Scituate boaters may soon face a series of fee increases as the Waterways Commission works to close a projected financial shortfall expected to hit the enterprise fund by fiscal year 2028. During a Tuesday evening meeting, the commission reviewed a draft five-year financial plan designed to cover multi-million dollar dredging projects in Scituate Harbor and the South River. Brian Kelly presented financial models showing that without new revenue, the town’s waterways fund will dip into the red within three years due to rising debt service. "Running the both these scenarios shows that by my numbers, we should be looking at $100,000 in new revenue in FY27 as well as another $100,000 in FY29 in order to keep a positive surplus," Kelly noted.

The commission opened the meeting by setting the procedural stage. Motion made by an unidentified member to accept tonight's agenda. Motion Passed (6-0). Commission Chair Dave Denine warned members that the upcoming capital projects would require aggressive planning. "The biggest challenges that have been put forward to everybody is the fact that in the next several years we’ve got some major projects that are coming up and it’s going to cost some money," Denine said, adding that with current budgets, "we are going to be short."

Rick Murray presented a draft memo intended for the Select Board, which outlines the history and philosophy behind the proposed rate changes. "Our number one recommendation is that basically we continue with this process that the enterprise fund and the fees associated with successful management continue to focus on sound financial practices first and foremost," Murray explained. The proposal includes increasing the "Waterways User Maintenance Fee" by $25 and raising mooring fees by $1 every other year. However, Brian Cronin raised concerns about the equity of flat fees. "The waterways user fee is regressive when it comes to somebody with a 35-foot boat versus somebody with a 17-foot whaler," Cronin said, suggesting the town should consider more tiered pricing.

The commission also debated how to handle electricity costs at the marinas, which currently cost the town roughly $35,000 annually. Select Board Liaison Susan Harrison noted that she frequently hears from residents about "boats that are plugged into the AC all summer long." Harbor Master Stephen Moan suggested a simplified approach to billing. "If you’re going to use the electricity, then you know it’s just this is how much it costs for a 30 amp plug and this is how much it is for a 50 amp plug," Moan said. This sentiment was echoed by Mike Deo, who cautioned against overcharging. "I don’t think we should be making money off the electrical grid and charging boaters excess amount of money," Deo stated, while also suggesting that transient boaters should bear a higher share of the costs.

Public comment highlighted the nuances of electrical usage on the docks. Resident Mike O'Neal pointed out that larger boats are not always high-power users. "Some of us have larger boats, say 36 feet, but we don’t use AC. We’re just trickle charging our center console batteries," O'Neal said. Brad White also questioned the town's actual costs, asking, "How much does it cost the town per cord per 30 amp cord? I’m just curious."

Later in the meeting, David Sakosski, who arrived late to the session, suggested that the town capitalize on the desirability of certain slips. "If you enjoy the outside slip, it’s not wrong to ask for a higher fee," Sakosski said. Meanwhile, Howie Kretzenberg expressed frustration with the presentation of town accounting documents, noting that while he understood the zero-based budgeting, the reported drop in slip fee revenue "just looks awkward to me." Board member Nick questioned if the plan accounted for all future needs, asking, "Are there any other costs in the budgets going out that we're including in here?"

In addition to the fee discussion, Mike Deo provided a positive update on the local shellfish program, noting that reseeding efforts in the North and South rivers were successful. He announced that roughly 10 acres of new shellfish beds are expected to open on February 1st. Before concluding, the commission finalized their previous records. Motion made by an unidentified member to approve the minutes of the October 15th meeting. Motion Passed (6-0).

The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 PM.