In one of his first public events since being elected, Bob Ferguson looked towards Whidbey Island.

The governor-elect paid a visit on Wednesday, traveling aboard the Olympic-class Tokitae ferry on the Mukilteo-Clinton route, listening as ferry employees shared their stories and then meeting with Whidbey leaders and elected officials at Clinton Community Hall, where they shared their concerns about the ferry system.

Ferguson began the day with a brief press conference at the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, fielding questions about the status of Washington State Ferries. In May, the ferry system expects to have three bids – one of which is Whidbey’s own Nichols Brothers Boat Builders – to construct five 160-car hybrid-electric vessels.

The incoming governor acknowledged other challenges that must be addressed, including the budget and a lack of workers.

“If you have a crisis, you need to act like it’s a crisis,” Ferguson said.

As Ferguson paused to repeat a question about the transition from state attorney general to governor, the moment was humorously punctuated by the sound of the foghorn from the approaching ferry, followed by an answering train whistle nearby. When the noise quieted, Ferguson said he had mixed feelings about leaving behind his former role of 12 years but was looking forward to the new opportunity to serve in a different way.

Before boarding the boat shortly after noon, Ferguson stopped to take a selfie with longtime employee Sheri Pfeifer, who has worked for the ferry system for 17 years. Currently, she’s in charge of operating the walkway between the ferry and the terminal. Once onboard, the governor-elect also chatted with engine room staff.

At Clinton Community Hall, Ferguson was joined by other elected officials, including state representatives Dave Paul, Greg Nance and Jake Fey, state Sen. Marko Liias and Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair. Steve Nevey, the assistant secretary for Washington State Ferries, was also present on the panel.

During the open-ended session, Ferguson said he supported the investments proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee in his final budget, and his goal is to increase them. Inslee’s 2025-2027 budget allocates $794 million for ferry services. One new change is Ferguson’s plan to invite Nevey to cabinet meetings to hear directly from the person operating the ferry system.

Jack Schwab, chair of the Coupeville Ferry Advisory Committee, asked about the need for additional ferries between now and 2040 to replace an aging fleet.

Paul responded that there may be opportunities to build more quickly and acknowledged that the legislature has learned that it needs to do a better job with maintenance throughout the entire transportation system.

“That maintenance isn’t as sexy as getting new ferries on the water, but it’s really important,” Paul said.

Setting himself apart from the outgoing governor, however, Ferguson said he would prioritize getting more boats in the water faster, even if that means relying on diesel-fueled vessels.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know this bothers some of my friends, right? But that’s what I will do.”

Dean Enell, chair of the Clinton Ferry Advisory Committee, highlighted the importance of getting cars off the boats, which contribute to lengthy lines over the summer. He suggested free fare for walk-on passengers.

“We as a community in Puget Sound have spent probably, I’m going to guess, $60 billion building that thing going up and down I-5, the light rail,” he said. “By God, the ferry’s got to take advantage of that.”

The discussion strayed to passenger-only ferries, though officials acknowledged Washington State Ferries’ limited bandwidth to build a passenger-only fleet. Curt Gordon, a commissioner for the Port of South Whidbey, spoke of the entity’s efforts to create a passenger-only ferry dock in Clinton.

Lynda Eccles, the executive director of the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce, asked about the ferry system’s plans to restore the Coupeville-Port Townsend route, which currently is served by only one 64-car boat. Military personnel, residents and tourists rely on the route. Nevey answered that it’s hard to figure out how to restore routes until there are new vessels.

Standing before the room, Ferguson had one more closing thought to share.

“There are tradeoffs but I just feel like as a state that we need to be prepared to make those difficult decisions,” he said.

The state legislature’s 2025 session kicks off Jan. 13. Ferguson takes office as the new governor Jan. 15.

Photo by David Welton Surrounded by staffers, members of the media and other elected representatives, Bob Ferguson boarded the ferry to Clinton Jan. 8.

Photo by David Welton Bob Ferguson addressed local leaders and elected officials at Clinton Community Hall Wednesday.