Seward small boat harbor in critical need of repair

Areas of the Seward Small Boat Harbor are in critical need of repair, according to the existing Harbor Enterprise Fund.

A summary of the 10-year capital improvement program was discussed at the June 6 Seward City Council work session. The report zeroed in on three categories: critical needs, which encompassed those areas likely to fail within the next five years; high risk needs, highly likely to fail within the next five to 10 years; and moderate risk structures, which continuously increase cost to maintain.

D Float is on the critical needs list.

According to harbormaster Kari Anderson, the area contains pitting and rotting bullrail. Her biggest concern, however, is the electrical infrastructure, which she rated as a possible fire hazard. Harbor dredging was also listed as critical.

High risk areas include A, B, C, S, K and L floats, and S and N launch ramps.

Moderate risk structures are the harbormaster restrooms, four trash Dumpsters and used oil stations.

"Ideally it would be great if we could replace all high-risk needs at the same time, though it is possible to phase projects," Anderson said.

Float problems

Many of the older floats, such as L and K, date back to the 1970s. Constructed of wood , they show signs of rot and deterioration. The report recommends they be replaced in seven years.

The S Float is even older, and though upgrades were performed in 1996, it is in poor condition, with no reserve buoyancy.

"We have been giving this float some love, some maintenance, but there is a lot of wood rotting with the piling," Anderson said.

The replacement slot for S Float is five years.

B Float, also due for replacement in five years, is not ADA compliant, though it can be accessed from the D Float ramp.

The south launch ramps are also in poor condition, with corrosion to the point of failure, according to Anderson. Additionally, the launch can't be used during lower tide stages.

Other float problems, while not in critical or high-risk needs, include upgrading the power on the F Float from 30 to 50 amps and a dive piling survey check conducted on H and J floats; which Anderson said are in great condition. There are also broken pilings on the T Dock, and the harbor has experienced problems at the B fish cleaning station for the past three summers.

"Two males (Steller sea lions) have been habituated into coming into the harbor and breaking into the fish cleaning stations," Anderson said.

SMIC stuff

The 250-ton travel lift is reaching its 21st birthday, and replacement runs about $1.75 million.

"We have not been contributing to the motor pool to replace this, and that concerns me," Anderson said.

The Seward Marine Industrial Center north dock also requires major repair, and another area Anderson recommends investigating.

"It's kind of embarrassing when someone comes to do business at your dock and they have to bring their own fenders," she said.

The good new is that SMIC now has a portable toilet.

"When I started with the city, we had no public restrooms available at SMIC," she said. "This isn't idea but it's better than before."

Finding funding

The cost to repair the critical need projects is approximately $2,618,500. When you throw in the high- and moderate-risk category, the total capital outlay rises to around $13 million.

Anderson isn't sure where these funds will come from.

"If we don't find funding, D Float will need to be taken out of commission," she said.

According to Anderson, the harbor has dipped into passenger fee reserves the past couple of years. The fee should generate about $500,000 this year.

That's not enough to cover this year's bond payment let alone stock away for repairs.

Grant funding is the most probable possibility, said city manager Phillip Oates, though chances are that the city will have to match funding. Which means that in order to cover only critical needs, the harbor will have to come up with over $1 million.

Moorage rates will likely jump, at least among transient/guest slip-holders. According to Anderson, many harbors around the state charge higher rates for guest holders; Seward charges the same for both home and guest/transient holders.

"I don't want to say we're the most expensive, but we're not the cheapest either," she said. "We are more expensive in some areas and less in others."

Anderson estimates that a 10 percent increase of guest moorage rates would bring in about $50,000 in additional revenue. Rates would still be less than Homer, Whittier, Valdez and Cordova.

Deborah Altermatt of Sailing Inc., voiced her displeasure of moorage increases. Fewer people are buying boats, she said, and more are already leaving the harbor.

"If our rates keep going up, our customers will be attracted to other places," she said. "These are not good times, and we need to cut. We need to keep our customers, and not continually raise fees."