flude, Cox and Berk & Associates

The Ferry Committee has agreed to meet at 5:00 PM and help set up for the meeting, be available to assist with ridership questions and be generally supportive to their process of getting public comment.

Shortly before 5:30 PM Public Works and Berk & Associates arrived and Chal Martin asked us to meet with them for a few minutes to discuss the Task Force issues. These are my best recollections of the meeting

• Every one went around the table and introduced themselves including a new Berk & Assoc. player Mike Hodgins.
• Martin made several introductory remarks. This was the kick-off for phase II, implementation using a  Task Force approach for ferry schedule and fare rates
• Martin said the make up of the Task Force was still under review but the he felt that having all ferry committee on would give too much voting weight to the committee and suggested we select participants from the committee. Also he said additional Island representation was needed and suggested GIPOA and the Community Center.
• The Ferry Committee expressed concerns about the method the PW and Berk were using to select Task Force members 1) the committee was elected to represent the ridership, 2) if PW and Berk wanted to have more island groups represented there were many organization that they had let out. 3) why were the ferry manager and Public Works not included?, What criteria was used to establish proper representation to the ridership? Why was Howard Pellett included when he was excluded by popular vote?  It did not appear to us that Public Works and Berk were working with us in a collaborative mode.
• Martin said that Howard had approached him and that he promised Howard that he could be on the Task Force.  He stated or strongly implied that if we pushed it, not all five of the Ferry Committee members would be on the Task Force.
• B. Berk said the Task Force idea was only presented to Public Works a week ago and the membership was evolving. She also said that the 12 year experience with the Washington State ferry system had shown the effectiveness of the Task Force process and that Skagit County / ridership relations were about where the State system was 12 years ago. Berk is now in Phase eight with the State System.
• B. Berk then introduced her partner Mike Hodgins who will be the Task Force Leader. She asked the ferry committee to select a co-leader to work with Mike on meeting agendas and process.
• The hand out at the Public Meeting had a list of Task Force Members: Ferry Committee, GIPOA, Guemes Island Community Center, Crew member, Commercial users, Transit providers, Off-island residents, City of Anacortes, MPO/RTPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization/ Rural Transportation Planning Organization)
• Martin agreed that Public Works and Berk & Assoc should be represented on the Task Force.
• It was agreed that further meetings would be required to establish the make up of the Task Force.
• The Ferry Committee agreed to work with Public Works and Berk & Assoc. in a collaborative mode but that all parties needed to be on the same page.