A new City Council committee to explore ways to continue St. Johns River Ferry operations will meet Thursday at 4 p.m. at City Hall.

Councilman Bill Gulliford, whose district covers the Beaches, will chair the panel.

The Jacksonville Port Authority voted Monday to stop ferry operations Sept. 30, saying it couldn't afford keep supporting a service that gets a $680,000 yearly subsidy and could require $4 million for equipment repairs.

Mayor Alvin Brown has not supported a city takeover of the ferry service between Mayport and Heckscher Drive, which dates to 1950 and is the last remaining automobile ferry in Florida.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/steve-patterson/2012-02...