The municipality has passed a fee schedule increase to incrementally raise the commercial and non-commercial use rates for Small Boat Harbor over the next five years.
Harbormaster Matt O’Boyle said the fee increase is necessary to offset annual cost of business increases, such as utilities and salaries.
“What we’re trying to do here is to offset the annual increase that about right now is a $13,000 increase every year,” he said. “We’re adding to the reserve funds so we can have these capitals and repair funds.”
Such projects would include installing lighting in the harbor parking lot and repairing the water line system.
All commercial vessels, including fishing charters and kayaks, will be required to pay an extra four cents per passenger to load and unload passengers at the harbor.
The current rate to use the harbor for commercial purposes is $1.80 per person. As of April 1, 2017, the fee will increase to $1.84. By 2020, the fee increases will raise the cost to $1.96 per person.
For one-way commercial use of the harbor, to only unload or load passengers, the fee will increase by two cents per year. The current rate for one-way use of the harbor stands at 90 cents per passenger. As of April 1, 2017, the tariff will increase to 92 cents.
Increases are planned to end in 2020, at which time it will cost 98 cents per person.
Starting April 1, 2017, non-commercial annual moorage at the harbor, which includes a boat launch ramp fee, will increase 10 cents per year to $14.10 per foot. By 2020, the fee will be $14.40 per foot per year.
Non-commercial transient moorage will also see a four-cent per year increase in rates. Starting on April 1, 2017, the fee will increase to 44 cents per foot per day, or $4.40 per foot per month. By 2020, the cost will be 56 cents per foot per day or $5.60 per foot per month.
Additional fee increases include a raise in the cost to use the pressure washer at the harbor, raising the fee to $25 per hour as of April 1, 2017.
