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Downtown project moves forward; ferry parking overrun postponed and bridge painting funded but untimetabled; airport plowing raised as safety concern
Summary
Officials reported a phased downtown schedule (boat ramps, storm-water, temporary water lines), said the Ferry Terminal Parking Lot project is $1 million over budget and postponed, that the Bridge Painting Project is funded with no timeline, and Public Works flagged planes arriving while plow crews remained on the airfield.
VINALHAVEN — Selectmen received project updates and heard operational concerns from Public Works at the Jan. 27 meeting that affect the town’s harbor, ferry access and airport operations.
Gabe McPhail reported the Downtown Project schedule is narrowing: boat ramps are expected in February or March, beginning with the Fish Plant ramp; storm-water work is slated to begin in March and temporary water lines are expected to be in place in April. McPhail also said Brent is scheduled to be on island Tuesday, Feb. 3, and noted the monthly community meeting will be held by Zoom the following day due to a scheduling conflict at the Town Office.
Town Manager Marjorie Stratton told the board that the Ferry Terminal Parking Lot project came in about $1 million over budget and has been postponed. She said the Bridge Painting Project has been funded but that there is no timeline and no plan yet for maintaining ferry service while painting occurs.
Millie Martin of Public Works raised an operational safety concern: she said PIA has not been giving adequate notice before sending planes, and during recent storms planes have been circling while plow crews were still working on the airfield; on one occasion a plow was still on the runway when a plane landed. Martin said the department is still pricing a Ford 650 with sander, dump, plow and wing to improve response capability and presented a draft paving estimate for end-of-road and overlay work for board review.
What happens next: the Ferry Terminal Parking Lot postponement leaves funding and scheduling questions outstanding; the Bridge Painting Project will require a service plan once a timeline is set. The town will follow up with OceansWide for a future presentation on marine debris removal, and Public Works equipment procurement will proceed as staff refine cost estimates.
Board members did not take further action on the ferry or bridge items at the meeting; the airport notice issue was recorded for follow-up rather than resolved in-session.
