Port Townsend mulls passenger ferry service to Seattle
PORT TOWNSEND -- Jefferson County Commissioner Phil Johnson became the first elected official to publicly speak out against bringing passenger ferry service to Port Townsend.
"I am not going to support a high speed ferry between Port Townsend and Seattle," Johnson told fellow county Commissioner John Austin on Monday.
With the third county Commissioner David Sullivan attending a National Association of Counties conference in Washington, D.C., this week -- and absent from Monday's commissioners meeting -- the two remaining commissioner discussed a consent agenda item that included signing and sending off county commissioners support letters to the North Olympic Peninsula's three congressional leaders.
A memo to the commissioners from county Administrator Philip Morley states that Sullivan offered to hand-deliver a copy of the letter to the lawmakers when he was at the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson spoke out against the proposal, citing the high cost of fuel and his concern about "making Port Townsend a bedroom community" of Seattle.
Austin, who later said he was surprised by Johnson's position and vigorously tried to sway him to change his mind, said he will send his own support letter to the congressional delegation.
Specifically, the letters would support a 2011 transportation appropriations request from the Port of Port Townsend, which is seeking at least $1 million through the office of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Freeland.
Read the full article from our media partner, the Peninsula Daily News
"I am not going to support a high speed ferry between Port Townsend and Seattle," Johnson told fellow county Commissioner John Austin on Monday.
With the third county Commissioner David Sullivan attending a National Association of Counties conference in Washington, D.C., this week -- and absent from Monday's commissioners meeting -- the two remaining commissioner discussed a consent agenda item that included signing and sending off county commissioners support letters to the North Olympic Peninsula's three congressional leaders.
A memo to the commissioners from county Administrator Philip Morley states that Sullivan offered to hand-deliver a copy of the letter to the lawmakers when he was at the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson spoke out against the proposal, citing the high cost of fuel and his concern about "making Port Townsend a bedroom community" of Seattle.
Austin, who later said he was surprised by Johnson's position and vigorously tried to sway him to change his mind, said he will send his own support letter to the congressional delegation.
Specifically, the letters would support a 2011 transportation appropriations request from the Port of Port Townsend, which is seeking at least $1 million through the office of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Freeland.
Read the full article from our media partner, the Peninsula Daily News