Here are emails from Sam Crawford (Feb 6, 2012) and Jack Louws (Feb. 3, 2012) in response to Jim Dickinson’s email encouraging Whatcom County to conside acquiring the Plattsburgh Ferry (via Ed Scott from a NextDoor Lummi Island post by Bill Fox). All such emails are public, under Washington State law.
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Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 16:47:32 -0800
From: scrawfor@co.whatcom.wa.us
To: audidancer@hotmail.com
CC: BBennett@co.whatcom.wa.us; Council@co.whatcom.wa.us; DBrown@co.whatcom.wa.us; FAbart@co.whatcom.wa.us; JLouws@co.whatcom.wa.us
Subject: Re: Plattsburg Ferry
Jim, thanks for the input but I’m not interested in discussing any given replacement ferry at this time. We have no fund designated for this, the council turned down the state’s funds a few years ago. Now we’re paying even more annually with the new lease at Gooseberry. Our lease with the Lummi Nation allows us to withdraw from the lease at any time, we did this to continue to evaluate other options and locations, and the type of ferry we ultimately replace the Chief with may need to accommodate a different run. Meanwhile people from Lummi Island still ask when we’re going to reduce the $3/trip surcharge, and the county’s road fund continues to dwindle. Your contacts on this ferry did inspire me to look at many other ferries for sale that are advertised on the internet. Very interesting.
Sam Crawford
Whatcom County Council Member
360 676-6690
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Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 10:16:38 -0800
From: jlouws@co.whatcom.wa.us
To: Jim Dickinson <audidancer@hotmail.com
CC: Council@co.whatcom.wa.us; FAbart@co.whatcom.wa.us
Subject: Plattsburg Ferry
Mr. Dickinson,
It appears we have looked into the purchase of this ferry in the past, possible at your request, about 4 years ago. Attached below is our assessment of its potential for use by Whatcom County, and some of the costs and challenges we would incur if we purchased and operated the ferry. Based on this assessment, I will not pursue this opportunity any further.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. It s good to have people give us the opportunity to look into matters that may help us solve ongoing issues.
Best regards,
Jack Louws
Filed under: Documents (government), New Ferry Tagged: | Jack Louws, jim dickinson, lummi island ferry, Plattsburgh Ferry, Sam Crawford, Whatcom county ferry
Maybe it is my imagination, but I sense some resistance and an anti-Lummi Island, anti-ferry tone in these emails. During all of this ferry activity over the last few years I have noticed that there exists in the county a feeling of “they chose to live on an island, why should my county tax money go to pay for their ferry?”
It made me wonder if we would be better off as part of San Juan County where they are more friendly to islanders and ferry issues. They might enjoy our tax base in their county coffers. I am sure there would be disadvantages as well that I have not thought of, and I am sure that this idea has been kicked around before, but I am kind of tired of the attitude of Whatcom County towards our issues.
I would suggest that anyone considering the idea of a change of county status with respect to Lummi Island carefully review what would be involved in this process for all parties. Yes, it is difficult to hear views on island issues that may contain some hint of a lack of sympathy or even hostility. However, while technically possible, the road to a change of county status is a long, costly and complicated task. I would like to suggest that a more realistic approach is to address carefully, case by case, and as citizens of Whatcom County, any unfriendly opinions rather than further expand the notion of our community’s isolation from the rest of the county.
Klayton,
It may be, that at one-half of one percent of the Whatcom County population, perhaps we take up a disproportionate amount of County time and resources. Just a thought…..