A local tv station on the Outer Banks reported a two days ago that McCrory has demoted a long-time system employee, Harold Thomas, who was ferry director since 2011. McCrory's pick is Ed Goodwin.

Goodwin is a former Chowan County commissioner, ex-Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent and 2012 Republican candidate for secretary of state. He has no experience within the ferry office.

DOT ferry spokesman Tim Hass says Goodwin will focus on broader initiatives related to customer service, capital improvements and relations with legislators.

Goodwin, when running for Secretary of State against Democrat Elaine Marshall in 2012, opposed making lobbyist compensation open and more transparent. He also bashed Marshall's attendance at an Occupy event, saying the group “advocate(s) for the overthrow of government and is a “redistributionist organization.” Earlier in the year, he was spreading rumors about George Soros wanting to take over NC's government.

Perhaps one of our BlueNC readers familiar with the ferries and the Outer Banks can tell us what this might mean for the service. We already know what customer service means at McCrory's DENR.