The Ferry Committee election was finally certified and put to rest at the Sunday, April 5th, quarterly meeting. I stress finally.

The Ferry Committee did their homework and were ready to defend the legality of their decision to seat both candidates in spite of arguments asserting otherwise.

Glen Veal recused himself, took a seat in the audience, and Steve Orsini chaired the meeting.

Steve invited both Allen Bush and Glen Veal to the Ferry Committee table and be seated on the Committee. That invitation sparked a volley of raised hands. Steve informed everyone that public comments would come later, but patience had left the room.

The validity of seating six members was questioned but quickly put to rest, in no uncertain terms, by the Ferry Committee's legal counsel, Mary Brennan.

This is the first time, in my memory, that legal counsel attended a quarterly meeting. This was necessitated by a barrage of threats and haranguing of Ferry Committee members.

Phone calls lobbying for another option to break the tie ran rampant. Mary Brennan informed the proponents that a coin toss was no more legal than seating both since the Ferry Committee charter was silent on the matter of a resolving a tie election.

Another question was posed to Steve Orsini, why do only registered voters and not all Guemes Island property owners get a vote? It seems Don Munks (former County Commissioner) issued that directive to the Ferry Committee in 2004. Besides, in every other matter, we can only vote in one precinct, typically where our primary residence lies.

An amended charter will be written and voted on by the membership at the annual meeting in the first quarter 2010. Legal counsel will probably be consulted during that process.

Glen and Allen were finally seated amid applause from most of the people in the room.

 Many proponents of a coin toss either left early or did not join in.

Good luck Glen and welcome Allen!

- Commentary by MJ Andrak