PORT ANGELES — Rates at the John Wayne Marina and Port Angeles Boat Haven will hold steady for the next two years, with increases only to take inflation into account.
The Port of Port Angeles commissioners by consensus on Monday told the staff to move forward with that rate structure when budgeting for 2011.
“This is the responsible thing to do,” said Commissioner John Calhoun.
“This reflects the current economic condition — it is not the time to increase.”
The rates are currently at $5.98 per foot per month at Port Angeles Boat Haven and $7.71 per foot per month at John Wayne Marina on Sequim Bay.
The commission last year voted to hold the rates steady at 2009 levels because of economic condition.
The commission did have a segment of a full “marina rates study” scheduled for every meeting until Aug. 26.
At the May 24 meeting, Calhoun said he didn’t want to go through a study for months only to come to the conclusion the rates should be held steady.
He suggested the rates could be adjusted based on the consumer price index — whether that is positive or negative.
Boaters have been quiet about the current rates.
In the past, boatowners have flocked to meetings asking the commissioners to involve them in the decision process more or to at least hold the rates steady.
Port Angeles Boat Haven has 350 slips and of those 238 are occupied. Most of the vacancies are in the 20-foot to 29-foot boat category.
“We know because of the recession that many of those owners have started to just trailer those boats in,” Calhoun said.
At the John Wayne Marina, there are a total of 300 slips, 286 of which are occupied.
“It is encouraging to see that we have a high occupancy rate at John Wayne at least,” said commission President George Schoenfeldt.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
