Boat School, heritage museum to receive funding from state

A day after the legislature adjourned without providing funding for the Boat School in Eastport or the Downeast Heritage Museum in Calais, Governor John Baldacci announced that he would be making available from his contingency funds $210,000 to help the Boat School and $300,000 in emergency funding to prevent a closure of the heritage museum. Baldacci noted, "The museum is an anchor for tourism in Washington County. The boatbuilding school is also a vital resource to the area. I am pleased to be able to add this money to this area of the state."

Senator Kevin Raye of Perry, Rep. Ian Emery of Cutler and Rep. Howard McFadden of Dennysville had been fighting for the Boat School funding and had received strong votes of support in the House and the Senate. However, the Appropriations Committee did not provide any funding. The Boat School bill, LD 1948, was authored by Raye and cosponsored by a bipartisan coalition of legislators.

Following the governor's announcement, the three legislators stated in a release, "It comes as welcome news after being so disappointed with the governor's unwillingness to support the Boat School during the appropriations process. We recognize that the governor's timing creates the appearance of being planned to maximize the political benefit, but that is fine with us as long as it achieves the goal of preserving these two worthwhile institutions."

Tom MacNaughton, president of the Friends of the Boat School Marine Trades Development Corporation, commented, "With enrollment rising rapidly this year, we are very pleased that the governor has shown this commitment to the working people of our only growing manufacturing industry. This will be of great benefit to small businesses in Maine and economic development in general." He adds, "We were very gratified by the overwhelming vote by both the Senate and House, plus the tireless efforts of many legislators and industry leaders from around the state. This has thoroughly demonstrated the statewide support for making sure the Boat School will be a world-class institution fully responsive to the needs of the workers and the boatbuilding industry in the state."

However, the $210,000 in funding is significantly less than the $433,877 that Washington County Community College President William Cassidy had projected would be needed to operate the school in Eastport for the coming year. His budget projection included adding a full-time director again and having two full-time instructors, along with statewide delivery of an apprenticeship program for boatbuilding companies. Cassidy says that with the amount of funding appropriated the school can remain in Eastport for the coming year with the same level of staffing as this year, but a full-time director cannot be hired.

Boatbuilding instructor Dean Pike comments, "I'm real happy that we got the funding to keep the Boat School in Eastport at what I believe is a world-class facility, but I'm disappointed that the system can't find money to hire a full-time director, which I think is critical to the success of the school."

In addition to the funding announced by the governor, the legislature approved an amendment proposed by Raye requiring WCCC and the City of Eastport to explore partnerships to strengthen and secure the future of the Boat School at Eastport. The measure specifies that the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) will facilitate the process, and that participants must include the University of Maine System, Maine Maritime Academy, Husson College, Friends of the Boat School, and the Maine Marine Trades Association. It allocates $25,000 for the planning and coordination of the effort, and requires a report to the legislature by February 1, 2007. Cassidy says he will be working with DECD, and interested stakeholders will be able to attend any meetings during the planning process.

The Friends of the Boat School have invited the key players C the University of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy, Husson College and the Maine Community College System C to a meeting in Eastport on Monday, June 12, to explore how a partnership might work.

The group is also planning a celebration within a month for the schooners Halie & Matthew and the Sylvina W. Beal. MacNaughton observes, "Where else other than Eastport could the students of the last two or three years have seen the building right on the Boat School property of a brand new 92-foot schooner certified for ocean work, the Halie & Matthew. Not only that but this year they have seen and even worked on the rebuilding of the historic schooner Sylvina W. Beal, a nearly 100-year-old vessel, which originally sailed out of this area and is back proudly in the harbor today."