For several years, the Cape Charles Town Council has been exploring outsourcing the management of the town harbor to private firms. In February, the town released an RFP which resulted in three proposals. After review, the town has decided to explore further the proposal submitted by the Cape Charles Yacht Center.
At issue is how to increase traffic to the harbor. As Councilman Buchholz noted, while the town has been on an upward trajectory, the harbor has been trending downward for the last four years.
Thursday, Town Council held a harbor stakeholders public input session.
While the majority of speakers were generally in favor of a letting the Yacht Center give it a go, there were still some concerns.
Cost and fees, and whether the Yacht Center would have to increase the dock costs in order to stop the bleeding was voice by several speakers, some that worried town residents would lose their discount.
While the Yacht Center gave a lukewarm assurance that town residents would still have the discount, as was noted, nothing has been decided yet.
Resident David Gay voiced concerns that turning the harbor over to the Yacht Center would turn it into a large boat facility at the expense of smaller boat owners.
A benefit of the proposal is that the town would still own the harbor, while day to day management would be owned by the Yacht Center. However, taxpayers would still be on the hook for major maintenance and capital improvement projects.
Councilwoman Tammy Holloway commented that the harbor budget does not have any monies for marketing. The proposal by the Yacht Center includes a major effort designed for branding and marketing.
Yacht Center representatives stated that the major goal is to brand and market the harbor, and Cape Charles together as a unique, boating destination.
Town Council will continue to review the pros and cons of the proposal.
“I am still in the listening and analysis phase of this,” Councilman Paul Grossman said.
John Jones says
The harbor needs a larger marine (non-ethanol) fuel tank. I get told “come on over, we have plenty of gas”, only to arrive from VB and have the pump cut off (empty) after 12 gallons. I needed 150 gallons and had already added enough fuel stabilizer for 150 gallons. It’s Gloucester from now on.
Shore dive says
This is no surprise as the town has tied the harbors hands not letting them advertise whatsoever or hold any events the towns event coordinator stated that the harbor will never hold another event after the losses that they saw from Clams slam but I think if you look at the bigger picture the amount of traffic they came into town was pretty epic all the small shops on Main Street definitely benefited it was a real morale boost and economic boost to the town i’ve heard stated from multiple town employees that harbor that harbor is more of a liability than an asset in my personal opinion I believe they set it up to fail to try to get rid of it we’re slowly losing our culture in our heritage this town was founded on the harbor not on the park no one is coming from Pennsylvania Virginia beach or any of the surrounding areas to see the park we’ve invested so much in but they are doing that with the harbor we see transient people from all over the country in the world that fact we need to take that into consideration
BC Bender says
What’s next? Giving the beach to Bay Creek to manage? How about Central Park to Ticket Masters to manage the concerts? Both the Beach and the Park are expenses to the town, just like the harbor. Slippery Slope giving control to a private business. How long before the private business runs off the watermen because their boats are loud at 4 am? I hope more watermen show up at the next meeting.
Slide Easy says
It takes an education and experience to run a town.
Scotiagirl says
As a relatively new comer to Cape Charles, the Harbor remains a mystery to me. For 3 years I have gone to the harbor to view the boats coming in\out of the Bay. I often wonder who gets to use it, who can obtain a slip (and for how long and for how much money), what size boats can come in, how many can the dock\waterway accommodate, who is in charge, where is this person (or these persons) located, and on and on and on…The Harbor remains a complete mystery. Who can launch boats there, how long can a person park a trailer in the lot? Many, many questions and no obvious way to get answers! Clearly improvements in the management are needed. Also, who owns the adjacent land and WHY isn’t it mowed? It gives a horrible first impression to anyone coming to the harbor, whether by boat or car!
Scott wivell says
No obvious ways to get answers? Hahaha how about going Into the harbor masters office like everyone else and make an inquiry
Shore dive says
I am lost for words but if you read any of the signs it’ll lead you directly to the harbor masters office walk inside and ask the questions they are very helpful and would love to meet new people the permanent parties there are Charlie Farlow James and Spencer Travis they would be more than willing to answer any questions you have and like I said just follow the signs that say Harbormaster or harbor office you’re placed all over the harbor
Scotiagirl says
Thanks! Appreciate the help.
Lisa says
Boaters, recreational and commercial, who use the harbor/slips know the answers to all of your questions (except, perhaps, the adjacent land question). Marina workings/processes are common knowledge to boaters. As the others have suggested, go ask the dock master, Charlie. He’s a great guy!!
Margot Gorske says
I have kept my boat in the town Harbor for 15 years back at the Coast Guard Station when it wasn’t very fancy and a working man’s place.. And now toward the Shanty with the floating docks. The unmown field is not an eyesore. It allows dog owners to let their dogs run free after coming over as transient boaters. At least twice a summer you will get to see deer in that field. And it provides a nice buffer between the town’s Main Street and the harbor. We have a slick and shiny Yacht Center. We have a slick and shiny Marina Village Harbor. And we need a working Harbor where Transit boats can come in and walk easily to town and the restaurants. Does it need Improvement? Can it be better funded? Yes to both but that doesn’t mean turning it over to the Yacht Center. I’d be interested with other people think.
Keith Underhill says
CCYC can’t run what they have. CCYC often refuses some boats because they are ugly. The watermen would be run out. The cost for slips would go up. Charlie and Spencer are good men that take care of locals and the watermen. What is wrong with the town leaders? Something smells fishy like old bait. This year boating is down because of the virus. Last year boating was down because of fishing limits that made a trip too expensive just to catch two small strippers. Cape Charles Harbor is an excellent harbor with great facilities. Anytime there is a problem it is always from the town leaders making stupid decisions…….like this dumb idea!!
HumanPuddin says
Boating is WAY up this year because of the virus. I don’t know where you got that information but nothing could be farther from the truth. People were looking for an outdoor activity you could maintain distance from others doing and boating just happens to fill all the criteria. If people think that Charlie and Spencer are competent at their jobs, just look around the harbor any given day. Those 2 have little to do on a daily basis and they cant even keep the amount of trash down. Charlie may complain a lot about “his hands being tied” but the real reason nothing happens is because Charlie is lazy and dumb.
Paul Plante says
Nice to see intelligent commentary.
Lewis says
First of all Scotiagirl get out of your car and walk up to the harbor office.Free enterprise that is the American way instead of letting stupid small town government to try to run it.Shore Dive your right on money with that it losses money when putting on events but makes money for the town all for all the businesses there. Except for one thing the harbor master is a fat lazy old man and is never been to much help to me. What do expect the town hires a retired firefighter and pays him way to much money. And that,s the whole point. The swamp needs to be drained from the top down. Like any other business if your not making a profit cut some corners, tighten some belts “make it work” “make it profitable” your obviously not going to have the town do it so hell.Try it with private business maybe for a trial period. If the yacht center has made a profit at there center give a try. Nice to see something woke up the barking bender beast.
Paul Plante says
How nice it is to see people not only speaking their mind, but having an outlet like the Cape Charles Mirror to be able to do so.
Scotiagirl says
Still would prefer to see open area mowed. Fewer ticks on all the dogs that are supposedly running free (as someone said). Deer should be discouraged from the area, too close to traffic, they have better and safer places to graze!
Paul Plante says
My experience with deer is they don’t read signs worth a damn, and they pretty much go where they want, for reasons known only to them.
Scotiagirl says
So you are ok with dogs running loose among the ticks, deer running out in front of car (thanks for pointing out that they don’t read, I didn’t know that) and you would prefer to have weeds rather than a mowed lawn as a representation of the tiwn?
Paul Plante says
Since I have absolutely no control over the dogs, the deer, the ticks and the grass, I guess I am forced to be okay with it and by the way, having a lot of experience with ticks, since they are pretty ubiquitous now, you have as much chance of encountering them in mowed grass as you do long grass.
If you think mowing grass will make the ticks go away, you’re only deluding yourself.
I was at friends one day who have a paved patio with a swimming pool in it and lo and behold, across the paved patio came a tick looking for a meal.
And having wrecked the front ends of two vehicles now smacking deer that ran in front of me, of course I am not okay with them running out in front of cars.
Who except an idiot would be?
And if you think mowing the grass will make the deer go somewhere else, again, you are deluding yourself.
Will mowing the grass make the town more presentable?
Probably, if you like to see mowed grass.
But since I am not in charge of having of mowed, and have no political clout to make it get mowed, I guess I have to accept it the way it is right now.
Scotiagirl says
Deep breaths, calm down! Yes I know a lot about dogs, ticks, weeds,habits of deer and such! I’m only suggesting improvements to our town! Maybe you and others prefer the nasty looking field. I really do not understand all the babble about the harbour. To me the work boats and the pleasure boats should be able to co- exist. If I am in a minority of people who would prefer not to see unsightly weeds, so be it!
Paul Plante says
What on earth is this penchant of yours to attribute motives or beliefs to us when we don’t get all freaked out about what freaks you out, which in this case is the unsightly weeds?
I can’t see the weeds from my house and I don’t frequent the harbor area, not having any good reason to, so the weeds aren’t a concern of mine, which doesn’t mean I like them or feel the town should not be mowing there, or Charley.
And I suspect a reason they aren’t mowed is if people let their dogs run there, the place is probably loaded up with dog poop the way the parks in San Francisco are, which is disgusting, so nobody wants to get in there with a mower or weed whacker and get dog crap all over them.
Paul Plante says
And why do you jump to the absurd conclusion that we are okay with things we have absolutely no control over like where deer go or dogs and ticks or unmowed grass on property we don’t own and have no control over as if we are for those things like deer jumping out in front of cars or dogs getting ticks on them?
Maybe you should be demanding that the town get an animal control officer to herd the deer someplace else when they are where you don’t want them to be or don’t like them being.
That would be a solution to that problem.
And get the town to spray poison all over the beach to make the ticks go away.
That would solve that problem.
And if you get out there in that grass you don’t like with a good Stihl weedwhacker, that problem will be solved, as well.
Scotiagirl says
Usually I enjoy your posts because usually they make sense to me, if not to others. This time, however, I don’t get it! Like I said, the town, or whoever owns that land, should take better care of it! To me it makes in unacceptable first impression of our harbour and our town. I guess I’m not as much of a naturalist anymore!
Paul Plante says
You and I are on the same page with the first impression, which is important, but obviously, it is either too much work for the town to do it, mowing being labor intensive as it is, which means somebody would have to get off their dead *** to do it, or they don’t care.