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Our Lummi Island Community

Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee (WCFAC)

Purpose

Since 2012, the Lummi Island Ferry Advisory Committee, LIFAC, has advised the Whatcom County Council on the island’s key ferry issues and projects.
The Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee, WCFAC, is the successor to LIFAC as of late 2023.

WCFAC provides review and recommendations to the Whatcom County Council and Executive on issues that affect the ongoing operations and infrastructure of ferry service to Lummi Island. WCFAC also provides a forum for those who depend upon Lummi Island ferry to voice their ideas and concerns about the ferry service.

WCFAC has been informed that the County Council will consider a budget proposal for 2025 that includes a 10% increase across all fare categories and discontinuation of all multi-ride fares, other than Needs-Based. See presentation below (September 25th WCFAC meeting).

Hopefully everyone knows by now that ferry fares increased June 1st: The new fare schedule is posted on the Whatcom County website.

Old punch cards were valid only until June 30, but according to codes, there is no deadline to exchange punch cards for credit toward new cards;
future dates for exchanging old punchcards should be available on the Whatcom County site.

WCFAC reminds all of us that civil and respectful interaction is the standard when interacting with county employees and the ferry crew, advisory committee members, and fellow Whatcom County residents. There is much work ahead to secure a replacement for the Whatcom Chief and sustain reliable, safe and affordable ferry service. Working together with County staff, County Council members, the County Executive’s office and the larger Whatcom County community is not only our best strategy, but the right thing to do. Please be kind, and let’s bring our best selves forward! 

Meetings 

The Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month, 6 to 8 p.m. The next meeting will be held on October 23rd at The Gathering Place, Lummi Island; this will likely be an in-person meeting only. Locate agendas through link below.

Currently, as part of Public Works’ plans to replace the ferry and terminals on both the Gooseberry and Island sides, an approximate six-month vehicle ferry outage is scheduled in three years. It is possible that escalating costs will result in the county choosing to move forward with a different vessel than what was planned. If this occurs, we are told that the island-side terminal is still in dire need of replacement; therefore, even if a large new ferry is not provided, the island continues to face a potential four-month vessel outage. Planning will be essential, and WCFAC will work with the community and Public Works in both preparation and communication efforts.

  • Meeting agendas are generally posted one week, and no less than 48 hours, in advance of a meeting. Agendas and supporting documents, as well as minutes, can be found HERE.  Check back if nothing is there yet. (For past agendas and documents, enter dates in the boxes provided; note that choosing “last month” may not include the dates in that month when meetings were held.)
  • Future meeting dates for WCFAC will be posted on the Community Calendar.
  • General information about WCFAC can be located HERE.
  • Meetings are open to the public. Community members who attend may provide public comment on issues related to the ferry to Lummi Island. 

Presentation and Other Documents

For more information:

Members

The Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee (WCFAC) has 9 members appointed by the County Council:

  • Janice Catrell
  • Richard Frye
  • Pamela Gould
  • Diane Harper
  • Todd Lagestee
  • Carol Landt
  • Thomas Philpot
  • Catherine Shornick
  • One vacancy, unincorporated

Updated: 2024/10/01 @ 3:09 pm WCFAC

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