City staff told the council the federally funded ferry pilot is a tentative, informational step and that issuing RFPs for vessel design and landings would not itself obligate the city. Staff and residents disagreed over operating costs, environmental claims and potential impacts on the private water taxi.

Resilience staff said five East Coast operators and one vendor from Texas responded to the city's ferry RFI; staff expect to advertise RFPs for design-building and landing sites and to complete a feasibility study by next summer.