The Town of Cape Charles has announced that it is seeking a full-time Assistant Harbor Master. Coming on the heels of a disappointing season, and with the Harbor continuing to pile up losses and debt, the timing appears less than optimal. Plagued by severe accounting issues that occurred due to computer crashes and software updates, the Town still only has a vague idea of where the harbor stands financially. What it does know is that monies from the General Fund are currently used to keep the operation viable, so the Town may have to dip further into the kitty to pay for this position. The Town ran this advertisement in the Eastern Shore Post this week:
The Town also ran an advertisement for a Library Assistant:
With budget work sessions on the way, citizens should brace themselves for more redundant hiring (spending), as well as more stress on the General Fund, and the higher fees and taxes which will follow closely on the heels of unrestrained bloat. Councilman Andy Buchholz, who apparently has come across malodorous trashcans at the beach during the summer, has used this phenomenon to push for more town hiring. The odors emanating from the trash cans, from Buchholz’s perspective, are key indicators that Town staff has lost its ability to keep up with general maintenance, and that the citizens should reach into their pockets to try and to close the gap in service by hiring more staff. So far neither the Mayor, or any other member of council has pushed back on this idea.
“…Severe accounting issues…” do not occur due to computer crashes and software updates. One plus one equals two on a computer as well as pencil on paper. Severe accounting issues occur due to a lack of oversight, malfeasance and misfeasance.
For “the Town” to have no more than “…a vague idea of where the harbor stands financially…” speaks to how well “the Town” is aware of, and manages its own issues. Every private citizen in the city has more than a “vague idea” of what income and expenses they have. Why does “the Town” fall back on such a laissez-faire philosophy toward the most important attraction advantageous to city tourism and income?
Perhaps one avenue of reform is to identify the individuals referred to as “the Town,” so that we could recognize and communicate with those individuals on a more constructive basis than meager complaining.
During our term as the Marine Trawler Owners Association Port Captains for all of Cape Charles, we drew forty cruising yachts to the Cape Charles Town Harbor every year. In our tenure at that position, the crews of more than one hundred fifty cruising yachts patronized the merchants of Cape Charles, creating tax revenue for “the Town” General Fund. Most competent managers would have been able to determine what influx of monies were derived from the tourist dollars that came directly from the patrons of the City Harbor.
Harbors, working or yacht, seldom turn a profit. Instead, it is a draw for people to come into town, spend money, and raise the tax revenues that go into the “General Fund” that subsidizes all aspects of governmental spending. You don’t expect the trash collection department to pay for itself, yet trash piling up in peoples yards would detour tourism. You don’t expect the street sweepers to pay for themselves, yet dirty streets would detour tourism. Same with “malodorous” trash cans.
I feel certain that the City Harbor attracts more tourism than clean streets or pleasant smelling trash cans.
However, if we understand motivation, behavior is predictable. Is “the Town” turning popular opinion against the City Harbor so that they can claim they did the citizens of Cape Charles a favor when they sell operations to private contractors? And, where would those revenues go?
Indeed, “the Town” staff has shown its lack of ability to keep up with key personnel, not to mention general maintenance. I refer directly to the “Dize” effect – that effect that kept the parking lot at the City Harbor and the Shanty Restaurant, smooth and non-damaging to the vehicles driving on it. That effect that drew thousands of tourists to the harbor for activities such as the annual “Clam Slam” or the “Dropping of the Crab Pot, or the annual “Docking Competition.”
We understand that the city saw an asset that could create, orchestrate and manage a revitalized yacht harbor, with its new floating docks, restaurant, bathrooms, and yacht crew shower facilities. And, once that revitalization was accomplished, had no further use for that asset, and discharged him.
It would appear that “the Town” is either discarding or neglecting its major assets, all the while looking for someone to blame.
Please respond. We need to have an open and transparent conversation that examines the facts of our local government, and its ability to provide the expected services to the community deserves without covering clandestine motivations and shortcomings with the “blame game.”
The harbor ran much more efficiently when Barbara Michaux ran it last year. There was never any money problems when she ran it
Insightful comments Mr. Powell.