MARION — Marion officials and concerned residents shared their thoughts on the ongoing issue of overcrowded parking at Island Wharf at a Select Board meeting on Tuesday, June 17.

Located on the inner shores of Sippican Harbor, Island Wharf provides storage for boats and dinghies in the heart of Marion. The area also hosts concerts and events, with the wharf sitting adjacent from the Marion Music Hall and multiple local businesses on Front Street.

Many of these establishments use the Island Wharf area for patron parking. The issue of crowded parking at Island Wharf stems from the demand of the local businesses, boaters and event attendees in the area.

Vincent Malkoski, Chair of the Marine Resource Commission, crafted a memorandum presented to the Select Board that guided the discussion of the issue of overcrowded parking at Island Wharf. It was emphasized that Malkoski wrote the memorandum on his own, and it is not reflective of the entirety of the Marine Resource Commission.

“It is critical that everyone understands that this issue goes beyond Island Wharf and reflects the state of parking in the village,” Malkoski wrote in the memorandum.

He added, “Ultimately, it is necessary that Town address the issue of parking and multiple uses of all public facilities. For now, Island Wharf has been singled out because of on-going safety concerns and user conflicts.”

Marion resident Wendy Rolf, who has performed with the Marion Concert Band for about 20 years, stated at the meeting that she is “concerned about the number of boats which are parked on the wharf” and expressed concern for senior residents with mobility issues who cannot move around the parking area easily.

Select Board Chair Randy Parker said he was “not ready to make a decision” on the issue without seeking the viewpoint of the Marine Resource Commission first.

“It’s all about coordination. That’s what we’re going to try to do. We don’t want to run anybody out of town because they’re using boats, but we don’t want anybody to have the inability to hear the bands either,” he said.

Malkoski suggested in his memorandum that the following departments and businesses be represented in the group that will seek to resolve the parking issue: the Marine Resource Commission, Planning Board, Police Department, Conservation Commission, Marion Concert Band and various businesses in the area whose customers use the Island Wharf area.