Boat School supporters seek reconsideration of Calais move

The closure of most of the Marine Technology Center in Eastport, the movement of the boatbuilding program to Calais, and the suspension of nine degree programs at the Washington County Community College (WCCC) are creating concern about the impacts on the local community, the boatbuilding industry and the disparity in shouldering the budget cuts among the state's community colleges. The Maine Community College System had requested a 6 percent increase in state funding for next year but will be receiving only a 2.58 percent increase. WCCC is facing a projected $500,000 shortfall, and nine of the 11 programs being suspended in the community college system because of budget reasons are at WCCC. Those degree programs include three in culinary arts, three in business studies, and three in computer technology; and another one, the educational technician program, is being suspended for review. In the community college system, while 11 programs are being suspended for budget reasons, 16 are being suspended in total. Other reasons for program suspensions include low enrollment.

State Senator Kevin Raye (R-Perry) has called upon John Fitzsimmons, president of the Maine Community College System, to delay the implementation of the closure of the Marine Technology Center and the elimination of the nine degree options at WCCC. He asked Fitzsimmons to schedule a public meeting in the Calais-Eastport area to air concerns over the impact of the cuts. Raye expressed "grave concern" about the disparity of the impact of budget cuts within the Maine Community College System. "The pending closure of WCCC's Marine Technology Center at Eastport is a very serious blow to Washington County," said Raye. "I was astounded to learn of this regrettable action. The decline of WCCC's boatbuilding program at Eastport is particularly odd given recent news reports about Maine's boatbuilding industry and the need for workers."

The educational policy committee of the Maine Community College System's board of trustees met on June 7 to hear from the public and from the presidents of the community colleges on the rationale for the program suspensions. While presidents can suspend a program without board approval, the committee decided to review the actions because there are so many suspensions this year. The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the full board of trustees, which should make a decision on any action within a couple of weeks, according to Alice Kirkpatrick, director of public affairs for the community college system. A resolution is needed soon because of obligations that the community college system has to faculty and students.

Quite a few people gave comments from the WCCC Calais campus via interactive video-conference about the program suspensions at that campus and about the moving of the programs taught at the Eastport campus to Calais. Boatbuilding instructor Dean Pike says he made four points: the new facility in Calais is inferior in meeting space requirements; the program will cost a great deal of tax money to be moved; the more crowded space and questionable air exchange could cause health and safety concerns for students; and the school has lost credibility, since the Eastport facility was used to market the program to students, and the marine trades industry was told that new courses with qualified instructors would be offered. "Now that's changed," notes Pike. He also points out that the closure of most of the Marine Technology Center will be a significant loss for the Eastport economy.

"I hope this is reconsidered and we are allowed to keep the program in Eastport, cut our overhead and subsidize utilities by getting more private industry into that building immediately, so we don't have to move and waste taxpayers' money," says Pike. "If that fails, the Boat School should be a separate branch of the community college system with its own budget, and that budget should be set by the board of trustees. Or they should allow another institution like Maine Maritime Academy the opportunity to run it successfully."

Also speaking about the move of the boatbuilding program was Eastport City Manager George Finch, who is chairman of the advisory board for WCCC. In a letter to Governor John Baldacci about the action, he wrote, "If the WCCC plan is not a random act of absurdity but truly a well-planned process of elimination, we ask to be kept abreast openly and honestly so we may act accordingly. We have full confidence the school, public or private, has a real role to play in the economic future of our area. If the state does not plan to fulfill the obligation of the school then let's lay the facts on the table and select alternatives that fill the needs of the community, not only wants and needs of the community college system."