Guemes Island Ferry Committee

Minutes for Public Works/Berk & Assoc/GIFC Meeting of  

14 February 2003

 

 

Meeting Commenced:  1:30 PM

Those Present:

1.      GIFC--Glen Veal, Carl Cady, Marilee Fosbre

2.      PW—Steve Flude, Steve Cox

3.      Berk & Assoc.—Bonnie Berk, Mike Hodgins

Agenda Items: (as proposed by PW /Berk & Assoc.)

1.      Meeting Purpose Overview

2.      Group Brainstorming Discussion: Working Together

a.      Sharing Perspectives (In the perfect world PW/GIFC); (Looking Forward—Define success)

b.      Discussion of specific Communication Approaches and Tools.

3.      Discussion of the Schedule and Fare Policy Analysis Task Force

4.      Identification of Task force Decision Issues.

5.      Ferry Committee Comments on Draft Report

6.      Next Steps, Schedule nest meeting.

Agenda Discussions:

1.      Bonnie Berk reviewed the revised agenda for today’s meeting. The focus of the Management Analysis Study had been on ferry management issues. Mike Hodgins reviewed a hand-out related to the way Task Force (TF) meetings might be conducted and a process for engaging the community to get feedback on proposals.

2.      Why the need for the Task Force? GIFC expressed concern for the amount of personal time to be devoted to the TF and asked for clarification of the real problems that had precipitated the need. Were needs developed by PW or the Skagit County Commissioners (SCC)? Could those needs be written as one or more clear problem statements?

a.      PW said the issues was that for the past two years the ferry ticket sale revenues had not met the requirements under Resolution No. 11939 dated 2/27/89.  Later in the meeting two other issues surfaced: 1) the SCC did not want to deal with direct phone requests from ridership and would rather have PW or the GIFC deal with them, 2) PW had a feeling that since there were so many extra midweek 6:00 PM sailings, particularly in the summer), that there was a need to extend the schedule.

                                                                          i.      There was a general discussion about the frequent user card, the reason it was established, the way it has evolved over time and the reluctance of ferry crew and PW to enforce the “non-transferable” requirement printed on the card. The GIFC said that the card had been nick named the “frequent abuser card”.  If ferry revenues were the principal issue for PW and SCC the GIFC would endorse proper use of the frequent user ticket, along with thorough notification of the ridership about acceptable use and the enforcement by PW and the ferry crew.      The GIFC asked if there were written policies and procedures for fare collection. PW said that there were none and that training the crew was by word of mouth.

                                                                        ii.      PW needs to establish ferry cash handling procedures that address the Washington State Auditor’s requirements. They plan, as a temporary measure, to add a 4th crew member starting March 1st, at an annual cost of $100,000 per year, with the duty of selling tickets to meet the auditor’s requirement for cash handling. The 4th crew member will be covered by scheduling from the existing crew members (no new hires).

                                                                      iii.      The GIFC suggested that since good ridership data was essential, and since current data did not meet the need of identifying ridership by type of ticket sale, that this activity should be added to the temporary position duties. PW will investigate.

b.      Berk & Assoc. (Bonnie), said that another reason for changing the schedule was that the ferry made many extra runs that were not scheduled, including numerous extra midweek 6:00 PM runs. Also the Management Analysis Study report recommended a need to study ferry ridership demand.

c.      There was general agreement for the need for better ridership data, comparison of practices on other small ferry systems, ways to better utilize the temporary 4th crew member to collect data, and to sort out which items in the proposed Implementation plan were administrative issues that should be dealt with by the County.

3.      Criteria for membership on the Task Force—there was general discussion about the make up of the TF to deal with ferry schedule and ferry fares. It was suggested by the GIFC that not all members need to be voting members even though their in-put to the process was important. No consensus on this issues was reached and should be addressed at the next meeting.  In order to keep the process moving along Steve Flude (PW) presented a draft of two resolutions to put before the SCC. One identified the membership of the TF and the other the scope of the TF functions and the  period of existence. Some positions need candidates and many of those proposed needed to be contacted to see if they will serve.

a.      Flude needs all membership positions filled and GIFC approval on the proposed resolution wording by Friday 2/28/03 for his review with Chal Martin on 3/3/03 in preparation for their regularly scheduled meeting with the SCC.

b.      The GIFC suggested that the Guemes Island Community Center Council be included since they were on the materials distributed by PW at the last community meeting.       

c.      Glen was asked by Berk & Assoc. if he would by the TF Chairman and he agreed that he would.

4.      Bonnie asked if there were other issues that should be taken up at the meeting

a.      Veal said that a major recommendation of the Management Analysis Study was that walk-on ridership should be encouraged to improve the capacity and lengthen the ferry life. There was nothing included in the current implementation plan that addressed this area of need. Flude said that the county was required to annually update the “Transportation Improvement Program” (TIP) in December of each year. Walk-on ridership for the ferry was not in the current plan and this prevented public works from spending money to study the issue.

                                                                          i.      The GIGC recommended that public works add walk-on ridership to the TIP process for the coming year.

                                                                        ii.      It was noted that the ferry was not in ADA compliance. Cox said that the Coast Guard’s principle concern is that the ferry be safe and not altered in a way that could jeopardize that safety.

                                                                      iii.      Cox related that he had had discussion with commissioner Munks concerning ways to revise the passenger/auto traffic patters to avoid potential accidents.

b.      It was suggested by Bonnie Berk that the GIFC meet separately with the Guemes Island fire Commissioners to review emergency procedure requirements related to the ferry.

c.      Meeting Schedules for the future

                                                                          i.      3/7/03 1:30 PM @ PW with GIFC and Berk & Assoc to discuss GIFC comments on the Management Analysis Study Report.

                                                                        ii.      PW meeting With SCC to present TF resolutions for approval at SCC meeting 3/11/03?

                                                                      iii.      Monthly TF meetings 1:30 PM at the Anacortes Library, third Friday of the month 3/23, 4/18, 5/16, 6/20, 7,18 etc

d.      Bonnie asked for general conclusions about the meeting---Responses were: a good start in working collaboratively, principal problems to be solve still need clear written statements, better understanding of how the SCC and Public Works Department works together, good discussion about roles and responsibilities, a “breath of fresh air” in relation ship between PW and the GIFC, improved communication will greatly facilitate the process.

e.      Items for next meeting: agreement on meeting procedures and processes, completion of TF membership and voting rights, review the Management Analysis comments by the GIFC, discuss the ferry ridership data collection, approve the  process for enforcing frequent user ticket usage.

f.        Items that the GIFC need to respond to PW by 2/28/03—Wording of the two resolutions to be presented to the Commissioners, Task Force membership-(commercial users, off-island rep, crew member(s), Guemes Community Center)

Meeting Adjourned:  5:00 PM