Joe Vanderzanden Letter 6-8-2006

The Harbor Facilities Management Plan under consideration seems to be copied from some other town with an actual marina.
No matter how many times we try it on, it is not going to fit here.
Calling part of Salmon River a harbor does not make it one, and hiring a Harbormaster to manage it, is unnecessary when it has managed itself well enough for over 40 years.
The position of Harbormaster as proposed will serve only to drain city revenue, ruin the
employees work ethic, and further turn residents against local government by weighing them
down with pointless, unjustified fees and fines.
The work that does need to be addressed such as cleanup and clearing for parking space can be
dealt with and hired out by the Harbor Facilities Advisory Commission if one comes to existfccwMvrt4 wc If limited launch fees are necessary they should be on the honor system as at other public launch pc4r.1 ramps.
There may be no justification at all for charges for storage on land given to us.
Elfin Cove has an actual Marina and moorage there is free.
Section 8.03 concerning moorage does not apply at all. We have a float dock for loading and
unloading only; the operator must remain with his vessel. No moorage exists here to rent, reserve, assign, or forfeit.
Section 8.04 concerning transfer of cargo is largely unnecessary and in part even offensive. The men who handle freight in this community are doing us a great service, they are responsible and can be trusted to do what is right at the boat ramp and we do not need to burden them with a
bunch of childish rules and a summer employee Harbormaster wanting to see a cargo manifest.
The city also has no business charging landing fees which will be passed on to residents on top of our city tax on goods and services.
Section 8.06 prohibited practices. Seventeen things you can get fined for. I can’t think of a better way of killing the spirit of Gustavus than to hold unnecessary and unenforceable laws over
people’s heads and treat them like children.
Lastly on page 4, there is a description on a navigation approach zone to the dock. As written
there is no way for this to work and needs to be redone.