MARION — “I thought I was looking at Yankee Stadium coming into this harbor, and the glare that was coming across the channel was unbelievable,” said Marion resident Ray Cullum, explaining his gripes with the Maritime Center lighting.

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Marion residents Mal Durkee and Cindy Fox petitioned to the Select Board an issue that has plagued the Marion harbor for over a year. 

Located at 1 Wharf Island Road, the lights on the outside of the Marion Maritime Center have been reported to be too bright, shining into resident’s windows and blinding boaters as they come into Sippican Harbor.

The lights are mostly decorative, but necessary when it is dark and needed to safely maneuver around the building and on the staircase.

Durkee said he has sent approximately 62 emails to the Select Board and has 24 signatures on a neighborhood letter to the Select Board. 

“I was hoping [the Select Board] would hear these issues and mobilize these forces to provide a solution,” said Durkee. 

Marion Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman presented the issue to the Select Board, showing photos of the lighting situation and explaining the history of the issue. 

He said, “I appreciate some of Mr. Durkee’s frustration. It was slow going. We were trying to really do everything we could before we started cutting into the wiring.” 

The lights around the skirt of the building are non-dimmable. Gorman said that all other lights located on the premises that can be dimmed have been. 

“All the low-hanging fruit changes are done and so if we want to move forward with any other changes, it will be monetary,” said Gorman. 

Gorman proposed a few solutions, including removing the lights completely, replacing them with dimmable lights or placing the lights on a timer. Gorman has sent the information to an electrical inspector for recommendations. 

Select Board Chair Randy Parker suggested a possible solution of controlling the lights from an app on workers’ phones, adding that they could turn the lights on and off when needed. 

The Marine Resources Commission has also been speaking about solutions for this issue. Cullum, who is also part of the Resource Committee, highly recommended motion activated lights. 

The Select Board is wary of this due to their unreliability and timing out because of security and safety issues. 

“I'd be timid about relying on the motion sensors, knowing them like I know them, and how inconsistent they can be,” said Parker. 

Gorman, Durkee and Fox will now continue to work towards a final solution together. 

Parker said this would be a “soft solution start” and “we're not going to try to bite this all off at once.”