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02/12/2008: "New WSF Director May Be Good News For SJC"

David Moseley is the new Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for the Ferries Division, and he is no stranger to County Administrator Pete Rose. After a council meeting that discussed ferry related issues (see story above) Rose said that Moseley “has the backbone needed to get things done.”

Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Moseley to replace former director Mike Anderson. who retired in 2007. Moseley was the Vice President for the Institute for Community Change in Seattle, and had been Federal Way city manager from 1999 to 2006. Rose was a city manager of Woodinville.

When Gregoire appointed Moseley she stated that she was “pleased to. ..launch a new day and a new direction for the Washington state ferry system,” and said that. “over the next 18 months, I have asked Secretary Hammond and her new ferry system assistant secretary to transform the state ferry system so during these changing times it will remain the safest, most responsive, and highest caliber system in the world.”



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The governor has specified three areas of improvement she hopes will ensure that Washington state has a healthy, cost-effective ferry system well into the future. They are:

• A fleet preservation and maintenance program that sets the standard for industry best practices.
• A restructured, nimble, organization that provides outstanding customer service and in partnership with each of the communities it serves, and meets the needs of a growing Puget Sound region.
• A funding plan that is lean, and sustainable in the long-term, and that accommodates the preservation of vessels and regular replacement within their planned life span.

“We are committed to having a sustainable, well run state ferry system that will continue to serve the Puget Sound communities long into the future,” said Secretary Hammond. “I believe David brings the organizational and management experience we need to see the Ferries Division continue its long and respected history of serving the citizens of Washington.”

Moseley joins WSDOT during a time of increased scrutiny after Hammond took all four of the Steel Electric class vessels out of service due to safety concerns about hull corrosion; an action that has led to wide criticism from the SJC Ferry Advisory Committee and others in the state that the move was an attempt to force funding for new ferries. Questions have also been asked why all four were removed when only one was tested.

In any case, the decision led to service disruptions on San Juan County routes. “This is a big job with big challenges,” Moseley said. “Working with the Governor, Secretary Hammond, Sen. Haugen, Rep. Clibborn, WSDOT and ferry system staff, ferry communities, riders and labor, I am confident we will strengthen the ferry system to provide the best service possible and begin to restore the public trust and confidence in the ferry system.”

Moseley has 15 years of service in city manager positions for three Washington State cities. Previously he directed the Department of Community Development, the Division of Youth Services, and the Community Accountability Program (juvenile justice) for the City of Seattle.

Other experience includes Staff Director, Speaker of the Washington State House of Representatives and Director, Telegraph Avenue Community Center (Oakland). David was a Presidential Appointee to the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He received his Masters of Divinity from Golden Gate Theological Seminary and his BA from Willamette University.

Since its creation in 1951, Washington State Ferries (WSF) has become the largest ferry system in the United States and the third largest in the world, carrying more than 24 million passengers each year.

WSF operates 23 vessels and 20 ferry terminals, from Point Defiance (Tacoma) in the south, to Sidney, British Columbia in the north. Thousands of commuters, employers, students, tourists and commercial shippers depend on WSF every day for safe, reliable transportation across the Sound.