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North Haven board flags ferry fare increases, asks for budget detail before pushing back
Summary
Select board members reviewed a Main State Ferry Service 15% fare hike proposal and a separate Viny Haven submission showing larger increases for some ticket classes; members asked staff for detailed budget-to-actuals and spreadsheet proposals and agreed to put the topic on the full‑board agenda for broader public input.
The North Haven Select Board discussed proposed ferry fare increases at its Feb. 19 meeting, asking staff to gather more financial detail from ferry operators before taking formal action. Staff said Main State Ferry Service proposed a 15% across‑the‑board fare increase for 2025 and that Viny Haven’s submission showed some ticket classes higher than the 15% figure.
Board members said they want clearer budgets and supporting spreadsheets from the ferry operators to understand what is driving repeated hikes. “I asked for a detail, budget to actuals and I didn’t get the detail — I was given just a summary,” a board member said, urging the town to request line‑item explanations for increases.
The board flagged public notice and outreach as a priority if the operator posts rate changes to prevent surprise reactions. Members recalled an earlier episode when advance posting prompted immediate public outcry and a subsequent change, and they debated whether to seek incremental increases rather than a single large jump.
Town staff said tariffs typically take effect with the seasonal schedule (cited dates in summer), and that the town can propose alternative ticket‑class allocations but operators are not obliged to accept them. Members asked staff to request the ferry operators’ spreadsheets showing how a 15% increase would be distributed by ticket class and to place the topic on the full‑board agenda for a more extensive discussion and possible public input.
The board did not take a vote on rates; members agreed to defer further action until the Feb. 19 meeting’s full board is available and after staff obtains the requested financial detail.
