Port of PT 2011 Budget Meeting, October 27th

from Bertram and the Moorage Tenants Union.

Moorage Tenants:

Next Wednesday, October 27th, in the Port Commission Chambers is the public hearing on the Port  2011 budget.  Sounds boring but this is our last chance to influence how much the Port is going to charge us and where they are going to spend our money in the next year.

Having reviewed the budget, the most glaring omission is the absence of a plan nor identifiable expenditures to repair the deteriorating CD docks.

If you walk down to the CD docks, you will see that cement  is crumbling, the iron truss rods are rusted and bent and the fingers are sinking.  According to their consultant, Mr. Hileman, these docks  only have a life span of 5 more years.  However the Port can not obtain another bond to replace the docks until its major debts are paid off in 2025.

We are suggesting that the  Port  produce a plan for C/D repair and maintenance over the next 5 years and specifically allocate moneys in the 2011 budget for that purpose.  Since they are taking $234,000 from our moorage revenue for depreciation, they should put  that money back into the CD dock repair  and not waste $50,000 on superfluous projects like the Quincy Street dock.

Will they do it?  Not unless they receive feedback from the community.