HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-10-2019 Harbor Board Meeting MinutesMinutes from 7/10/2019 Harbor Board Meeting
The meeting was called to order at 4 :25 p.m . Members present included : Bob Riggs , Skip Jones, Don
Bates , Chris Cunningham and Tommy Yaeger . Also present were Kevin Boone, Tom Kuhl , Sean Saye and
Lynn Maser. Audience members included James Watkins and Gary Gover. Tony Chavers was absent.
Tom passed his report over to Sean . Sean reported that clean -up of the facility and dock repairs
including bringing finger piers up to standard continue . 72% of our slips are occupied . We are almost at
the break even point where revenue matches our day-to -day operations including wages . Loopers are
find in g us again, slowly, as they at a minimum come in for gas vs Dog River and frequently spend at least
one night. Ice sales are booming since we have active commercial fishermen conduct in g sales off their
boats . He also mentioned that bulkhead repair was due to start soon .
Lynn included in her report :
1. The engineering drawings of the bulkhead and dock work to be done with request for bids to go
out in July and work anticipated to begin in August . The members reviewed the drawings and
asked questions.
2. Marina cook team offered to take care of a new kitchen in the Hangout once it is completed .
They will work with Lynn on style and placement .
3. A trifold brochure is being developed to insert in the Fairhope Visitors Guide both of which will
then be delivered to 5 marinas upriver prior to the beginning of the 2019 Loopers trek south .
4. We are putting together a list of mobile mechanics for reference for boaters coming in and
requiring some in -water repair work.
5. Review of the pricing policy for fuel; the intent is to keep us competitive with other marinas
without overtly undercutting them because we have the advantage of buying on state contract .
6. Memorial Day sales -$12 ,336.87 /3314 gallons
July 4t h sales -$12,114 .31/3335 .61 gallons (price drop)
M&N dredging -$17,608 .44
Kevin had no report.
Skip reported on a budgetary quote of $10,000 from Jim Bronstein, Chairman of the Board for Saunders
Yacht Works, for consulting services to review our market and facility and offer different business
models for the marina as well as estimate what we might expect in rent from a lease of boatyard
activit ies . Skip believes strongly that we can benefit from this expertise in determining the future use of
the marina property. Skip looked for a motion to prepare a resolution for council to consider this.
Discussion ensued and Kevin recommended it needed to go before council at a work session for
discussion to find out how the members felt about it . He also asked if they were talking about doing it
now or asking for the expense to be included in next year's budget where they might have a better
chance.
Don Bates moved that two members of the Board attend the July 22 nd Work Session and present the
budgetary quote and scope of work presented by Jim Bronstein and open the subject up to discussion .
Bob Riggs seconded the motion which passed unanimously . Skip and Don will be the two Board
members presenting.
General discussion included :
1. How to get Fly Creek Marina involved in sharing the costs of dredging the basin and when will
we be dredging . Lynn explained that Richard Johnson has taken over responsibility for
overseeing the application process for the Universal #35 and Letter of Understanding #10
permits which take a very long time to get. We have no projection for when we will be able to
dredge .
2. Water condition, where pollution is coming from and what's being done . Lynn mentioned that
Sherry-Lea is now working for the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program and that Fly Creek is
their next priority. It was debated as to whether this organization was going to do any water
testing . It was suggested that we invite Sherry-Lea to come to a meeting to discuss exactly what
her organization is going to be doing at Fly Creek.
3. Bob Riggs mentioned that the Board bylaws require the election of chairman at its July meeting
and that a chairman can serve for two terms. He nominated Skip for a second term ; Skip was
unanimously elected .
4. Bob also indicated that there is a member of the Board who has not attended a meeting since
the beginning of the year and recommended that he be relieved of his duties at the Board and a
new member be confirmed. After some discussion, it was determined that Kevin would talk to
Tony Chavers one more time and hopefully elicit either a firm commitment to attend meetings
or get his resignation . "Firing" him is not a step the Council has ever taken with a committee
member and not the d i rection the members really wanted to go in . We are uncertain of the
procedure for removing an inactive member of a volunteer committee . Lynn offered to confer
with the mayor on this .
5. Bob also recommended amending the bylaws so that they could hold meetings more than four
times a year which he felt was insufficient for the Board to take effective steps in moving the
marina forward . Kevin suggested that instead of amending the bylaws they simply call for
'special called ' meetings . Skip called for a 'special call' on August 14th .
6. Don Bates reviewed the newer and shorter guidelines for Clean/Resilient Marina and discussed
the lengthy SPCC provided by PPM. Don felt a good deal of it did not pertain to the marina and
asked if we could get them to provide us with a report that only addresses our needs. Lynn said
that she would follow up with Richard Peterson .
7. James Watkins asked how much we charge for a pump out and if we had any records of our
revenue from pump outs. Sean keeps those records in the office and did not have them with
him. The revenue is insignificant. It is difficult to get a read if the service is positively affecting
the quality of the water.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m .
Respectfully subm itted by Lynn Maser Approved : 8/14/19