Charter captains urge Depoe Bay council not to close harbor fuel dock; council orders review

Dozens of Depoe Bay harbor users, including commercial charter captains, told the City Council that closing or reducing operations at the city's fuel dock would damage local businesses and the tourism economy, and they urged the council to pursue alternatives before taking action.

"This is not just a fuel dock. It is a critical piece of infrastructure that sustains our coastal economy," said Andrew Green, a commercial charter operator, who asked the council for a full fiscal review and a public hearing on fuel-station performance and alternatives.

Multiple speakers described the fuel dock as essential to charter and commercial fishing operations that bring tourists and spending to Depoe Bay restaurants, hotels and shops. James Peterson, who operates a commercial vessel out of Depoe Bay, said shutting the dock would cut the town's ability to run trips: "Shutting down the fuel dock is not a good idea. What is the purpose of having a harbor full of boats if they don't have the ability to get fuel to function?" he asked the council.

Captains and harbor users criticized current fuel operations as under-resourced at some hours but said the solution is operational changes, pricing review or an outside operator rather than closure. Chris Shatner, another boat operator, questioned the city's accounting and said the fuel dock should be able to break even with correct pricing and staffing.

Councilors heard technical and historical context from commenters. Public comments referenced a 2006 grant from the Oregon State Marine Board that helped build the fuel dock and cited the city's 2018 harbor dredging report and a 2021 fuel-pricing analysis by an outside firm (Marina & Co.) as materials that should be part of any review.

City staff and harbor commissioners said the dock was currently scheduled to operate through the grant term (service through Sept. 30, per staff memo) and acknowledged the dock had run deficits in recent periods. Councilors and staff agreed not to close the facility immediately; instead they directed the harbor commission to convene, gather stakeholders, and present audited operational figures and alternatives at a council work session.

Harbor commissioners and staff flagged options discussed in public comment: a kiosk or card-lock system for self-service fueling, contracting with a private fuel distributor, revising fuel pricing and surcharges, and assessing staffing models so fueling is available during peak hours without requiring full-time city staff.

Council action: the council asked the harbor commission and city staff to prepare a full financial and legal review, invite charter operators and harbor stakeholders to participate, and bring recommendations to an upcoming budget work session. No decision to close the dock or to transfer operation to a private vendor was taken at the meeting.

Next steps: harbor commission will hold a meeting/open workshop with operators and the public; staff will provide the council with the harbor fuel revenue and expense data, prior grant terms, and the Marina & Co. pricing analysis for review before any final decision.