Effective today, the Sistersville Ferry, which was slated to be open with extended hours during the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival, will remain idle until spring.

The Sistersville Council convened Thursday evening for an emergency meeting to address a major issue plaguing the city. After a lengthy discussion, the council voted to cease operation of the ferry for the season due to the growing deficit in the ferry budget.

“It really isn’t fair that a municipality is charged with maintaining a river crossing that is technically an extension of W.Va. 18 to the Ohio border,” remarked Tyler County Development Authority Director Eric Peters. This is the approach Peters and city officials are taking in their quest to find a permanent solution to the ferry’s fiscal problems.

Although the West Virginia Department of Transportation has already approved a grant for the Sistersville Ferry in the amount of $85,600, the funds can only be used for maintenance and repairs to the vessel and upgrades to the terminal, or landing. In the past, all necessary repairs have been paid for with money taken in by fares or from funds allocated by the council. Peters hopes the impending grant will take care of these expenses for the next two to three years. “The emergency costs will not be so dire,” he explained.

But the issues at hand required the council members to look at the present situation without regard for the future of the operation.

In a review of the figures for the ferry, Recorder Diana Mace reported the balance in checking as $473 after approved bills were deducted. However, invoices for fuel charges made after Sept. 1; insurance premiums; and payroll for the three pilots and three deckhands the ferry employs, remain outstanding. There is also an invoice for transmission work ($5,000) that has not been paid, pending uncertain financial assistance from the state. “We are looking at a deficit of $10,000 plus, just to get through December,” Mace said.

The ferry closes every November, but with the vessel already operating in the red, the council was faced with a tough decision. “The decision is almost being made for us,” remarked Councilman Curtis Heintzman. “If we don’t have money to operate it, as a governing board is it very responsible for us to continue to operate the ferry? Honestly?”

Heintzman recognized there would be citizens who were unhappy should the council vote to close the ferry early, but he urged his colleagues to be “fiscally responsible” when dealing with the situation. “We’ve got two separate issues here. The first is what to do now. The second is what do we do for the long term. Are we really sure we are going to be able to secure funds?”

“You are assured $85,600.” Peters reinforced.

“But that does not cover the operation of the ferry,” Heintzman asserted.

“That’s correct,” Peters confirmed.

“You had two months when your revenue was down and you had two major transmission repairs,” Peters said. “You’re going to have a reserve to cover these kinds of things for the next two to three years.”

“The future is not the issue,” commented Councilman Doug Williams. “we need to look at what we have right now.”

“Even if we stop it now,” Mayor Dave Fox interjected. “we still owe thousands.”

Sistersville Planning Commission President Harold Dally offered his help to the council. “I’m willing to do what I believe the others members of the commission would want to do,” he said. “We could offer $10,000 for the ferry.”

Additionally, Dally said he would be willing to personally solicit funds from private donors in the community. “I believe I could raise $3,000 by asking for donations.”

He offered the money with the stipulations that the other members of the commission agreed and the city would promise to re-open the ferry operation in the spring. “I think the ferry is an important part of this community,” Dally said.

“Donations are always welcomed,” Mace said. “If it comes in here and it’s earmarked for the ferry, that’s where it’s going. But we’ve been here before, and the last time we put it in the newspaper, we didn’t receive anything.”

Adding a fee to the municipal bills does not seem to be a viable solution, either. Mace recalled a meeting held several years ago when the ferry was in financial distress. “It was probably the biggest council meeting we’ve ever had in Sistersville. The people were defiant when it came to supporting the ferry by paying a fee on their bills.”

Heintzman commented, “I saw a bunch of comments on the Tyler Star News message board in support of the ferry, but I had more people to me and express the same thing Diana just said. . .if it came to them paying for the ferry. . .it could go.”

Mace said, “People are tapped,”

Still, Dally was adamant he could raise the funds. He did, however, have reservations. “I don’t want to raise money and give $10,000 of the Planning Commission’s money if the city isn’t going to open it again in the spring,” Dally said.

Williams said, “I don’t think starting up again in the spring is the issue. I think the issue is what we already owe and what we can do to keep it open for the remainder of the season. Even if you do promise $13,000, it’s not a guarantee that we can keep it open.”

“I think it would be wonderful if Mr. Dally could make that stuff happen,” stated Councilman Vance Ash. “But I think we need to take action and shut the ferry down.”

Councilman Bill Rice crunched the figures to determine the estimated cost to keep the ferry open until November. “There’s no way we can keep it open,” he concluded.

“I’ve been warning this was coming,” Mace said. “No one wants to be the one to shut the ferry down but at some point the city must be fiscally responsible. You can take the promises from everywhere you want but if it doesn’t come through, every one of you is liable for this.”

“Seeing the general condition, I will make the motion to shut the ferry down (immediately) until we can secure further funds for operation,” Heintzman stated.

The motion was seconded by Williams and passed with no opposition.

Rice commented,”I just think it’s best.”

The council agreed they made the most fiscally responsible decision considering the financial dilemma the city faces. Effective today, the Sistersville Ferry, which was slated to be open with extended hours during the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival, will remain idle until spring.