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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works April 11 2006WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Public Works and Safety Committee April 11, 2006 Committee Chair Barbara Brenner called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington. Present: Absent: L. Ward Nelson None Sam Crawford Also Present: Carl Weimer Laurie Caskey- Schreiber COMMITTEE DISCUSSION 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM LUMMI ISLAND RESIDENTS ON PROPOSED FERRY RATE INCREASES AND FERRY RATE STRUCTURE (AB2006 -101B) Brenner stated she's gotten a lot of feedback about the survey. It's unfortunate no one talked to her about the survey before it was sent out. She asked people to call her regarding the ferry, and she's gotten a lot of responses. She's disappointed. Councilmember Weimer met with Lummi Island residents, who expressed concerns to him. She spoke to one person who is a retired ferry worker and who said that the ferry design will move weird in rough weather, given the placement of the wheelhouse. She would like to get some answers to the questions posed in the letter from Mr. Mike Moye, which she read into the record (on file). She would like the answers to the questions in writing. Ken Richardson, Accounting Supervisor, stated he spent an hour with residents on the island who had the same questions. The side - mounted wheelhouse looks different, but it is a standard design for ferry boats. It is standard in North Carolina and on short runs in Europe. The major advantage is that it allows straight - through loading and unloading. In this case, they don't want an upper deck for passengers, which incurs additional crew costs. The boat is massively larger than the Whatcom Chief. It's motions will be very different. That boat will be ballasted so it sits flat in the water when either empty or full. It won't sit tilted to one side or another. The motion of the boat will be dampened because it is twice as long and eight feet wider. It fits into the frequency of the wave patters. The boat sits on top of the waves. He's looked closely at the impact of the wheelhouse to the pilings, called dolphins. The wheelhouse will sit between two dolphins when the boat is at rest. It's possible at a very high or very low tide and very high wind that the boat will land on a dolphin, but not likely in normal circumstances. Now, they don't dock the Chief when that weather happens. They don't put the Chief in the berth in those weather conditions. On February 4, during a period of high tide and high winds, the Chief ran in circles in Hale Passage because they Public Works and Safety Committee, 4/11/2006, Page 1 couldn't put it in the berth without setting it on top of a dolphin. The problem is the weather pattern in Hale Passage, not with the boat. All the tests on the new boat design indicate that the motion of the boat will be less than what exists today in wild weather situations. Brenner asked if the consultants will provide guarantees. She asked what happens if they're wrong. Richardson stated that the County will ultimately pay, because it is accountable to its customers. The administration went through a rigorous contract selection process. They do their best to pick the right people up front. There isn't a naval architecture school in the county. He can only do his best to select the best people. Brenner stated she talked to Mr. Moye, an engineer and crew on the ferry for 25 years, because Bob Fodor told her to. These are the questions Mr. Moye asked. Weimer stated the one concern was with the side cabin hitting a dolphin. He asked if the cabin could hit a dolphin coming into the berth. Richardson stated the dolphins are there for hitting. The boat sits at a right angle. It doesn't list. The boat would have to sit very far down in the water to be at an angle that hits the dolphin. People don't realize all the time and energy gone into addressing these questions. A lot of good professionals have worked on this design. Regarding the Guemes Island boat, it's unfortunate that people equate the problems with the Guemes Island run with the boat. The boat was not the problem with their down time this year. The problem was with their out drives. Crawford stated the meeting at Lummi Island made him aware that there are aspects that not all people agree with. One thing the Council may want to do is make a concerted effort to reach the Lummi Island community with all the information the County has accumulated. He hasn't heard anything from anyone on ferry design. He thought the meeting at Lummi Island was supposed to be on ferry rates. He hasn't heard anything about design concerns. He asked if they are back to discussing design. Brenner stated she is bringing this forward because this is the first time she's heard of these concerns. She's brought up similar concerns. This is an a letter from an engineer who brought up the same concerns she expressed. She would like staff to answer the letter. The councilmembers were at the Lummi Island meeting to hear about ferry rates. The problem was that everything was discussed. It was confusing. Weimer stated there are concerns about the design. Residents were not sure why they were addressing rates when they hadn't heard the reasons for a new boat. The citizens have questions, but the councilmembers don't have the expertise to answer them. Richardson stated Mr. Moye was a crew member for 25 years. He was an engineer on the vessel, not a licensed engineer. His responsibilities were for the engine room. All three crew members have been intimately involved in the design. They do not all agree with all the decisions being made. There is change involved. People don't like change. However, the project manager's responsibility is to build the most efficient, best boat they can, consistent with the need for a new boat. He didn't make the decision to buy a new boat. The decision came out of three to five years of a very public process. Brenner stated that is not the problem. The question is why buy a boat now, and not wait. She recalled that they knew they would need a new boat, so it seemed they should start working toward it. Richardson stated that when the survey results were Public Works and Safety Committee, 4/11/2006, Page 2 complete, a majority of the respondents indicated they would prefer to spend the next dollar of capital to increase capacity. Instead of building bigger parking lots or doing something different with the existing boat, they wanted more deck space to carry more cars per hour. The design process looked at the time of run and the time to load and unload the boat. That led them to the decision for the 35 -car boat. Forty cars takes too long to load. Thirty cars makes them lose a trip per hour. A lot of people on the island want to argue that they should have a 25- or 50 -car boat. That won't work for the run. Because of the very short run, the options are limited. Most time is spent loading and unloading. Regarding the fuel, the tanks are sized as if the vessel would use four times as much diesel fuel. The vessel won't use that much, but he doesn't know how much more. The new boat will consume more fuel. It will carry three times as much per run. Brenner asked if a new boat would still be bigger than the Whatcom Chief if it is built up to code and is kept at the same capacity. Richardson stated a new 20 -car ferry would have to be bigger, and may use more fuel. Because of regulations and newer technology, he believes a new 20 -car boat would use more fuel. There are also efficiency offsets. Crawford stated the issue seems to be a matter of getting information to the residents in a way everyone can understand. Be proactive on getting out that information. Create a timeline of what has happened the last number of years. There has been a lot of process, and there will be much more process. Have a timeline to explain all the things that have happened. People think this is sudden, but it's not. Brenner stated there was a perception during the presentation that everything is open to discussion again. Richardson stated he has begun to write the preface to the 14 -year ferry report, as part of their transportation planning requirements. He is trying to make it more readable to the average person and use it as the vehicle to communicate. He accepts suggestions on what should be emphasized and will address the misunderstandings. Crawford stated the Lummi ferry issue predates his time on the Council. Weimer stated they don't need another full public process, but councilmembers and staff could go talk to the residents and answer all their questions. Brenner stated she is willing to have a discussion with the residents and with Mr. Richardson, who can answer the questions. The Council can hand out the minutes of this meeting to the residents to help answer their questions. Regarding fares, there are many specifics not in the survey. Before there is anything close to a final rate structure, she would like a work session, Richardson stated that is fine. He will go through the justifications for fare setting. From that work session, they can put together information for the public hearing. Crawford stated they could use the building at the island to provide information on the designs. Brenner stated include the minutes from the meeting. Richardson stated the administration will have a good design from the architect in a few weeks. Public Works and Safety Committee, 4/11/2006, Page 3 Crawford stated they could have a contest to name the boat. Brenner asked when the survey responses are due. Richardson stated they are due May 1. Brenner stated she wants to schedule a Council work session a couple of weeks after that. Richardson stated the intent is to put together a rate proposal in June to implement in August. The County is far behind its 55 percent target now. Soon, they will be halfway through the year by the time something is in place. The longer they wait, the bigger or more often it should be. Brenner stated she would like to get the recovery rate up to 55 percent until the ferry is operating. Richardson stated he recommends that it would be a 50 percent increase in rates today, knowing they'll have to do it again in 2008. Weimer stated the residents he spoke to didn't seem to have a big concern about the rates. Richardson stated the biggest concerns about rates he's heard are about discounts and the number of multi- rides. He can calculate where the cost breaks even. Bob Wiesen, 3314 Douglas Road, stated the bigger the boat, the less cost per unit of transportation, usually. If they build a boat twice as big, transportation costs won't be twice as much. Brenner asked how much bigger the new boat will be. Richardson stated the new boat is twice the physical size, but three and a half times as heavy. Brenner asked if it will take four times as much fuel. Wiesen stated the weight might make a difference. Wind resistance is a factor. It doesn't necessarily cost twice as much to run at twice the weight. There are more efficient engines. Richardson stated that if they run the new vessel at full speed to run to Seattle, for example, it would consume a great deal of fuel per nautical mile. Because the ferry spends most of its time at idle in port, it's highly likely that, with more efficient engines and drive systems, moving three times the size will result in a fuel efficiency per vehicle moved that will be close to or slightly less than what they have today. Brenner stated they are having a new ferry, which will take 40 percent more vehicles, but will weigh three and a half times more. It won't always be full. That will offset some of the anticipated savings. Wiesen stated there will be traffic growth. Most likely, it will not take more gallons of fuel per unit on the new boat. Brenner stated she's not sure there will be a huge growth in traffic. If the County raises rates, people will figure out alternative ways to reduce their number of trips. She asked what they will do if there are fewer people per trip. Wiesen stated that over time, the hoi polloi will take over Lummi Island, and use won't be reduced. Richardson stated that if fewer people use the boat, or if there will be more walk -on traffic, there is a self - limiting issue in terms of parking at Gooseberry Point. Whatcom Public Works and Safety Committee, 4/11/2006, Page 4 Transportation Authority (WTA) is trying to come up with better ways to serve Gooseberry Point. What could happen is that fewer drivers and more walkers could force rates even higher. He speculates that they will see a short-term drop in use, and then use will return and stabilize. Brenner stated there might not be as much incentive to work with WTA and others if they are counting on the cars to pay more money. It almost defeats the purpose. Even the hoi polloi like a good deal. They can park a car on both sides. OLHER_BUSINESS There was no other business. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m. Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription wa l l umh WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Barbara Brenner, Committee Chair Public Works and Safety Committee, 4/11/2006, Page 5