On Watch

BY PETER SCHRAPPEN

In a topsy-turvy time, PETER SCHRAPPEN explores how local agencies are still looking out for boaters on the water.

If nothing else, COVID-19 has allowed our society the chance to reexamine how we do business. Maybe it’s customs like handshakes or five-day work weeks. What about the school year and having kids stay home when they are sick or for professionals opting to pop into a meeting virtually instead of commuting for a 15-minute meeting in Washington, D.C.? (As I’ve been known to do.) When it comes to government affairs, what are the silver linings out there? For one, partnerships and collaborative action have risen in importance. Mutual self-interest rules and the relationships that existed pre-pandemic count even more. Specifically, the team effort in place to solve the permitting impasse coming out of National Marine Fisheries Service, the advocacy around fully funding Seattle Harbor Patrol, and the Montlake Bridge closures all are about “we” and not about the “me” of government affairs. Take the permitting issue. You may remember this migraine-inducing issue stems from a policy set in March 2018 that treats all improvements to existing marinas as new projects. What’s worse, there was not a path forward to offset this so-called new construction. Fast forward through arduous meetings and much frustration, and get ready for some good news. In the last couple of weeks, Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) spearheaded a letter sent to NMFS that shared the collective frustration and requested that they put a plan in place so projects can move forward. Northwest Marine Trade Association and Recreational Boating Association of Washington also continually pressed decision makers for support, and it looks like our calls did not go unanswered. Let’s move onto Seattle Harbor Patrol. If you have visited Lake Union recently, you’ll notice that you are not alone out there. Hopefully, you have not needed the services of Seattle Harbor Patrol. The understaffed officers are stretched thin and struggle to keep up with the demand out there, whether it’s Andrews Bay or boating mishaps around Seattle. Unfortunately, the total number of officers (about 14) is about half of what a full-strength team looks like. To make matters worse, the Seattle City Council is looking to continue to poke holes in the department with what I would consider unneeded studies and whispers of moving the entire force to Seattle Fire. That’s the bad news. The good news is that about 40 companies and associations, again spearheaded by NMTA, RBAW, and North Seattle Industrial Association, have put together a campaign to save the Harbor Patrol. Doesn’t the Seattle City Council have enough problems to solve? Why are they trying to solve something that doesn’t need solving (outside of getting them the money to hire officers)? Oy vey. Bringing us home here, let’s examine the Montlake Cut and the drawbridge. Looking at this project in the rearview mirror, your favorite boating associations sprung into action and convinced Washington Department of Transportation to keep boaters in mind as this bridge under construction for a month. The transportation department listened and proffered a solution that accommodates boaters. Wrapping up, here are a few truisms that have provided the right mix for success here: • Out of sight, out of mind. • Together we stand, divided we fall. • Relationships trump information. While everything else seems topsy-turvy right now, it is refreshing, at least for me, to know that advocacy efforts during the pandemic do not look much different than pre-pandemic.