Competing Private Ferry to Lummi Island?

This is a quick follow-up to the previous Forum post,  US Disrict County Judge Thomas Rice dismissed a lawsuit by individuals who’ve wanted to start up a competing ferry service to the one that already exists on Lake Chelan.   An Associated Press story, linked to in today‘s Bellingham Herald, reports that ruling and the reasons [...]

Federal Court Hears Arguments on Private Ferries in Washington State

Very interesting information about a Federal court hearing a case to determine if privately-run ferries are legal in Washington.  This case bears watching, since some islanders (and perhaps some of our elected county officials?) have at various times speculated about ‘going private’ in running a ferry from Lummi Island to the mainland, that is, snipping [...]

County Council Introduces Proposed Lease Agreement with Lummi Nation (AB2011-238)

From “County Action Taken” for last Tuesday night’s Council meeting (2011-08-09), our council representatives voted 7-0 to introduce AB2011-238: Intergovernmental framework agreement, Uplands lease agreement, and Tidelands lease agreement for Lummi Island Ferry usage at Gooseberry Point (AB2011-238) (hearing to be scheduled) Introduced 7-0 NOTE:  The cover sheet to AB2011-238 in “Action Taken” incorrectly shows [...]

Incomplete County-Lummi Contract To be Introduced August 9?

(Information and opinion) I emailed Marina Engels, County Council clerk, to see if there’s any new update on the draft contract wording of the County-Lummi Nation legal agreement and leases. (last one, Aug. 3, was incomplete). The legal contract remains scheduled to be introduced at tomorrow night’s (Aug. 9, 7 PM) evening County Council meeting, [...]

New information and analysis about Gooseberry Lease

Tip Johnson just published a new, extended analysis of  where We the People and We our County Government seem to be (or not) with regard to the lease negotiations / mediation. Those who think that this analysis makes sense might consider sending the link to J. Richard Manning (email: JMB@SEANET.COM) who is the mediator, as [...]

First mediation session before end of October?

Sam Crawford just sent this email with an attached letter from the LIBC, signed by Henry Cagey and dated Oct. 12, 2010. The letter relates to mediation about moving forward, with a somewhat cryptic allusion to ‘litigation’.  I’ve emailed Sam for clarification on 3 points

BIA-approved leases limited to 25 yrs

Editor’s note:  On 8/30/2010,  Betsy Schneider (Lummi Island) sent the County Executive, Council and others (including the Ferry Forum and PLIC) information about federal regulations wouldn’t allow a 35 yr lease.  As sending the email to the Council puts her email into the public  domain, we’re publishing it in full, below.

Draft minutes from 8/24 County Council meeting

Both Polly Hanson and I asked Sam Crawford if we could get copies of the minutes from Tuesday 8/24′s special County Council meeting ASAP.  Sam said it was ok to post them here on the Ferry Forum.

Never Enough? Enough is Enough!

Today NWCitizen published an article related to the legal documents supporting a right-of-way all the way across the Lummi Nation’s tidelands to Lummi Island, written by Tip Johnson and why this is not irrelevant to our/Whatcom County’s situation. Here’s a link to the story, Never Enough? Enough is Enough!.  Tip also covers political aspects of [...]

14 Facts on right-of-way to Lummi Island

Opinion piece by Wynne Lee. Ever since the question about the road right-of-way from the mainland to Lummi Island came up, I and many others have tried to get someone to explain what this involves.  What I’ve heard so far is that: There was such a right of way, at least once, but   not [...]