Options to aid harbor budget could include bank loans

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

The financial struggles faced by the Rogers City Marina are no secret. The city council submitted a debt elimination bond-refinancing plan to the state department of treasury this fall to help the marina and was denied. The marina faces debts from harbor upgrades throughout the years and due to the economic downturn the marina has had to borrow money from other city funds.

The department of treasury will not allow them to continue borrowing and has demanded that money be paid back to the funds it was borrowed from. The city council had to submit a revised debt elimination plan to the treasury last month and just received word that it was accepted. In that plan money will be taken from the general fund of the city to pay the marina debts.

?With the money from the general fund the marina budget is balanced. They would stand alone if it weren?t for the bond payments,? said city manager Mark Slown. Harbormaster Brian Wagner presented the group with the budget pointing out that fuel sales were down which led to a decrease in the revenues for the marina.

City staff continues to work with legislators Andy Neumann and Jason Allen who are working on legislation that would allow the marina to borrow money from a local bank to refinance the bonds and ease the pain of the payments. IN OTHER HARBOR ADVISORY NEWS:

? Launch ramp permits for both seasonal and daily launches were up this year according to Wagner. Wagner also updated the committee that the problems with the Central Reservation System experienced this year should be solved by next season, as the Internet will be switched from being provided via satellite, which was believed one of the causes of the problems.

? Norm Smith, Presque Isle County emergency services coordinator, is currently working on grants that would put in place s

ecurity cameras at not only the Rogers City Marina but also Presque Isle Harbor and Hammond Bay.

? A new pocket park is being planned for the northern corner of the harbor, which would be elevated with benches allowing a good view of the lake over the break wall. The park plans will continue, the funding for the project is already in place from various donations. The current plan is for a 20-foot circular park with a meandering path coming off of the Huron Sunrise Trail. Landscaping would be provided around the elevated concrete pad and picnic tables and a grill would be available below the elevated pad.

? At the request of the city council the advisory discussed the resizing of the committee and determined that as of now, operating as an 11-member body they have one vacant seat and one member who does not regularly attend meetings, they are pretty much operating as a nine-member board. They made a motion to be a nine-member board and include language to speak to an attendance policy regarding unexcused absences.

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