By Janet Long
Turnagain Times
Whittier Correspondent
Over 30 emotional Whittier boat owners, city officials and concerned citizens filled the seats and bleachers of the Whittier Community School Saturday evening March 30 to air concerns over a Northern Economics study, which proposed a 70 percent moorage rate increase from 2011 to 2013 and laid out proposed harbor planning through 2040. The increase reflects a raise in fees, per linear foot per vessel, from the current $58.50 in 2010 to $106.62 in 2013.
Northern Economics representative, Mike Fisher, stated the study, which used the design and cost estimate from a 2006 Petrovich, Nottingham and Dredge Engineers Inc. study represented the projected funds “necessary to cover the full cost of the work to reconfigure the existing harbor, based on the assumptions we have used.”
His presentation outlined the process and purpose of the plan, the data sources and assumptions, the analytical process, the current situation, the proposed configuration, and the results and considerations.
“The objective of the economics of the harbor rates has a goal to set self-supporting and sustainable rates,” said Fisher. “The new moorage fees,” he explained, “would cover harbor operations and maintenance and future harbor replacement costs; they reflect a major shift in terms of harbor function.”
The approximately $15.3 million project calls for the use of “50-50” funding, with 50 percent of the costs defrayed by a $5 million grant and 50 percent from revenue bonding at $5 million each, with the remaining amount accruing from annual income and interest.
“That's 100 percent numbers or the best estimate, “ said Fisher, based on PND Engineer's design.
The plan would decrease the current harbor slips from 348 to 343 slips but increase the overall “moorage space” from 10,170 feet to 10,781 feet, a growth of 6 percent in the total linear feet over the existing harbor size.
Major changes would involve dredging along the tidal waters within the harbor, and creating 26 new slips for smaller day use boats, currently trailering their boats home. The existing harbor presently has 123 berths for boats in the 24-foot to 29-foot range; 73 slips for 30-40 foot boats; 31 slips for boats 50-59 feet and 9-12 slips for vessels 60 feet and larger.
With the new proposed design, “Everything fits a little better,” noted Fisher. The reconfiguration would be done in three phrases: a $13, 775,000 outlay would be needed for phases I and II, 46 percent in grant monies and 54 percent in debt.
Fisher advised that many cities borrow through the Anchorage Municipal Bond Bank Authority, which can access better funding options on behalf of cities and added that the City of Whittier has agreed to assume the harbor debt.
“Revenue bonds are a common device used in many harbors in the lower 48,” said Whittier Harbor Master Ed Barrett.
