Port authority eyes cruise ship trade in purchase of land

The Eastport Port Authority will become the new owner of a former apartment building and adjoining land in downtown Eastport. The property, conveniently located near the downtown and breakwater area, was purchased for the purpose of creating a visitors' center for cruise ships at the pier, an outside entertainment center, restrooms and parking.
Once the site of Grant's garage, the property has frontage on both Washington Street and Sullivan Street and adjoins the Eastport post office. Surplus fill from the present Passamaquoddy Water District water line project will be used to level off the vacant lot acquired in the real estate purchase. Parking on the Sullivan Street side of the property will include spaces for vehicles and trailers using the breakwater boat launch to park while they are on the bay.

Tentative plans call for the first small cruise ship to arrive in the summer of 2007. Richard West, chairman of CruiseWest of Seattle, Wash., visited Eastport in June of this year to study the possibility of expanding the itinerary of the 102-passenger Nantucket Clipper to include an Eastport port call. The vessel has previously stopped at Campobello and currently calls during the summer at Bar Harbor, Bucksport, Bangor, Camden, Bath, Boothbay Harbor and Portland. Port authority board member Jett Peterson says in recent conversations with West he has continued to be optimistic about a 2007 Eastport visit.
Port and city officials consider the port authority land purchase to be one of the most important economic steps undertaken for the revitalization of the downtown and breakwater areas as it relieves the constant parking issues in the area. The additional parking spaces and restrooms will meet the needs of those arriving by vehicle and boat.

According to City Manager George Finch, the port authority will issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the building on the property most recently used as apartments. The RFP will be utilized to determine the manner in which the facility will be utilized in the future, whether for apartments, rooms, office space or otherwise.

The property, formerly known as the Rinaldi apartments, was purchased from Eastport resident Chase Langmaid at a cost of $212,000. Funding for the purchase came from a Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) grant for port infrastructure operations and expansion.

The port appreciates Governor John Baldacci, Commissioner David Cole and Rob Elder of the Maine Department of Transportation for their support in the infrastructural improvement in the city. Unlike other port properties at the Estes Head cargo port where payment to the city is made in lieu of taxes, this property remains on the tax rolls for full-assessed value.

Port authority bylaws to be studied
Inconsistencies exist between the port authority's bylaws and the port authority charter concerning the filling of vacancies on the board of directors. Jett Peterson, who serves as a board member, stressed that this matter has come up before and action should be taken to correct the inconsistencies.

Board member John Bishop announced he would be resigning his position next month. He plans to spend the winter months in a warmer climate. Incumbent Peterson has filed nomination papers for another four-year term. Appointments to the board will be necessary to fill Bishop's remaining one-year term. The council will also need to fill the position now held by Robert Lewis, who is serving as an appointee until December.

Federal Marine Terminals report
Four ships are expected to call at the Estes Head port during the month of September with an anticipated tonnage of 33,278 metric tons of wood pulp. The Louisiana Pacific mill equipment being exported has been sent to the port and is awaiting shipment to Chile. The equipment was used at the former oriented strand board facility at Woodland. The facility now owned by Louisiana-Pacific was acquired several years ago in a property exchange with Georgia-Pacific.

Discussions are under way with a company interested in shipping natural resource material out of Eastport.

The Maine Department of Transportation has awarded the three-port strategy assessment contract to the Cornell Group from Virginia. The work is expected to begin this autumn. Federal Marine Terminals Manager Skip Rogers says legislators should be asked to refrain from permitting the removal of the Calais rail line until the study is completed.