Marion Harbormaster Department calls off proposed harbor fees

MARION — Amid contentious public meetings and receiving backlash from Marion residents, the Harbormaster Department and Marine Resource Commission ultimately decided to drop their proposal to establish additional permit fees for vessels in Sippican Harbor.

“We recognize that we did not make the proper case and it was not supported so we’re going to back off and table it,” said Vin Malkoski, chair of the Marion Marine Resources Commission.

Malkoski also emphasized that the issues within Sippican Harbor still need to be addressed in the future.

The proposed permit fees were intended to alleviate the work that the harbormaster department does to track down unidentifiable vessels. 

Harbormaster Adam Murphy says tracking down these unidentifiable vessels adds “hours” of additional labor to the department’s already busy schedule.

With the proposed permit fees, the harbormaster would have established a database specific to Sippican Harbor that would allow for easy identification of vessels.

While the proposed permit fees were retracted, the Harbormaster Department and Marine Resource Commission continued forward with their motion to modify the due dates and late fees for permit holders in Sippican Harbor.

The Marion Select Board unanimously approved four proposed changes to the waterways regulations.

Going forward, invoicing for harbor permits will now be sent on Jan. 15 instead of April 1 and all payments for permits will be due by March 15.

Failure to pay fees by March 15 will now result in a $100 late fee and those who fail to pay the late fee and permit fee by April 15 will have their permit revoked.

These due date changes and added late fees will ensure that the harbormaster department receives payment within the fiscal year, rather than receiving payments late and having to wait until the next fiscal year to use the funds.