Why is the ferry still in Ketchikan?

To the editor:

According to your recent article, officials in the Marianas Islands “expressed bafflement” about potentially getting the M/V Susitna.

I’ll admit to a little bafflement myself, since during the recent Mat-Su Borough election, the mayor said there was a “simple solution” to our ferry problem. At the Mat-Su Business Alliance forum, the mayor, with assemblyman Ron Arvin at his side, said all we need to do is drive in three pilings at Port MacKenzie, buy a used barge and tie the Susitna up safe and sound until we figure things out.

This was in September, so given our current docking costs in Ketchikan, that was only about $220,000 ago. What’s the holdup?

Mark Masteller

Palmer