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Nantucket commissioners vote to oppose state bill setting term limits for Steamship Authority board
Summary
Nantucket's county commissioners unanimously agreed Aug. 20 to send a letter opposing Senate Bill 2395, which would impose term limits on Steamship Authority board members; commissioners and the island's SSA representative said term limits could reduce local control and board stability.
County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to ask state lawmakers to exempt Nantucket from or oppose legislation that would impose term limits on governing-board members of the Steamship Authority.
The letter responds to Senate Bill 2395, a proposal that surfaced this summer after earlier efforts stalled at the Statehouse. Rob Ranney, Nantucket’s Steamship Authority representative, urged commissioners to oppose the measure, saying the appointment process should remain with locally elected officials.
Ranney told the board, “This is not about me ... it’s really about what’s best for Nantucket and how we ... are represented.” He argued that the SSA’s enabling legislation currently allows the county commissioners to appoint the island’s representative on a three‑year cycle and that mandated term limits would remove discretion from locally elected commissioners.
“In addition,” Ranney said, “it takes time to learn the role of an SSA board member and to build meaningful diplomatic relationships with the other board members, other port communities, our local legislative delegation, other stakeholders, SSA staff, [and] SSA senior management.” He warned a newly appointed, less‑experienced member could immediately be placed into a rotating chairmanship role under the SSA’s rules.
Commissioners echoed those concerns and moved to draft a letter for state legislators opposing the bill. Commissioner Brooke Moore said she had been contacted previously by Vineyard representatives seeking collaboration but had since heard little, and she said she didn’t expect that forced turnover would improve cooperation. “I would support writing a letter in opposition to this legislation,” Moore said.
Commissioner Dawn Hill also supported sending a letter and added that, if the bill were to pass, the county should seek an exemption for Nantucket. The motion to send the letter, with language allowing the commission chair to finalize and sign it, was moved by Commissioner Malcolm and seconded by Commissioner Matt; the board approved it by roll call vote, with all present voting aye.
Discussion included a request that the island’s SSA representatives continue succession planning to ensure institutional knowledge is preserved. Commissioners also asked staff to prepare and transmit the signed correspondence to the local legislative delegation.
The board’s action was limited to sending a letter; no state action or changes to local appointment processes were made at the meeting.
