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Council briefed on ferry‑advisory committee reform language; lobbyist to coordinate with legislators
Summary
County lobbyist Josh Weese reviewed draft substitute language to reform ferry advisory structures in Olympia, and council members asked him to coordinate with Representative Ramel and other legislators while reaffirming that San Juan County does not want a special‑status carve‑out for its existing ferry advisory committees.
Josh Weese, San Juan County’s contracted lobbyist, told the council on April 14 that this year’s Legislature is in its final weeks and that discussions over ferry advisory committee (FAC) reforms are active in the budget and transportation negotiations.
Weese said he drafted alternate language to the Senate transportation budget provision that would create a working group to review FAC structure and that he planned to coordinate the proposal with Representative Ramel and other legislators. “My plan at this point would be … to go back to Representative Ramel and have … see what his preference is … and basically coordinate with him on strategy for next steps,” Weese said.
Why it matters: The proposed Senate language would have changed the composition and role of FACs across Washington. Council members said they supported an alternative that preserves FAC members’ voices while creating a work group, but several members rejected a proposal to carve San Juan County out as a special case if that would leave the county isolated in negotiations.
Key changes in the draft language described by Weese included a requirement that the association must invite a Washington State Ferries representative and one existing FAC member to the working group, that final recommendations to the Legislature include a record of minority proposals (so minority viewpoints are forwarded), and that the work group include elected representatives from counties that host ferry terminals.
Council discussion: Council Member Fuller asked whether the county should send a separate letter opposing the Senate language. Weese advised that a separate letter was not essential if the county’s delegation and governor’s office had already received the broader coalition letter; he said a local letter “would be nice to do” but not mandatory. Council members also discussed the Mosquito Fleet Act bill and whether to continue lobbying for inclusion in the transportation budget; Weese said the bill’s prospects on the Senate side looked limited but that its language could be referenced in a conference budget at chair level.
Positioning and next steps: Council members told Weese to make clear that the county does not want to be a one‑off carve‑out that leaves San Juan County’s FACs without influence. With Representative Ramel’s input, Weese said he would pursue the house position and then engage the senate negotiators, noting the technical process by which conference budgets and concurrence on amendments are resolved in the last days of session.
Ending: Weese said he would continue to update the council as legislators acted; council members asked staff and the lobbyist to stay coordinated with representatives, with an eye to legislative deadlines in the coming two weeks.
