Call to Order 7PM Guemes Island Community Hall October 09, 2025

Introduction

Meeting Duties:

• Agenda Approval
• Minutes Approval

Regular Business:

• 2026 Proposed Fare Increase
• Basis for Increase
• Target Comparison
• Financial Trend
• Ridership Changes
• Spending
• Capital Expenditures
• Missed Opportunities
• Decreasing Expenses

Public Comment: Q&A from Attendees

Call to Action: What You Can Do

• Submit Public Comment
• Attend Public Hearing
• Call Your Commissioners
• How Does This Affect You?
• GIFC Follow Up

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Monthly Meeting Slides as presented pdf

Elasticity & Impact on ridership 2023-2024? What About 2025?

Vehicle Ridership Changes 2022-2025

● Avg 12% decrease in vehicle trips (excluding haulout period)
● Vehicle ridership is down even during summer months
● This will result in less revenue

Passenger Ridership Changes 2022-2025

● Avg 10% decrease in ridership, even as vehicle trips are decreasing
● 2025 trend is overall decrease in ridership
● Less passengers, even in the summer/peak season
● This will result in a decrease in revenue

Uncontrolled Spending

• Instances of increased spending that were unnecessary or could have been avoided with proper planning
• New fencing at the terminal
• Anchor ticketing system
• Addition of more staff due to no mobile POS for e-tix system
• Signage at the terminal (metal signs, cones, bollards, chains, truck wrap, Guemes island map)
• Multiple county fleet vehicles charged to O&M

Misclassification of Capital Expenditures

• Said that there was no Capital expense in 2024
• Capital Expenses included in O&M = higher fare revenue targets
• Capital Expenses:
• Electronic Ticketing system $84K in 2024
• Engine install expenses during haulout (Strait Arrow rental, staff time, etc.)
• Crucible Engineering: Cost $179K between July and December of 2024 to support engine replacement. Engineering at this scale should not be classified as O&M.

Missed $ Opportunities to fund the ferry

• Missed out on $600K in Federal Ferry Boat program money
• Didn’t submit census forms for the program
• That shortfall now shifts pressure onto fare increases, when outside funding should have helped stabilize costs. Funded Ferries in 2025
• Didn’t apply for grant $ to pay for engine replacement from Department of Ecology Diesel Engine Replacement Grant – $ for new engines

Fighting Disinformation About the Ferry

• Who contributes property tax to the road fund?: About 36% of Skagit County
  Residents live in unincorporated areas. ( ~47,000/130,000)
• Anyone living (and paying taxes) within the city limits of any city in the
  county does not contribute to the road fund.
• These facts have been misrepresented to scapegoat the Guemes
  community for the cost of the ferry operation.

Call To Action

• Distribute Information to our Mailing List
• Attempt to Answer Your Questions
• Show up to the Public Hearing

Send comments to:  ferrycomments@co.skagit.wa.us 
use subject line: Ferry 2026 Fare Proposal. 
Put your comments in the body of the email and not in an attachment

In Person, October 21, 2025 1:00-2:30 pm  @ 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273