Guemes Island Ferry Committee

Carl Cady

Dixon Elder

Marilee Fosbre

Steve Orsini

Glen Veal, Chairman

 

 

 

Feb. 24, 2003

 

Mr. Steve Flude

Skagit Co. Public Works Dept.

1100 Cleveland Ave.

Mt. Vernon  WA  98273

 

 

Dear Steve,

 

Thanks for your email regarding the Public Works plan for hiring a fourth person  to help meet the State Auditors requirements for improved cash handling on the Guemes Ferry.  We have the following concerns:

  1. Is the fourth person really necessary to satisfy the State Auditors requirements?  The State Ferry system has less accountability.  Whatcom County tickets with two pursers on board.  What is the real issue the Auditor is trying to solve.
  2. Define the process to return to a three man crew after the end of the interim need for the fourth person.
  3. How does the additional $100,000 salary expense for the fourth person effect the fares in the context of Resolution 11939?
  4. Can this solution really be interim if the throughput markedly increases?  Can you subsequently cut back to a three man crew with the associated decrease in service?
  5. The Coast Guard has no jurisdiction over the fourth person purser as they are not required by the Certificate of Inspection.  Couldn’t they be on the old 12 hour schedule?

 

Should a fourth person, in fact be used for this interim period, we have the following recommendations:

  1. Create a detailed job description for the fourth person?
  2. Include pre-selling in the job description.
  3. Direct fourth person purser to take detailed thorough ridership data from Anacortes to Guemes to include:
    1. Cash car (& driver) tickets
    2. Cash motorcycle & riders
    3. Cash walk on passengers

                                                               i.      Adults

                                                             ii.      Children

                                                            iii.      Under 6

    1. Cash vehicle rider adult
    2. Cash vehicle rider child
    3. Frequent driver (Car & Driver)
    4. Frequent driver motorcycle
    5. Frequent car-rider adult
    6. Frequent car-rider child
    7. Frequent walk-on adult
    8. Frequent walk-on child
    9. Frequent walk-on school-kid
    10. Extended length vehicle length
  1. Direct crewmember to take detailed thorough ridership data from Guemes to Anacortes.  For each run data to include: Cash car (& driver) tickets
    1. Motorcycle & riders
    2. Walk on passengers

                                                               i.      Adults

                                                             ii.      Children

                                                            iii.      Under 6

    1. Car & Driver
    2. Vehicle rider adult (non driver)
    3. Vehicle rider child
    4. Walk-on adult
    5. Walk-on child
    6. Walk-on school-kid
    7. Extended length vehicle (approximate size)