Commissioners approve consent items, authorize ferry fare adjustment and electronic ticket conversion

Skagit County commissioners on April 27 approved the consent agenda, including ratifications, vouchers and warrants, and also approved a miscellaneous item amending the county’s ferry fare schedule and ticketing procedures.

During the consent discussion commissioners noted additional state funds expanding several public-health contract amounts and referenced a contract transfer of home-delivered-meals responsibilities to Northwest Regional Council. The board also acknowledged opioid-settlement funds — roughly $159,000 — from Burlington that the county will use to support start-up costs at the Skagit Star Center, a local behavioral-health facility.

On a separate miscellaneous item the board considered a public-works resolution amending a prior resolution to establish an adjusted 2026 ferry fare schedule for the county’s island ferry (transcript referenced the ferry name as "Guimas Island"). Commissioners clarified that previously unexpired paper punch cards may be converted to the county’s new electronic ticketing system, and that the electronic tickets will not expire once converted. The board also discussed a pending appeal related to 2025 fares and said counsel is engaging with appellants; no immediate change to the 2025 fares was taken at the meeting. Commissioners noted an error in the oversized-vehicle fare and said the current resolution corrects that mistake.

A motion to approve the consent agenda items 1–27 and a second to approve the miscellaneous fare-resolution were moved and seconded and both motions passed with the board voting 'aye.' The meeting adjourned for an executive session and planned to reconvene later in the afternoon.