Judge Orders County to Act

Following oral arguments presented on Friday morning, July 31, 2026, presiding Judge Kathryn Loring again found in favor of Fair Fares in the matter of the non-expiring punch cards and recalculating the 2025 fares.  Please see her ruling below:

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON
FOR SKAGIT COUNTY
In the Matter of:
STEPHEN D. ORSINI, ARMEN J. BOGOSIAN,
GLEN A. VEAL, JOSEPH L. BURDOCK,
Petitioners,
No. 25-2-00131-29
V.
ORDER ON MOTION TO ENFORCE
ORDER ON REMAND
THE BOARD OF SKAGIT COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS, JOE BURNS, RON
WESEN AND PETER BROWNING (about
Resolutions #R20250009 and #R20250015)
Respondents.

This matter came before the Court on the Respondents' Motion to Enforce Order on Remand,
in connection with the Court's Decision on Appeal Per RCW 36.32.330 dated January 15, 2026. The
Court has considered the Petitioners' Motion, the Respondents' Answer to Motion to Enforce
Remand and accompanying Declaration of Marie Lambert, the Petitioners' Reply on Motion to
Enforce Order and accompanying Declaration of Carl Marquardt, and the records and files herein. In
addition, the Court heard oral argument of the parties on July 31, 2026.

Based on the foregoing, and being fully advised, the Court hereby ORDERS:
Within 31 days of this Court's order, the Respondents shall provide to Petitioners
a detailed accounting of expenses included in the 2025 Operations & Maintenance
("O&M") budget for the Guemes Island Ferry (the "Ferry"), including allocation of all
vendor, staff, and other expenses;

Within 45 days of this Order, the Respondents shall recalculate the 2025 Ferry
Revenue Target Report, and corresponding entries for 2025 O&M expenses in related
reports, using only proper O&M expenses (excluding all capital costs associated with
engine installation, outdrives, extended dry-docking, and related refurbishment, and all
other vendor charges that should properly be coded to capital under general accounting
principles and the WSDOT Interagency Agreement);

Within 61 days of this Order, the Respondents shall enter a Resolution affirming
that all COVID Emergency Punch Cards (issued without an expiration date) and
Convenience Cards (marked "no-expiry") sold to Guemes Island Ferry passengers will be
honored, without a deadline for conversion to the County's electronic ticketing system,
and without unreasonable restrictions being placed on the terms, conditions, or
circumstances by which the COVID Emergency Punch Cards and Convenience Cards
may be converted to the County's electronic ticketing system.

Ordered this 31st day of July, 2026.
Judge Kathryn C. Loring