Court ruling reverts Whatcom County ferry fares; county outlines funding path and timeline for a smaller replacement vessel

A recent court judgment requiring Whatcom County to revert ferry fares to the May 31, 2024, schedule and barring use of certain cost items in the rate base dominated discussion at the Whatcom County Ferry Advisory Committee meeting on Jan. 27. County staff told the committee they are working with federal and state grant programs, refining a smaller 20-car vessel design and terminal scope, and trying to answer islanders’ questions about how any overpaid fares will be refunded.

The ruling and refund implications mattered immediately to island residents. Ferry Master Gary Poole told the committee that work on short-term operations is continuing and that a scheduled dry dock for the vessel is expected to be completed within a two-week window no later than May 18, 2025. "We plan to get the contract material to be back in service no later than May 18th," Poole said. County staff also described ongoing forensic analysis of a recent cable failure and said inspectors found corroded internal wires, which helped avert a larger hull or mechanical failure.

Why it matters: island residents said higher fares threaten daily life, school enrollment and medical access. Committee members pressed county staff on (1) how the county will comply with the court judgment and reimburse riders, (2) whether the county has been…