To the Editor:
There are over 50 people on the waiting list for a mooring permit in Tashmoo. Moorings are hard to come by, and very much in demand. It can take years to get a mooring. Leasing is a risky, short-term, interim solution. There are many unused private moorings in Tashmoo that are maintained by the owner, yet never had a vessel of record, or have remained unused for more than five years, well beyond the allowed 30 days every 3 years (Mooring Regulation No. 11).
Rather than reassign these long-term unused moorings to people on the waiting list, the town has chosen to ignore the regulations and lease many of these moorings for the income. Or in some cases, as in that of a town official who has never used the mooring in six years, just allow the mooring owner to keep the mooring with no boat, and not lease it. Some lessees are on the waiting list, some are not. It’s not clear how a person gets a lease. Some have been leasing the same mooring for several years. These lessees clearly have a boat, yet are forced to lease the mooring of someone who is allowed to abuse the regs. But the town wants the income. How is this right? These moorings should be reassigned to people on the waiting list.
The selectmen and FinCom have put so much pressure on the harbor to produce money that the harbor department is ignoring the regulations. There are legitimate moorings available for leasing (mooring regulation No. 11). There are some valid reasons for a mooring not being used short-term, within the regulations. I know it’s hard to give up a mooring, but hoarding of moorings is a problem. This is not new. We have been talking to the harbor department about this for several years. The town priority is making money over regs and public access. There are 50 people on the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list, or want to be, start talking to your selectmen.
Lynne Fraker
Vineyard Haven
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