Harbor Commission

Manistee Harbor Commission Established - November 1931 70 Maple Street, Manistee, Michigan 49660 Agenda Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 1 p.m. – Second Floor Conference Room, City Hall ____________________________________________________________________ Call to Order Approval of Agenda Public Comments on Agenda Items (5 minute limit) Election of Officers Approval of Minutes  Minutes of October 15, 2013 Staff Reports  Harbormaster  City Manager Committee Reports  Marketing Committee Unfinished Business  Strategic Plan Review – AES Office Final Draft New Business  Annual Bylaw Review Public Comment (5 minute limit) Comments by Harbor Commissioners Adjourn Commissioners are encouraged to participate in the preparation of the monthly agendas for Harbor Commission meetings. Please contact the City Manager’s Office at least two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting to discuss agenda items.  HARBOR COMMISSION MINUTES MEETING OF OCTOBER 15, 2013 A regular meeting of the Manistee Harbor Commission was held on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 1 p.m. in the Second Floor Conference Room, City Hall, 70 Maple Street, Manistee MI 49660. Roll Call Present Excused Absence Unexcused Absence Commissioner Bachman  Commissioner Cook  Commissioner Daniels  Commissioner Memberto  Commissioner Smith  Commissioner Zaccanelli  Commissioner Zielinski  City Manager Mitch Deisch  OTHERS PRESENT: Maralee Cook, VCB APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Roger Zielinski, second by Alex Zaccanelli to approve the agenda as presented. Voice vote - Motion carried. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS Maralee Cook – Has reviewed the draft strategic plan for the Harbor Commission. The VCB is working on linking up Northwest Michigan harbors; this would be a chance to work together toward a common goal. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Roger Zielinski, second by Ty Cook to approve the minutes for the July 16, 2013 and the August 20, 2013 meetings as presented. Voice vote - Motion carried. STAFF REPORTS Harbormaster. The marina has closed for the season. Marina reports for August and September were distributed. Frank Post will attend the Harbormasters conference in December. Anticipates that Mr. Post will bring back better information on what the City can offer regarding seasonal docks and incentives. Will lose two college students next season and will advertise in the spring. City Manager. City Manager Mitch Deisch reviewed the Boat Launch Revenue Report for 2013. Only one bid was received for the marina dredging from Luedtke in Frankfort for the amount of $83,500; way too high for the removal of only 300 yards of material. Will rebid in the spring for completion by the end of May. All permits have been received. COMMITTEE REPORTS None. Harbor Commission Minutes – October 15, 2013 Page 1 UNFINISHED BUSINESS Kathy Adair-Morin of the Alliance for Economic Success presented the draft Strategic Plan for the Harbor Commission. The purpose of this exercise is to align the Harbor Commission goals with the City’s Strategic Plan. Shelly Memberto arrived at 1:17 p.m. Extensive discussion on draft plan noting the importance of the harbor to the community and collaborating with the Live Here/Work Here/Visit Here program being implemented in the community. Discussion on items in the plan including: Peninsula plan, dinghy dock, mooring balls, involvement of stakeholders, collaboration with VCB on harbors of refuge, sister city in Wisconsin, tri-port collaborative, and promotional signage for this third entrance to the City. The AES Office will make minor modifications to the plan and bring the final document back to the Harbor Commission. NEW BUSINESS 2014 Meeting Schedule – approved as presented: January 21, April 15, June 17, July 15, August 19 and October 21. This schedule complies with the quarterly meetings as required by ordinance and adds two dates to meet during the marina operating season. Other meetings can be scheduled as necessary. Following a discussion on marketing the marina facility, MOTION was made by Dave Bachman, second by Alex Zaccanelli to form a Marketing Committee that will meet on a monthly basis and report back to the Harbor Commission. Committee members are: Chair Ty Cook, Dave Bachman, and Shelly Memberto. Maralee Cook and Kathy Adair Morin will assist this committee. PUBLIC COMMENTS None. COMMENTS BY HARBOR COMMISSIONERS None. ADJOURNMENT Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, 2014. MOTION by Dave Bachman, second by Shelly Memberto to adjourn at 2:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Lokovich, Recording Secretary Harbor Commission Minutes – October 15, 2013 Page 2  City of Manistee Harbor Commission Strategic Plan 2013 - 2016 October 2013 Strategic Plan Purpose and Use Manistee’s Harbor is an important gateway to the City of Manistee and Manistee County. Approximately 1,000 jobs directly rely upon the use of the harbor for commercial navigation. The harbor is traditionally one of the most significant in the entire Great Lakes for landings of migratory species of trout and salmon, a $4 billion industry in Michigan. The harbor is also the attraction and destination for countless events, vacations, beach-goers, shoppers, joggers and for people who simply want to escape to our Lake Michigan and Manistee River shores. This is the first Strategic Plan of the Manistee Harbor Commission. The Commission created under the Codified Ordinances – Part Two Administrative Code, Chapter 266 of the City of Manistee Consistent with that charter and the Strategic Plan of Manistee’s City Council, it is the intent of the Harbor Commission that this Strategic Plan:  Covers the period 2013 – 2016 and be subject to annual review and update as conditions warrant.  Serve as the “guiding light” for decisions and stewardship of the City’s harbor and harbor facilities.  Provides a vehicle for input from all interests as well as recommendations to City Council and City government about needs and priorities involving Manistee’s harbors. We are pleased to offer this Strategic Plan for input and participation by all who have an interest in the City of Manistee’s harbor. Sincerely, Dave Bachman, Harbormaster ___________________________________________________ Ty Cook ___________________________________________________ Rosemary Daniels ___________________________________________________ Mitch Deisch, Ex-Officio ___________________________________________________ Shelly Memberto ___________________________________________________ Thom Smith ___________________________________________________ Alex Zaccanelli ___________________________________________________ Roger Zielinski ___________________________________________________ City of Manistee Harbor Commission Strategic Plan 2013-2016 Page 2/5 Purpose of the Harbor Commission It is important for all interests in the City of Manistee’s harbor to understand the purposes of the City’s Harbor Commission. The City’s Codified Ordinance establishes that the Harbor Commission’s purposes are to provide recommendations to City Council concerning:  Operation, maintenance and policy about the City Municipal Marina and City owned boat launches  Improvements involving the City Municipal Marina and boat launches  Acquisition of waterfront property, wharves and docks  Use of waterways, channels, municipal docks and other city navigational facilities  Ordinances/rules regarding public safety Relationship to City Strategic Plan In addition to the City Charter, the City of Manistee’s Strategic Plan establishes an important focus for the Harbor Commission. Specifically, the current Strategic Plan of the City establishes that the vision of the City is to be “a community of choice along the Lake Michigan shoreline” and that a strategic goal is to have the “finest port facilities” along the Lake Michigan coast. In forming its strategic plan, the Harbor Commission is mindful of this vision and goal that establish overarching direction for the City. What Does the Manistee “Harbor” Include? In keeping with the City Charter and Strategic Plan of the City, the Harbor Commission is concerned with:  The Municipal Marina located on the Manistee River Channel  The Arthur Street boat launch and fishing pier located on Manistee Lake  The 9th Street Boat Launch located on Manistee Lake  All developments, improvements and the safe use and operations involving the Manistee harbor from its point of entry through the Federally owned navigation structure into Manistee Lake within the physical boundary of the City. It’s important to note that the Harbor Commission does not currently become involved with beach or park maintenance or signage. Strategic Goals The Strategic Goals of the Harbor Commission encompass the 2013 – 2016 period and will be addressed as noted in the following: City of Manistee Harbor Commission Strategic Plan 2013-2016 Page 3/5 Commission Representation Goal: To identify, recruit and develop representation on the Harbor Commission that reflects a cross- section of participation by key stakeholders and/or stakeholder groups. Action: Beginning in 2013, continue the open process to seek nominations to fill vacant Commission positions but also ensure contact is made with key stakeholder groups such as: U.S. Coast Guard; Manistee County Sheriff’s Department; downtown businesses with a relationship to the harbor; the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and others. In addition, the Commission will also encourage all interests to provide input and participate in meetings of the Commission, including an annual seasonal kickoff meeting, and assist the Commission in achieving its goals. Facility Improvements Goal: Consistent with the City’s priority on universal access, seek funding beginning in 2014 to widen the skid piers at the First Street Boat Launch to support both universal access and safety in general. Action: Pursue funding with AES support beginning in 2014. Goal: To continue to pursue opportunities to improve the 9th Street Boat Launch at such time as long- term arrangements for use of adjacent property can be made to enable and justify site improvements. Action: Request AES to assist in facilitating renewal of discussions with private property owners toward a long-term access agreement enabling pursuit of grant funding for site improvement. Goal: To make the 1st Street Boat Launch Auto Attendant user friendly. Action: A new kiosk will be in place in 2014 to distribute stickers. In the event the system is not functioning the Commission will pursue an envelope-self pay facility that relies upon the integrity of launch users. Participation and Collaboration Goal: To encourage and lead in “around the Lake” discussions with neighboring communities to support a unifying plan for the Lake regarding access and development and use of complimentary facilities. Action: Begin/renew discussions in 2014 with facilitation support of AES. Goal: To assess and pursue added opportunities which enhance use and enjoyment of the harbor and generate revenues for harbor facilities. Action: Beginning in 2014, identify a “menu” of possibilities for enhancement with initial priority on the potential installation and rental of mooring balls to support transient boating, increased tourism, and revenue generation. Discuss with users and other communities to identify best practices. Goal: Encourage cooperation among Manistee County’s three port communities (Manistee, Onekama, and Arcadia) and expand marketing efforts. City of Manistee Harbor Commission Strategic Plan 2013-2016 Page 4/5 Action: Develop a tri-port collaborative to work with the Manistee County Visitors Bureau to promote our coastline and the three unique harbor resources available. Additionally, explore options for a “Sister City” program with communities on Wisconsin’s coastline for possible boater reciprocity. Review possibilities of “Welcome” signage at port entries. Forward Looking Goal: To engage Commission members and all harbor interests in discussions that form the basis for new goals and areas of focus that may include but not be limited to:  Linkages between the work of the Commission and economic development priorities, such as implementation of the Peninsula Plan.  Ways to further promote the harbor and capture more market share  An expansion of seasonal dockage in keeping with promotion that brings more boaters to our Harbor  Ways to address vandalism and ongoing maintenance needs  Understanding “best practices” for Harbor Commissions and Harbor Commission accomplishments in other ports  Leveraging all resources to encourage boater safety and voluntary boat safety inspections City of Manistee Harbor Commission Strategic Plan 2013-2016 Page 5/5