JERSEY: City of Grafton approves funding for ferry appraisal

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By Steven Spencer

The Grafton City Council approved a motion to use $2,500 from the Grafton Ferry Funds for a fair market value appraisal of two Calhoun Ferry Company vessels during their regular council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

George Andres, Ferry Task Force Committee Chair, explained to the council that the committee has been looking at implementing the recommendations from last year’s ferry study, and is currently looking at a purchase agreement between the City of Grafton and the Calhoun Ferry Company.

Andres said the appraisal of the Eagle II and barge, conducted by Merrill Marine Services, would be the next step in the process as the committee pursues their goal of establishing ferry service 16 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

“The purchase amount would be determined by the fair market value of those two vessels,” he said. “Calhoun Ferry Company would then in turn give the City of Grafton a loan for the amount of that purchase, as set by the fair market value.”

Transferring the owner to the city would allow for federal Ferry Boat Program funding to be used for operating costs, Andres said.

“With the public ownership of the vessels, the Ferry Boat Program funds would double what they are now. You are receiving ferry boat fund allocations now, although we haven’t used it in several years, but with the City of Grafton owning the vessels the amount that you would get from the Ferry Boat Program doubles to approximately $2 per trip,” Andres said. “Then we’re asking Calhoun Ferry Company to increase their rates by 50 cents and remit to the City of Grafton a dollar per trip, so that would produce your revenue.”

Andres said that the increase would correspond with projected traffic of 200 vehicles a day and would produce the 20% match required for the federal funding. He also stated that they would be trying to get additional funding from the State of Illinois and Missouri as they work to subsidize operations.

“We are going to be working with our legislators and requesting funds both from the State of Illinois and the State of Missouri,” he said. “Our estimate at this point is $200,000 per year from Illinois and $200,000 a year from Missouri.”

Mayor Mike Morrow said the Ferry Fund line item has already been established and has $6,600 with funds that came from the Calhoun Ferry Company at 25 cents per car coming across last year, and reminded everyone that nothing has been approved yet.

“We’re just looking at all these different options that are out there. Anything that comes together, we come back to the council for a vote,” he said. “This is the first step. I’m very pleased with the work that the committee has been doing on this, and George himself particularly.”

Mayor Morrow also mentioned that the Calhoun County Commissioners have been looking at similar options for the Golden Eagle Ferry and barge.

Andres said that the Golden Eagle Ferry has much more traffic, generating $250,000 from the federal Ferry Boat Program and said the county could also subsidize the operation using the funds if they acquired the vessels.

Calhoun County Commissioners discussed moving forward with appraisals during their February meeting after speaking with the Calhoun Ferry Company.

Commissioner Patrick Simons said after speaking with the ferry he felt it was something the county needs to pursue as well.

“I think we very much have to go through with it anyway because it doesn’t sound like we’ll have a ferry for much longer if we don’t,” Simon said while noting the importance of ferry access for Calhoun residents.