Dear Editor: I am sharing with readers of the Sentinel a letter recently sent to members of the Sitka Assembly.
The Assembly’s March 25 vote to accept the bid from Highmark Marine remains profoundly confusing to those of us who have worked for decades to maintain Sitka’s working waterfront and secure a public boat yard for Sitka’s fleet. Against the recommendation of everyone who testified on this issue, all but one Assembly member (thank you, Scott Saline!) voted to lease the community-funded yard, at a loss, to a non-local entity that will charge on average twice as much as Wrangell’s municipally-run yard for the same service (three day haul out for a 42-foot boat).
For close to 20 years, the City of Sitka has followed the trend of privatizing its working waterfront, selling critical land and infrastructure despite strong opposition from local fishermen and marine tradesmen. Finally, three years ago the city invested in its working waterfront by retaining the remaining GPIP property and building a boat yard, an essential service for a maritime community such as Sitka. Now, despite strong opposition from the future users of the boat yard, the city has privatized operation of the yard through a non-competitive process, ignoring the successful municipally run boat yard models from Port Townsend, Wrangell, and Hoonah.
In the aftermath of that decision, our fleet and marine tradesmen are left with a long list of unanswered questions and several urgent requests. These include:
– What is the process for creating the long-term plan for the boat yard?
In other words, how will the Assembly make sure we have an operational plan for the haulout when the contract expires in 2030 or is terminated before that by either party?
– What is the actual cost to the city per year for Highmark to operate the yard?
– What is the actual cost to a boat owner to haulout?
Testifiers documented, with price data from Highmark’s bid and Wrangell’s yard, that costs for the average three-day haulout of a 42-foot boat at Sitka’s Highmark yard would be twice the cost for a three-day haulout in Wrangell. Assembly members disagreed with this cost comparison. Nevertheless, the facts stand. If the City is also planning to subsidize haulout rates for boat owners – what is that cost?
– How will revenue be generated to complete utilities at the yard? Power and lighting are a necessity. (We note that electricity is currently available only to Highmark, giving it a competitive advantage over local tradesmen).
– What is the plan for use of lot 15? Who has access to that lot and who receives revenue from use of the lot?
OUR REQUESTS:
– We ask that the Assembly initiate work on a long-term plan for the Sitka haul out and GPIP yard. As part of that long-term planning effort, please host a GPIP and Assembly work session that invites meaningful public participation and discussion.
– During the Assembly meeting on March 25, it became clear that many on the Assembly had a different understanding of costs than we do and would benefit from some time with lot maps and expertise to explain use, limitations, and overlooked opportunities at the GPIP site. Simply sitting down with stakeholders, a calculator, and a map to ensure a shared understanding of key aspects would be enormously beneficial to all.
In closing, we want to thank Scott Saline for representing the interests of Sitka’s fleet and marine tradesmen. We appreciate you, Scotty. To the other Assembly members: we are the future boat yard customers, vendors, and sales tax generators – at least if we can afford Sitka’s yard. We have significant expertise in boat yards. We are ready to help and hope the Assembly will respond to our questions and requests, and partner with us as this process moves forward.
Jeff Farvour, Ben Mathys
Donna Donahoe, Michael Litman
Mike Nerko, Linda Behnken
Jeremy Serka, Chris Hanson
