MATTAPOISETT — In an effort to increase revenue for the town’s Harbormaster budget, Mattpoisett could see a slight increase in its harbor fees in the next year.

At a Feb. 23 Board of Selectmen meeting, Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh said that his office was at such a loss this year, that money had to be taken out of the Waterways fund to level fund this year’s budget.

“It’s kind of a disappointment, but what we needed to do,” the harbormaster said. 

Moving toward next year’s budget, McIntosh said the same opportunity would not exist and that an option to increase the budget would be through increasing harbor fees. The last fee increase, McIntosh said, was 2017.

According to the harbormaster, Mattapoisett’s fees are “significantly lower than any other municipality in the South Coast.” He added that towns such as Dartmouth have boaters spend around $205 for a 30 foot vessel, while Mattapoisett’s rate is around $120 for the season.

“That is significantly low, especially for a department that is an enterprise system,” McIntosh said. “It’s a lot easier for them to fund significant budgets.” 

Board Chair Paul Silva did not agree with the comparisons to nearby towns, noting that the Mattapoisett harbor is “nowhere near as protected” as the other harbors.

“You can’t make that comparison,” he said.

Another option, McIntosh said, is to expand dinghy docks. While he said there will be some expansion of the dock this spring, it would take three years to see any financial gains from the added space.

Selectman Jordan Collyer noted that if there is an increase, the effect would mostly be felt by non-residents, noting that it would still be “a heck of a bargain.”

“As a resident, the fees don’t look that bad,” he said. “It’s still low by comparison.” 

Ultimately, the board agreed to wait until the Marine Advisory Board gets its recommendation ready.