State, county dispute emergency ferry cost

Wahkiakum County officials are seeking a clarification or change in the state law that sets the state subsidy for county ferry operations.

Traditionally, the state has funded 80 percent of the maintenance and operation costs of the ferry in regular service, and, in the minds of county officials, 100 percent in emergencies when the ferry runs full time.

However, fiduciary staff of the Washington State Department of Transportation have refused in the past two years at least to cover entirely the extra expenses the county has incurred.

The state staff have pointed to language in the bill setting the funding that limits the payments to the county to the total which the legislature appropriates for the year or biennium.

The county road fund is now looking at a $244,000 short fall resulting from operating the ferry when SR 4 was closed, Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Tuesday.

Ringen and Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow said they read the statute differently, with the state agreeing to be responsible for 100 percent of the cost of operation in emergencies.

"It's very unfair," Ringen said. "I don't feel they're interpreting the statute correctly. We can't continue to operate that way without meager resources."

Ringen said he had spoken with the county's state representatives about the issue, and Rep. Dean Takko is going to work on it.

The governor's office may also get involved, he added.

The ferry is considered part of the state highway transportation system, and the county runs it free of charge in emergencies after contacting state DOT officials.

Ringen said the State of Oregon requested the ferry make extra runs when a slide knoced out US 30 near Clatskanie last month.

Ringen said southwest Washington DOT officials worked with counterparts from Oregon Department of Transportation to arrange payment.