Last Friday evening, I joined many in frustration upon receiving the announcement of yet another week of a two-boat schedule greeting us on Monday morning. More wasted time again foisted upon us because another boat is broken yet again. And in less than two weeks, we get to welcome a new schedule, the efficacy of which has been highly debated.

I sent a brief email to our new State Senator, Joe Nguyen, requesting that he invite the Assistant Secretary of Ferries, Amy Scarton, to visit Vashon and Southworth. Her last personal visit was nearly two years ago, shortly after her arrival on the job as head of WSF. Since then, we have been relegated to the government relations director and a selection of other WSF staffers who have shown limited interested in our input.

As the person appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to lead the ferry system, Secretary Scarton has an obligation to the taxpayers and ferry riders to hear directly from us. Her lack of regular face time on our island seems to indicate that she is uncomfortable with or simply not interested in what we have to say.

Our rates have continued to rise while service has diminished over the last several years. Amy Scarton needs to come to this community and personally assure us that the new schedule will cause this coming summer to not be a repeat of the last few years. Moreover, she needs to address the maintenance of the boats that are causing these frequent two-boat schedules.

Join me in extending an invitation to Secretary Scarton to visit us here on Vashon. The more of us she hears from, the easier it will be to accept our offer.

Drop a note to Sen. Nguyen at Joe.Nguyen@leg.wa.gov or directly to Secretary Scarton at ScartoA@wsdot.wa.gov. It’s time for Vashon to stand up and be heard, and for the head of the ferry system to listen.

— Jon Flora