Angoon facing ferry cutback considers private service

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – A small Alaska city struggling with reduced state ferry service is considering using a private vessel, but the cost is problematic.
The Juneau Empire reported Wednesday that Angoon held a community meeting Nov. 15 to discuss chartering a private vessel for transport north to Juneau.
Officials say supplies arrived in the city on Admiralty Island each week using the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry before those services were cut back due to state budget cuts.
Angoon officials have proposed chartering a catamaran owned by Goldbelt Inc., but large numbers of tickets need to be purchased to keep prices affordable.
Angoon Mayor Joshua Bowen says in a social media post that only 18 passengers were registered for a Nov. 24 trip, making the cost of a single ticket more than $300.
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Information from: Juneau (Alaska) Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com