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Legislators hear from tribe,
school and county officials of the need for new Keller ferry
'Our communities
in the area absolutely depend on this ferry and we've got to find a way
to work together to make this happen,'
says Short
Members of the Washington
State House Transportation Committee joined local legislators, tribal
members, school and county officials, as well as representatives from
the Governor's office, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers' office, and
Sen. Maria Cantwell's office in an effort to find a solution for the
aging ferry at Keller.
The current vessel, the "Martha S.," was recently suspended from service
while repairs were made to a section of the hull that had rusted
through. The ferry has been in continual service since 1948 and is
in desperate need of replacing.
Rep. Shelly Short, R-Addy, worked with members of the
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to promote the event and
invited colleagues from the West side of the state to see firsthand the
importance of the ferry and the critical need to replace it.
"I'm so grateful that my colleagues from the West side of the state were
able to join us today," Short said. "We've talked
about how important the Keller Ferry is to the region, but until you
visit the area and actually ride the ferry and see what a vital link it
is in connecting our rural communities, it's importance just can't sink
in.
"Through today's events, I'm hopeful that our message will resonate to
others in the Legislature and we can find funding for a new ferry in the
2010 supplemental transportation budget," Short said.
"We're also looking at ways to procure some federal stimulus money as
well. The bottom line is we're looking at this from every angle.
Our communities in the area absolutely depend on this ferry and we've
got to find a way to work together to make this happen."
Legislators met early this morning at the South terminal on Hwy. 21 in
Lincoln County where they received background and historical information
on the ferry. They were also able to see the chunk of rusted metal
recently removed from the hull of the current ferry. From there,
they rode the boat across the Columbia River and met at the Keller
Community Center for presentations from citizens, school personnel,
tribal members, and county officials.
A
homemade lunch was provided by the tribe which, according to
Short, was a generous and much appreciated part of the day.
Rep. Dan Roach, R-Bonney Lake, and the ranking Republican
on the House Transportation Committee, said he was impressed with the
history of the ferry and the region's obvious reliance upon its
continued service.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to visit with the community leaders
and school officials impacted by the Keller Ferry," Roach
said. "They did a great job stating their case and it's something
they're obviously passionate about, and for good reason. It's
difficult to find a West side comparison to the Keller
ferry. This is a relatively small operation, yet its impact is
felt for over a hundred miles in each direction. And, it impacts
everyone from school children to tourists; from those transporting
goods, to those seeking medical care. It's an impressive system
that the community relies upon. Having visited the area and seen
the operation firsthand, I feel like I can now help convey the situation
to my colleagues in the Legislature."
At the end of the meeting, Short thanked her seatmates
in the 7th Legislative District,
Rep. Joel Kretz and Sen. Bob Morton, for
their support as well.
"This has been a joint effort," Short said. "So
many people have helped get the message out. I couldn't be more
pleased with today's event. Now, it's up to us to continue that
momentum and get a new ferry in place as quick as possible."
The 2010 legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 11, and runs for 60
days.
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For more information, contact:
Brendon Wold, Senior
Information Officer:
(509) 921-2356
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