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Saint Helens weighs options for water taxi as inspections, insurance and public-safety concerns mount
Summary
City staff told council the city-owned water taxi faces inspection deficiencies and high insurance exposure; the council discussed keeping, leasing to a private operator, securing a consignment sale or declaring the vessel surplus while exploring options with the Sand Island campground operator and the Coast Guard.
City Administrator John told the City of Saint Helens council on July 16 that the city-owned water taxi faces outstanding Coast Guard inspection deficiencies, significant insurance costs and operational questions that leave the council with three basic options: keep and operate the boat, keep but contract operation to a third party, or sell the vessel.
John (City Administrator) said the boat’s Certificate of Inspection (COI) is currently in force for the 2023–2028 cycle but that annual inspection letters of deficiency show items — some administrative and some harder to fix — that the city must resolve with the Coast Guard. “The boat does have a COI,” John said, and later explained the COI “is good from 23 to 28,” while some documentation and build‑origin issues remain unresolved.
Why it matters: The boat has been used for events, including transport to Sand Island, but councilors and staff flagged public‑safety and liability concerns.…
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