Internet reservations at marina are creating potentially costly situation

There?s a problem developing at the Rogers City marina with the new reservation system, one that not only could be costly to a budget already in the red, but also to the city?s reputation. Equipment at the harbor has been sitting in boxes and has yet to be installed, but reservations already have started to be accepted by phone and via the Internet in Cumberland, Maryland.

Harbor master Ken Rasche, who fought against the system?s installation, went to marinas in Cheboygan and Mackinac Island for some self-training. ?It really threw up some red flags, at least to me it did,? said Rasche at Tuesday?s meeting of the Harbor Advisory Committee. ?I found it amazing to learn that a girl in Mackinaw City could get on her computer and find out how many people, and the names of the people, who had reserved slips in Rogers City for this year. I didn?t know, because I don?t have the equipment in.?