The Marion Marine Resources Commission Monday night heard dire warnings about the future of the town harbor’s management from Harbormaster Isaac Perry.
Perry said the commonwealth’s new Police Act regulations, which require police-officer-level training for harbormasters and their staffs, might wipe out operations like his as stand-alone departments.
“It looks like we’d be absorbed by the Police Department as a ‘Marine Unit’ manned by people with police officer training,” he said. “I see it as inevitable.”
Perry explained this would be a disaster for harbormaster-related services in a town like Marion because it would lead to a “revolving door of police officers” in and out of harbormaster work position. Those trained under current educational requirements for harbormaster would use the job as a steppingstone to become a police officer, he said.
“The change will have dire consequences,” he said. “We will have to keep hiring and training harbormaster personnel.”
Perry said he is concerned the quality of the other duties that harbormaster personnel perform, like pumping out boats, will decline. “How will we still do the day-to-day activities? There’s a new process we’ll have to go through. We will have to prepare for a different operational model down the road.” Perry added, however, the change won’t come too quickly. “It will be a big challenge five to ten years down the road.”
Next, the commission interviewed six applicants and voted their choices for one full-member opening and two alternate-member openings. The board’s recommendations will be sent to the Select Board for that board’s approval. The six applicants were all in attendance and were interviewed one at a time. MRC Chairman Vin Malkoski said three others applied for the positions but will not be considered because they were not in attendance for the interviews.
Cheryl Souza became the board’s top choice for the MRC’s full-member opening. She has 35 years’ experience in boatyard management and is currently a manager at Barden’s Boat Yard in Marion. Board members, Perry and Deputy Harbormaster Adam Murphy noted they have worked with Souza for years on various marine issues. “She’s been a huge asset for us,” Murphy said. “She’s been dealing with the customers and provides that experience.”
For the two alternate positions, the commission will recommend Tad Wollenhaupt and Dana Nilson. Wollenhaupt said in his interview that he is a soil and groundwater scientist and recreational boater who has lived in Marion for 20 years. Nilson said he is a small business owner as a builder; he also serves on the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals and on the DPW Building Committee.
The next meeting of the Marion Marine Resources Commission is scheduled for Monday, September 19, at 7:00 pm.
Marion Marine Resources Commission
By Michael J. DeCicco