Island Transit – Seattle Transit Blog

North by Northwest View 19: Time for Camano Island to Pivot to Community Transit?

June 2, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My recent photo of an Island Transit 411C Camano Bus

Full disclosure: The below letter to the editor by me ran in the Stanwood-Camano News today.

Figured some of you in the transit advocate community would want to discuss this. Island County Commissioner Rick Hannold also told the Stanwood-Camano News in part:

The board is not sure how long the routes will be cut. Hannold said they are investigating the initiation of a fare system that would help to alleviate the burden of the 411 routes’ additional expense.
“I’ve been pushing for a fare system since the get-go,” Hannold said. “Riders need to have a stake in this; it doesn’t come for free.”
A fare system, he said, would be helpful in many ways.
For one, the House and the Senate have approved funding for the Everett connector, Hannold said, though it is awaiting the governor’s signature. To benefit, though, Island Transit is required to include fare boxes in each of their buses.
Additionally, if fare boxes are installed, Island Transit can apply for Medicaid reimbursement for paratransit expenses –a special service for disabled individuals not accommodated by the regular bus service.
Paratransit costs Island Transit approximately $1.5 million per year.
In April alone, Hannold said, the cost for paratransit services was $70,000, while Island Transit spent $180,000 on all other services combined.
“It’s costing us so much, and we’re required by law to provide it,” he said. If they could alleviate some of the cost associated with that service, Hannold thinks money could be redirected toward other things, which may include reintroducing the 411 routes down the road – a service that has cost them around $500,000 over the past six months.
“We just don’t have it,” Hannold said.

Figure this will help fuel the debate that should have happened, like oh, last November. I even had inside information on 2 July of 2014 this was a distinct possibility. Yet no action until too late… the blame falls on both Skagit Transit & Island Transit for not being proactive with contingency planning for this day.

North by Northwest 63: Barring Rep. Dave Hayes Amendment Passing, the Tri-County Connector Will Die 31 July

May 24, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My photo of an Island Transit Route 411W Tri-County Connector

On 22 May 2015, the Island Transit Board made the gut-wrenching decision that due to Island Transit’s fiscal troubles, the lack of state support and the refusal of Skagit Transit to serve to Deception Pass to unless Representative Dave Hayes’ amendment passes stand down the Tri-County Connector on 31 July. That means no Island Transit service not just to March’s Point, but also no Island Transit service to Skagit Station in Mount Vernon. Island Transit will however serve North Whidbey in a limited way up to Deception Pass and provide services for Camano Island residents to link to Stanwood & Community Transit services flowing from Stanwood to points south. Overall, although Island Transit Boardmembers were audibly if not visibly distraught at making this decision – and there’s video below, without the Hayes Amendment to provide some state funding connected to charging a fare, the money is just not in Island Transit coffers to provide linkage services between Whidbey Island & Camano Island.

To spare our Seattle Transit Blog e-mails as I too am on e-mail subscription, I’ve put in a Read More jump below. Also figure some of you may not be interested…

Continue reading “North by Northwest 63: Barring Rep. Dave Hayes Amendment Passing, the Tri-County Connector Will Die 31 July”

North by Northwest 60: Update on the Tri-County Connector Crisis

April 21, 2015April 21, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

AvgeekJoe Photo: Boarding an Island Transit Tri-County Connector 411W Bus at March’s Point, Anacortes

Folks, the future of the Tri-County Connectors is uncertain but I promised you an update. As you may know, Representative Dave Hayes has put on the table a modest proposal to, “provide $1 million to restart an important bus transit route that, until last June, operated between Camano Island and Everett.” The catch is that fares must be charged to access the money.

Recently, the Island Transit Board had a discussion about this and is tentatively supportive of Representative Hayes’ efforts:

One thing worth noting is that it’s now 21 April and no final decision has been made even to keep the County Connectors going. Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson (Republican) is really attempting to force the beginning of public hearings on the service change with more passion and vigor than Island County Commissioner Rick Hannold’s (Republican) pontificating bordering on rambling about the need for a fare.

One should note that come Friday will be 67 days before the possible end of this service. Sixty seven days. Yet it seems Island Transit Board has been timid since knowing there was a crisis in November. At least Island Transit staff have a contingency plan if there is no state support. If I may quote from my recent feature on the Tri-County Connector crisis:

…These proposed connections are highly problematic. That’s if Island Transit Board … decides to keep the Island County Connector. One option, called “Proposal 2” and page four (4) of this Scribd link shows a proposal to only serve Deception Pass. For Skagit Transit (Skagit County’s county level transit net), they’d have to make it to Cornet Bay to link up with Island Transit at all.

The other option best explained on page 8 shows a schedule that allows commuters to get off the main islands of Island County, but not necessarily get back. Commuters seeking to leave Whidbey would have to be ready to accept a 3 PM departure from Harbor Station, Oak Harbor to arrive at Skagit Station at 4 PM. The bus would then depart at 4:10, run to Camano and arrive at 4:40 PM – passing the bus going the other way. To get from Camano to Whidbey you’d have to leave Camano at 3:30 PM, arrive Skagit Station at 4:05 PM, then leave Skagit Station, Mount Vernon at 4:15 to arrive at Harbor Station, Oak Harbor at 5:15 PM. So if you work in Everett and need to get to Camano in the afternoon but miss that first northbound Skagit Transit 90X connection from Everett to Skagit Station, Mount Vernon which supposed to arrive at 4 PM but can easily be delayed… you are totally stranded.

So what is the solution? One option may be delaying these runs until starting at 5 PM or 6 PM. There already are plans for a northbound run starting at 6:35 AM and another southbound run at 6:45 AM. Or chucking the 9:35 AM northbound & 9:55 AM southbound routes and making another late afternoon or early evening run.

With this Proposal 1 in play thanks to Representative Dave Hayes, the focus should be on commuters. Doubly so with fares being required to get the $1 million state match for the biennium. Gone are the days when a $6 million biennium start-up grant could be lobbied for this route. Make sure to e-mail info-at-islandtransit.org your thoughts on this

But even with the recent fiasco around ORCA & Link Light Rail, I’m sure many of you would agree with Representative Hayes, “Riders need to have skin in the game. All other transit systems are charging a fare. Many people who were using the Island Transit Everett Connector before it closed told me they would have gladly paid the fare, especially if it would have kept the route open. They’re willing to pay, so this amendment makes that a requirement in order to release those funds.”

Ultimately, let’s hope Friday the Island Transit Board will at least commit to the route and public outreach. 67 days to go… with a state legislature giving signals of going into indefinite deadlock over budgets.

In other Island Transit news, Oak Harbor Mayor Scott “Studley” Dudley who is widely credited with removing Martha Rose from the Island Transit Executive Director position last year is not seeking reelection due to his inability to work with the Oak Harbor City Council. However, former Island Transit Boardmember Jim Campbell who graciously resigned from the Island Transit Board last year will give current Oak Harbor City Councilman Bob Severns a run for the money in the quest to be Mayor of Oak Harbor, Island County’s largest municipality. If the Whidbey News-Times newsroom are worth their salaries, they’ll ask about Island Transit.

It’s safe to say North by Northwest would have endorsed “Studley” for Mayor based on cleaning Island Transit up and forcing the discussion of new revenue streams to Island Transit. His looming presence and legacy in the Island Transit debate will be deeply missed.

North by Northwest 57: Senator Bailey Is On the Case…

April 14, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

View post on imgur.com

State Senator Barbara Bailey, R, 10th LD

Just wanted to reassure all my readers that Senator Barbara Bailey is on the Island Transit county connector case. One of Senator Bailey’s aides reached out yesterday to assure me, the County Connectors are Senator Bailey’s “number one transportation priority” and is very much working with Representative Dave Hayes on kick-starting Island Transit, Version 2.0.

Today the Everett Herald kindly quoted the State Senator as saying in support of Rep. Hayes’ rescue, “We as a state realize Island Transit is trying very hard to recover,” she said. “I think the time has come for them to charge fares. The cost of operating a transit system that is very much needed needs to be shared by everyone.”

I’m sure the Senator would agree with this archived Seattle Transit Blog post by Roger Valdez, one of Seattle’s intelligentsia, defending the virtue of fares:

The flawed logic comes home to roost when you consider that if we simply stopped charging for transit at the fare box—essentially creating a system wide “free ride zone”—then all those other taxes we pay would get more expensive to make up the difference. Sure, prices at the fare box have gone up, but abolishing them would mean all the other times we pay for transit would just get more expensive.

I would suggest to the We Won’t Pay folks that it is “free” that got us into this mess in the first place. The idea—as suggested on the We Won’t Pay website—that society and the economy should provide “Everything for Everyone” is what has driven government policy for the last 6 decades.

One would hope now Senator Curtis King (Republican) could please support this State House amendment to the transportation budget. Please.

North by Northwest View 14: Public Comment for Island Transit’s 13 April 2015 Meeting

April 12, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

http://i.imgur.com/WypY1n7l.jpg
Author photo from recent Island Transit Board Meeting

Below is my written public comment for the 13 April 2015 Island Transit Special Meeting. I have a $!%&@*^ last minute schedule conflict, so here goes.

As I cannot attend the Island Transit Board Special Meeting for 13 April due to a family situation, this is my public comment. Please accept and share.

First, I strongly support a fare on Island Transit’s connector routes. The message is transit users will pay up front for the transit services we use instead of just rely on sales tax subsides. That only makes sense. Furthermore, charging fares cause the Island Transit governance triad (board, director & director’s staff and upcoming driver’s union) to realize they have a financial stake in being responsive to riders and letting riders give input before decisions are made as riders’ fares replace grant dollars.

Second, I support with reservations Proposal 1 that was drawn up 23 March. Proposal 1’s last transit runs should start Northbound at 6 PM and Southbound at 6:30 PM so as to help commuters. It is very clear to me that as Republicans are on the rise in the state legislature and wish to focus on “congestion relief” we focus the County Connectors on serving commuters. We need to realize we will likely be asking for further state financial aid and as such by being on-message with their goal of “congestion relief” we can work collaboratively to accomplish the same goal. Furthermore by showing transit can result in effective congestion relief and helping keep disabled persons off of the dole, we align Island Transit with traditional small-c conservative causes making it more palatable to support Island Transit, Version 2.0.

Third, I did a bit of mathematics Sunday night in my consternation both at my absence and at Proposal 1’s too early final runs. With Representative Hayes’ $1 million for the biennium and if Skagit Transit was willing to participate alongside us, we could buy back each year not three runs each way at a combined annual cost of $143,547.46 as per Proposal 1 per service day but theoretically a bit over ten (10) with $500,000 per year.

So I propose Northbound shuttles at 5:35, 6:35, 7:35, 9:35, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 & 7:00. Southbound shuttles can start at 5:55, 6:45, 7:55, 9:55, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 & 6:30. Notice each shuttle is only 8 not 10. I did that so there was some money left over to install fareboxes and as a strategic reserve if there’s a drop-off in ridership, or if I’ve oversimplified the situation.

Special thanks to Representative Dave Hayes for stepping up. Just as I hope the first P-8A Poseidon to NAS Whidbey Island is named the USS Jim Slowik after his work on the P-8A basing, I hope when these buses for these shuttles are named – they’re named the Scott Dudley Express and the Dave Hayes Express.

North by Northwest 56: An Uncertain Future for the Island Transit Tri-County Connectors

April 10, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My Photoshop Showing Island Transit Route 411W at March’s Point at Night

Since November, Mr. North by Northwest has been dreading the day final decisions will be made on the “Tri-County Connectors” Island Transit commuter routes linking Camano Island with Mount Vernon and then linking Mount Vernon with Oak Harbor and points beyond. Those decisions impacting about 10% of the Island Transit ridership will be made at the end of a Special Island Transit Board Meeting at Island Transit HQ Monday starting at 9:30 AM.

Now together, the Island Transit participation in the Tri-County Connectors comprised 13.5% of the Island Transit ridership in 2014 – that’s with 411W (Oak Harbor to Skagit; 92,190 riders), 411C (Camano to Skagit Station, Mount Vernon; 29.851) & the now-suspended 412C between Camano Island & Everett Station, Everett (18.419) – you can check my math HERE if you wish. For the first three months of 2015, that’s dropped off to almost 9.8%. So it’s easy to understand the temptation for a county-level transit agency in dire fiscal straights to reduce or eliminate long-range capability for about 10% of the ridership. But that’s ridership commuting to/from work and arguably federal & state grantors are more gracious to funding commuters than students and tourists.

A Representative Hayes Fix for County Connectors

Today, Representative Dave Hayes (Republican, 10^th District) got a proposal through the State House that just might solve a few problems with one piece of legislation. The plan is for $1 Million to be given to Island Transit & Skagit Transit. Furthermore, the money will be held by the State Office of Financial Management (OFM) until, “a fare policy has been adopted for the Everett connector service that achieves a farebox recovery ratio similar to comparable routes that charge a fare” as per the proposed legislation.

Multiple sources, including Island Transit Board Member Jill Johnson, believe the solution is to use this million plus fares to leverage a link between Camano & Whidbey Islands, the two main islands of Island County – and we’ll revisit this. Furthermore, it’s very clear the state legislature and even Seattle Transit Blog commenters have extreme discomfort with Island Transit not charging a fare – aka “fare free”.

The Beginning of the End of Fare Free Island Transit?

Even though “fare free” neither created the current Island Transit fiscal fiasco nor was any different than sales tax subsidies to roads (SOURCE 1, SOURCE 2), there is a serious question as to how to replace grant dollars that now are being withdrawn at least in part. There is even the credible threat to withdraw county connector service completely – a decision that will be made deep into a 13 April special meeting at Island Transit HQ starting at 9:30 (link to agenda packet).

When it comes to transit, it’s important to realize this author’s bias is to serve more destinations – even if several transfers are necessary. The alternatives are to deny access out and outright or put the financial barrier of a taxi fare in the way. So obviously I’m not a “save my bus” or “one seat ride” guy.

Since the state legislature is in no mood to give direct funding to transit and the current Senate Transportation Committee Chair has said direct support of county-level transit agencies would be a “black hole that we will never, ever fill”, this may just have to do. Obviously when the State Auditor’s Office was requested to testify in front of the State Senate Transportation Committee about their audit of Island Transit; the state legislature has deep concern in investing in Island Transit.

At least now with the carrot & stick approach with funding contingent on Island Transit charging fares, this just shows that when Representative Dave Hayes said at one point last fall, “Shifting the focus back over to the state and saying the state needs to come in and support this is not a fair statement. Until Island Transit starts charging fares and operating in a more responsible manner, it will be a huge challenge to get additional state dollars;” Representative Hayes is a man of his word.

Potential Camano to Whidbey Connections

The problem is, these proposed connections are highly problematic. That’s if Island Transit Board Monday at their 9 AM special meeting decides to keep the Island County Connector. One option, called “Proposal 2” and page four (4) of this Scribd link shows a proposal to only serve Deception Pass. For Skagit Transit (Skagit County’s county level transit net), they’d have to make it to Cornet Bay to link up with Island Transit at all.

The other option best explained on page 8 shows a schedule that allows commuters to get off the main islands of Island County, but not necessarily get back. Commuters seeking to leave Whidbey would have to be ready to accept a 3 PM departure from Harbor Station, Oak Harbor to arrive at Skagit Station at 4 PM. The bus would then depart at 4:10, run to Camano and arrive at 4:40 PM – passing the bus going the other way. To get from Camano to Whidbey you’d have to leave Camano at 3:30 PM, arrive Skagit Station at 4:05 PM, then leave Skagit Station, Mount Vernon at 4:15 to arrive at Harbor Station, Oak Harbor at 5:15 PM. So if you work in Everett and need to get to Camano in the afternoon but miss that first northbound Skagit Transit 90X connection from Everett to Skagit Station, Mount Vernon which supposed to arrive at 4 PM but can easily be delayed… you are totally stranded.

So what is the solution? One option may be delaying these runs until starting at 5 PM or 6 PM. There already are plans for a northbound run starting at 6:35 AM and another southbound run at 6:45 AM. Or chucking the 9:35 AM northbound & 9:55 AM southbound routes and making another late afternoon or early evening run.

With this Proposal 1 in play thanks to Representative Dave Hayes, the focus should be on commuters. Doubly so with fares being required to get the $1 million state match for the biennium. Gone are the days when a $6 million biennium start-up grant could be lobbied for this route. Make sure to e-mail info-at-islandtransit.org your thoughts on this or attend the Monday, 13 April Island Transit Board 9:30 AM meeting at Island Transit HQ.

Oh and one more thing as I wrote recently, if a Republican State Senator with the last name of Bailey, first name of Barbara that Seattle Transit Blog endorsed in 2012 could please publicly apply pressure on her caucus leaders to not just support Representative Hayes’ fix but also give more money maybe the State Senate Republicans might just realize they need to remember their reluctant transit user allies and protect a vulnerable seat come the 2016 election cycle. But that polite request to help us in Northwest Washington needs to come from you – transfer from anti-spam barbara.bailey-AT-leg.wa.gov and shoot off a quick e-mail please.

North by Northwest 55: Island Transit’s Recovery Story

April 5, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

Author photo, “Island Transit Route 1 Bus & the OLF Coupeville Weeds”

Figured as promised on Easter Sunday 2015 I’d get around to posting the Island Transit Recovery Story without further comment:

ISLAND TRANSIT’S RECOVERY STORY

Island Transit is pleased to report it is in the midst of executing a recovery plan after having survived serious financial challenges requiring significant reductions in bus service in July and September 2014. A new Interim Executive Director was hired to implement recovery planning for future financial stability, and a new Board of Directors was appointed. At its first meeting of 2015, Island Transit’s Board adopted a stabilization plan including the following key strategies:
1. Development of a financial stabilization plan.
2. Consideration of new funding sources.
3. Review of overlapping service with other transit districts.
4. Ongoing review of all routes and schedules.
5. Investigation of collaborative transportation solutions with Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), school districts, and other qualifying organizations.
6. Discussion with neighboring public transit districts for ways to improve operating efficiencies.
Embracing these goals and strategies, the management team is aggressively monitoring, analyzing, and implementing policies and projects that will contribute to operating efficiencies and improved services. At the same time, budget levels are within approved parameters, and future service reductions must be avoided. Meanwhile, a number of new, constructive activities are underway in 2015 to set the foundation for a more promising future. Some of these efforts include:
• A carefully balanced 2015 budget.
• Continuation of the Service Enhancement Plan to reinstate and modify most transit services that were eliminated or reduced in 2014.
• Continuation of efforts to identify new sources of additional revenue.
• Development of an Asset Management Plan and accompanying Asset Replacement Plan.
• Continue regional service coordination efforts with Skagit, Whatcom, and Snohomish Counties.
As the year progresses, we will continue to plan for added weekday service, the return of discontinued service, and scheduled replacement of aging buses. Improvements and expansion in transit service will be slow in coming, but Island Transit is more encouraged and excited about its future than it was just a few short months ago. Thank you, Island County, for your continued support.

You can read the original and see the signatures on the Island Transit website’s hosted PDF. I would appreciate it if it was, “Thank you, Washington State, for your continued grace and patience with us as we overcome bad progressive fiscal management” but alas this letter was more for Island County consumption…

North by Northwest 52: End-of-March Island Transit Update

March 30, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

View post on imgur.com

Author Photo of the 27 March 2015 Island Transit Board Meeting

I decided to take the long way to work Friday the 27th via Whidbey Island to catch the Island Transit meeting and of course, OLF Coupeville action. After making a few comments in support of the Tri-County Connectors with a fare, I took in what information I could from the Island Transit board meeting. Very disappointed two boardmembers got themselves excused absences while the Board addressed failing radios after one public commentator talked about his health scare on Island Transit, a plan to make public a mission statement of recovery, making surplus various vehicles to pay for replacing a few, and implement a Request For Proposals/RFP to get advertising on the outside of the buses modeled after Whatcom Transit Authority/WTA and possibly bus shelters.

It seems regarding the bus radios Island Transit is dragging their feet, blaming the FCC and seeking “management time” as the new Board chair would put it. One would think Island Transit with no reserves would be doing just about anything to reduce their potential liability… like maybe having cellular capable tablets as backup.

When the Island Transit letter is public, expect a copy here. I understand the letter will focus on a recovery strategy for Island Transit.

Thanks to Glenn in Portland for noting Island Transit’s new schedules. Seems to be the third or fourth new schedules since 1 July.

Also please note at 13 April at 9:30 AM is finally expected a decision on the Tri-County Connectors. One Island Transit boardmember wants the decision made before the legislature adjourns hoping sufficient pressure can be created for a state legislative rescue package – an act that I’m sure STB commentators will unleash upon. However various official observers of the situation also want & need an answer sooner rather than later.

You can watch the videos of 75-85% of the 27 March Island Transit meeting here. Enjoy and thanks Gayle!

North by Northwest 50: Following Up…

March 8, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My Photo, “Going for that black & white look of an Island Transit 411W at March’s Point, Anacortes, WA“

Two separate transit agencies are on two very interesting paths – namely Island Transit & Community Transit.

For Island Transit, tomorrow the 9th of March, the Island Transit Board will gather to discuss on the agenda, among other things:

Discussion of Financial Stabilization Plan and Correspondence from the Board of Directors (“Island Transit’s Recovery Story” letter)
Surplus Vehicles
New Revenue Sources [Advertising, Fares]
Service Issues [such as the Tri-County Connectors & service to Ault Field – the main NAS Whidbey Island campus to the north of Oak Harbor.].
Status of Audit Findings and Resolutions

The special meeting is planned to run from 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM, but a majority of the board can extend the meeting time to address agenda items, which seems likely to this keen observer. I have a photoshoot scheduled tentatively at 1 PM in Mukilteo so can’t be there.

For those STB readers who may be unaware, Island Transit has an interim CEO in Ken Graska and it’s been decided to wait to seek a permanent replacement while Island Transit seeks alternative revenue streams and conducts route restructures. Also Coupeville City Council decided to replace the controversial rep Bob Clay with Island County Human Services Director & Town of Coupeville Councilwoman Jackie Henderson.

My black & white iPod photo snap of Community Transit Swift BRT at Everett Station

For Community Transit, the story’s a bit different. First, for those few who may not have heard, the Snohomish County Council approved a lease option contingent on an Environmental Assessment for Paine Field commercial service a week ago. But as two dueling press releases by proponents Propeller Airports and in opposition Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson posted at MyEverettNews.com indicate, both pro & con can only agree the County Council vote is a step not a finale. Major issues remain, such as addressing traffic & transit access & how many passengers will actually use the terminal on the east side of Paine Field – which could factor in any discussion about ST3 having light rail service Paine Field.

New CEO Emmett Heath arguably put it right when he wrote in Community Transit’s press release announcing his hiring, “We’re back in growth mode. Today, we have every driver and every bus out on the road, yet we know there are still unmet needs in our community,” said Heath. The plan is to get state legislative authorization to seek voter approval to raise taxes three-tenths of one percent to fund Community Transit expansion. Other items of a growth-focused tenure are in the works such as working well with other transit agencies and a few transit projects.

North by Northwest 35: Island Transit Is On the Naughty List…

December 7, 2014 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

“Kodacolor of Island Transit Bus at Oak Harbor Dusk“, my photo

First, my apologies to all of you being late. Spent half of my evening chasing down a potential lead on Island Transit – and found out their ridership statistics had flaws. Do you know how? I did some Googles, fueled partially by Guy’s photojournalism noting what kind of bus Island Transit uses for Route 1, to raise some serious red flags to the intel team working to hold Island Transit to account for questionable ridership stats. Expect a news story at the appropriate time…

Teaser given of coming attractions, let’s remember that Island Transit leaders have confessed that they cannot meet the match for the state grant to the Tri-County Connector. As per previous postings, Island Transit has serious fiscal problems and state legislators have made clear Island Transit needs to quit being dependent on special appropriations. But make no mistake: One of Whidbey’s state representatives was clear back on 27 June 2014, “Island Transit must recognize that temporary grants and legislative bailouts are not sustainable sources of funding, and it needs to make the same commitment as Skagit Transit to cover the costs “in house” as promised.”

However, a senior Skagit Transit official has assured Seattle Transit Blog that if/when Island Transit makes changes to 411W, Skagit Transit will be consulted. Also reviewing the recent Skagit-Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SIRTPO) audio, Commissioner Price-Johnson & Island Transit Boardmember – for at least the rest of 2014 – made clear Island Transit will not be allowed to abandon 411W on her watch.

Sources also indicate federal & state legislative staffs are scrambling to find a solution. The main motivation is the need for Whidbey veterans to access mainland health care, followed by general regional mobility. So the future for what according to questionable ridership statistics is 10% of Island Transit’s ridership of the Island County transit link over the Deception Pass Bridge to Skagit County & points beyond is a big fat question mark…

Perhaps maybe it’s fair to note this week the Oak Harbor City Council after getting a firm warning from Mayor Scott Dudley about the future of Island Transit to explain his strident, proactive acts to replace Mayor Dudley with Councilmember Rick Almberg who has promised to drill deep into Island Transit while “working with whomever is appointed to that board” and rebuild public trust. Furthermore, the Island County Commissioners will be replacing their representation on the Island Transit Board before the end of the month – possibly replacing Commish Helen Price-Johnson with a reluctant Commish Jill Johnson to get Bob Clay out as Chairman. Yes, that Bob Clay who impugned the Washington State Auditors Office. One would hope somehow accountability will arrive to Island Transit before it’s too late… like before RCW 36.57A.160 (3) can be initiated to put Island Transit on the ballot via petition gathering as Bill Burnett of IslandPolitics.org has threatened when public support for Island Transit on Whidbey has hit historic lows.

Editorial Comment: Yup, as goes 411W to provide regional mobility goes Island Transit – two big fat question marks. We transit advocates can argue and believe in the merits of mass transit; but when small businesspeople don’t see the benefits, when the narrative is mostly negative, when Island Transit leadership seemingly can’t take advice to keep the ship of state, when law enforcement and federal grant managers are investigating, and when Island County has a strong Tea Party movement… the political tinderbox is dry and full of flammable material.