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Harbor committee recommends new hoist; selectmen OK pier fee increase and reserve funding
Summary
The Harbor Committee asked the Selectmen to fund replacement of an aging Fish Pier hoist using reserve funds and to approve a $200 daily fee; staff also raised accounting and waste‑oil handling concerns at the Pier and plans for a SHIP grant application.
Stonington — The Harbor Committee recommended selectmen approve replacing an aging chain hoist at the Fish Pier and to adjust pier fees to cover repairs and future maintenance.
Committee members reported repeated mechanical failures of the existing chain hoist and presented a low hydraulic- hoist quote (approximately $6,617 plus electrical work). Selectmen approved using Fish Pier reserves to fund the replacement. The committee also recommended raising the daily pier fee to $200; the Selectmen voted to implement that change to better reflect operating costs.
Committee and staff discussed operational issues at the Pier including redundant bookkeeping for pier fuel and waste‑oil handling. Town Manager TM Billings said the auditor recommended centralizing accounting at the town office to reduce duplicated entries; the Harbor Committee agreed to consider options including hiring an outside collector or improving outreach and handling procedures.
Why it matters: The Pier supports local commercial fishing and needs reliable lifting equipment and clarified fuel accounting to reduce interruptions and accounting errors. The fee change and hoist replacement aim to sustain operations while limiting general-fund exposure.
Outcome: Selectmen authorized the use of Pier reserves to purchase replacement equipment and approved the revised daily fee. Staff were directed to draft any ordinance language revisions needed before the next town meeting and to report final vendor and installation schedules to the board.
Next steps: Harbor staff to finalize vendor selection and schedule installation; Town staff to incorporate any ordinance changes for the fall or next town meeting.
