January 20, 2025
To: Hon. Lisa Janicki
Hon. Peter Browning
Hon. Ron Wesen
Re: Request for reinstatement of Guemes Island ferry committee
Dear Commissioners Janicki, Browning, and Wesen,
The Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee (GIPAC) respectfully request that the Skagit County Board of County Commissioners (“BOCC”) re-recognize the Guemes Island Ferry Committee as a partner in providing advice on ferry operations, schedules, and fares, consistent with the role that it served for 20 years prior to 2023.
When the BOCC adopted Resolution No. R20230152 on July 27, 2023, it terminated what had previously been a collaborative process that allowed the elected ferry committee to represent Islanders and provide recommendations on Skagit County’s ferry service. That resolution also broke with the standard practice of local citizen advisory committees that guide nearly every other ferry system in the state.
We believe that a ferry advisory committee is a win-win for both the County and Islanders. Islanders will have a formal, recognized voice in ferry decisions that impact their daily lives; and the County will gain informed input about the direction of changes in the ferry system, as well as improved communications with Islanders regarding any changes. As a result, we ask that you restore dialogue with the ferry committee, and constitute it as an advisory board for Skagit County.
This letter briefly recites the history of the Guemes Island ferry committee and compares it with ferry committees employed by other counties in Washington. It also responds to the notions that the committee did not represent Guemes islanders and was improperly constituted. It concludes by identifying the benefits of a ferry committee that consists of knowledgeable ferry riders and other constituents.
A. History of the Guemes Island Ferry Committee.
The Guemes Island Ferry Committee (“GIFC”) served the County and the Guemes Island community for decades. In 2004, the BOCC adopted Resolution N. R20040393 to create a structured process for ferry riders to address ferry planning, management, policy and operations needs, and issues and concerns.1 That resolution established an Operations and Performance Roundtable to provide at least a quarterly public forum where Skagit County Public Works (“Public Works”) and GIFC would meet to discuss ferry issues of mutual interest and take public input. The resolution delegated to Public Works and to GIFC different responsibilities for the roundtable, contemplating a collaborative process that required formal public involvement in ferry operations that affected them.
In 2010, the County adopted Resolution No. R20100050, which decreased the frequency of public ferry meetings and diminished GIFC’s role. This resolution rescinded the earlier resolution and replaced that process with the Guemes Island Ferry Operations Public Forum, which would occur twice per year “or as otherwise deemed necessary or desirable,” rather than the four times per year required of the roundtable. The resolution also installed Public Works as the sole entity charged with designing and implementing the forum and with circulating information about ferry operations. While the 2004 resolution entrusted GIFC to meet regularly with Public Works staff and to advise the County on the perspective of Guemes Island ferry riders, the 2010 resolution relegated GIFC’s role to one providing advisory input along with other members of the public.
Finally, in 2023, the BOCC passed Resolution No. R20230152. This resolution eliminated the roundtable established in 2010 and directed Public Works to make reasonable efforts to continue to communicate with and obtain the advice and recommendations from Guemes Island property owners. It also limited the amount of necessary outreach to just one public meeting per year, at a location, date, and time to be determined solely by Public Works. The 2023 resolution no longer required interactions with GIFC, instead referring to them as an example of a citizen group that could be invited to the meeting.
1 Skagit County Resolution #R20040393 (Nov. 8, 2004)
B. County Ferry Advisory Committees.
Whatcom County and Pierce County each employ ferry advisory committees to discuss ferry issues and provide advice to County leaders.
In Whatcom County, the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee serves as a forum for the public to voice ideas and concerns about ferry service and provides review and recommendations to the Whatcom County Council regarding changes to ferry operations and fares, annual review of the ferry fund, demands of and improvements to ferry services, and ferry replacement options. The Whatcom ferry committee consists of 9 members appointed by the County Council, with 5 who live on or own property on the island, 2 members who live in unincorporated Whatcom County, 2 members who live anywhere on the mainland (with priority given to 1 Lummi Nation member when possible), and an ad hoc non-voting member consisting of a County Council member.
In Pierce County, the Anderson Island Citizens’ Advisory Board serves as the ferry committee and makes recommendations to the Pierce County Council based on input from ferry riders. The Board consists of 11 voting members appointed by the Pierce County Executive and confirmed by the Pierce County Council, drawn from a list of Anderson Island community organizations.
C. The Guemes Island Ferry Committee Is Well Positioned to Represent Guemes Island Ferry Users and Could Be Constituted Like Other Ferry Advisory Committees.
Although the GIFC has never been formally recognized as a “county advisory board/committee,” it was originally formed at the request of the BoCC to serve that exact purpose. After its formation, the GIFC acted upon the recommendation of a County consultant, to formalize its work by adopting a charter that codified its formation and an election process intended to provide fair representation to the voters of Guemes Island. The BoCC attended the 2024 GIFC Annual Meeting and witnessed both an (uncontested) election, and a professionally held meeting that was a full house. It is clear that the Guemes community relies on the support of the GIFC to be a conduit to the County.
In addition, we understand that concerns have been raised that GIFC is not properly constituted, though we have not been able to discover the basis for those concerns.2 Regardless, as demonstrated above, other Washington counties have established ferry committees that play official roles interacting and collaborating with ferry leadership. We believe that Skagit County likewise could structure the ferry committee so that it equitably represents a range of stakeholders.
Since the County deemphasized GIFC’s role as a conduit for information and advice on ferry operations, transparency about those operations and the significant forthcoming changes-from fares, to electronic ticketing to a new ferry -has decreased. The recognition of GIFC’s expertise on ferry issues may assist the County in achieving greater credibility with Guemes ferry riders when it needs to make difficult decisions about ferry operations, including decisions that will affect costs and those related to the fares necessary to cover those costs. To promote transparency and improve communications we also support the restoration of the open public forum that GIFC facilitated, which gave the Guemes Island community a place to provide input and advice on ferry operations.
Ultimately, we all share the same goal for the Guemes ferry – the delivery of a reliable service at a fair price for users who have no alternative for traveling to and from the mainland and the essential services found there. To restore the public trust necessary to achieve that goal, we respectfully request that you direct Public Works to begin collaborating again more formally with GIFC. If necessary, we support the organization of GIFC as needed to equitably represent stakeholders for the ferry. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions and to discuss this further.
2 We followed up on references to a legal opinion by asking our attorney to reach out to the Prosecuting Attorney’s office and learned that there is no written opinion about GIFC being improperly constituted.
Sincerely,
Kathy Malley
President, GIPAC
Allen Bush
Vice President, GIPAC
Jep Burdock,
Treasurer, GIPAC
Gabe Murphy
Secretary, GIPAC
Michael Brown
Board Member, GIPAC
Steve Orsini
Board Member, GIPAC
Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee 