Marina tenants urge Oak Harbor to restore mobile pump-out boat bought with grant funds

Oak Harbor — Tenants at Oak Harbor Marina urged the Marine Advisory Commission at its recent meeting to restore a mobile pump-out service they say previously served the harbor and was purchased with grant funds.

Lorraine Brown, who said she has been a tenant for more than 12 years, told the commission that the mobile pump-out boat and equipment “was greatly appreciated” and asked whether and when the service would resume. "I have been told that grant funds were utilized to purchase the boat and the equipment that did provide the pump out service," Brown said.

Steven Dahl, who said he has been a tenant for three years, spoke in support of Brown and urged that equipment bought with public grants be put back into service: “I’m just here to support her getting the pump out back and working or started it back up because the money was provided,” he said.

Harbor Master Elise (last name not specified in the transcript) acknowledged the comments and said staff will look into the grant records and options for restoring service. She noted the commission has discussed pump-out options previously and raised the idea of slip-side vacuum stations or plumbing at slips that would allow owners to pump out directly, which could reduce staff burden if a mobile boat is not practical.

The transcript shows tenants said they believed federal Clean Vessel Act grants funded the original equipment, but Harbor Master Elise said she could not confirm the grant recipient on the record at the meeting and asked staff to check records. The commission did not make a motion or take formal action to restore service at the meeting.

Why it matters: Pump-out services are one of the measures used to maintain a marina’s “Clean Marina” status and reduce pollution from vessel sewage. Tenants said the lack of a readily available pump-out inconveniences boaters and risks noncompliant discharges.

Next steps noted at the meeting: staff will research grant records to confirm whether the city or marina received Clean Vessel Act funds for the pump-out boat and equipment, and the commission indicated pump-out options (mobile boat, slip vacuum stations, slip plumbing) should be on a future agenda for more detailed consideration.

Ending: The commission asked staff to follow up with documented grant records and to return options and cost estimates for the pump-out service to a future meeting.