DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — Over the past two years, more than half a million dollars have been spent on maintenance at the Baileys Harbor Marina. Now town officials have expressed concerns regarding the future of the marina
- Baileys Harbor Marina in the town of Baileys Harbor currently being dredged
- Baileys Harbor Town Chair Dave Eliot explains the rising maintenance cost
- Sam Nelson a member of the Marina ad-hoc committee which is discussing plans for the future of the marina
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Community leaders say that Baileys Harbor Marina has long been a focal point of the small town.
"But over the years we've ran into more troubles with it" Dave Eliot the Baileys Harbor Town Chair said.
Over the past couple of years, the marina has faced some difficulties according to Eliot.
"Most recently the challenges is the declining water levels and dredging is become a priority" Eliot said.
He says the cost of dredging the process of removing sediment from the water has increased in recent years.
The marina slip fees cover operations, but the town has to pay out of pocket for dredging.
"That's pretty much above and beyond what we bring in from the marina in terms of profit from the marina itself" Eliot said.
The maintenance comes with a price it has cost the town 300,000 dollars in each of the last two years.
Sam Nelson, a member of the Baileys Harbor Marina ad-hoc committee, says that with such a hefty price tag, the real question is whether it's worth continuing to keep the marina open.
"The lakefront here is a big part of our identity as a town and we've always had a marina here but we may have to re-evaluate that" Nelson said
NBC26 asked the town chair "would you say that it could end up in trouble."
"I believe we have a plan in place for this year and we're looking to figure out next year but after that we really have to look at what are our options" Eliot said.
Town officials say that, while they are dedicated to finding the best solution, the marina committee currently has no scheduled meetings but may arrange one for sometime in March.
