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| I had the opportunity to meet the Ferry Service Operator and take several rides on the Turtle Runner and Pelican Perch during the first season of the Ferry Service in Pensacola |
Folks online are offering their assessments about why the Pensacola Bay Ferry Service provider has discontinued his operations. Most folks are upset and disappointed.
"I saw that coming"
"I knew IT"
"It was too expensive!"
"I knew it wouldn't work"
All kinds of reasons were thrown out there--all kinds of opinions online.
I was hoping this service would take off, but according to news reports out recently, the service was upside down to the tune of $300K --- just for this shortened first season.
I met the captain and was able to take several rides. I had high hopes for this service, especially since we built the dock infrastructure out at quietwater beach boardwalk to accommodate this Ferry Service.
My hope now, going forward, is that another operator will be selected to take over the service. We will see how that shakes out.
Meanwhile, not everyone was enamored with this operation. One constituent sent me an email detailing a list of alleged transgressions this operation had committed. This constituent made some allegations that I will investigate, so that going forward, the next operator of the Ferry will know, up front, about these additional issues.
From the email:
"Mr. Bergosh,
I feel you should be made
aware some concerns surrounding the Pensacola Bay Ferry system that is being
backed by the National Park Service.
There is significant
disapproval from the local small businesses in the Pensacola Beach area in how
the Ferry system was being run.
The big picture is that the
National Park Service used government funds from the Deepwater Horizon
Restitution Fund to build two vessels to be used as a ferry service to benefit
the area. Although the contract was initially put through a legally required
bid process, it failed to return any adequate options due to the fact that no
one could justify the operating cost well enough to want to run it. I may
have missed a legal loophole somewhere, but the second “round” of bids was
never conducted and the Park Service simply hired a concessioner, Gulf Coast
Maritime Services, Inc. The concessioner was running not only a much
needed ferry service to Pensacola Beach from Downtown Pensacola, but they also
began specialty cruises (dolphin, sunset, and Blue Angel cruises) that are in
direct competition with the local businesses in the area. Due to the fact that
they didn’t actually have to purchase their vessels outright, they were able to
undercut the local ticket prices which is hurting the small businesses.
In addition to government
funded competition against the local businesses, the concessioner did not apply
for all the regular approvals and was not paying the required Santa Rosa Island
Authority “fees.” These are a basic requirement of all other entities conducting
business on the Island. The Santa Rosa Island Authority has been very
strict about other companies not being able to pick up passengers at any
location without specific leaseholder signatures and state permission (for
publicly used docks such as the Boardwalk). The fact that the National Park
Service and its concessioner
bypassed these strict requirements and that the
Island Authority has made no effort to correct it has been very disheartening
for the local businesses.
The National Park Service and
the concessioner just completed the contract renegotiations and even with the
shady, potentially illegal, advantages they have given themselves the
concessioner was still unable to support the original Ferry business
concept.
The primary objective of the
Deepwater Horizon Restitution Fund is to repair and bolster the local ecology
and economy. Using these funds to undercut local business who suffered
severely from the oil spill seems improper, to say the least.
As a constituent in your
District, I am requesting your assistance in communicating with the National
Park Service, and whoever its new concessioner may be, about their direct
competition with local businesses already providing the same services (the
specialty cruises). We would like to see them revert the goal back to
only being a transportation service. Although we are willing to take any
actions necessary to right the wrongs and stifle illegal competitors, we are
hopeful to resolve this matter without major actions having to be taken.
I understand the Ferry
Service will be on the agenda for the upcoming meeting on Thursday, November
1. I will be unable to attend but I would suggest and appreciate this
information being passed along to all other involved or concerned commissioners.
The objective is to have a fully informed conversation about the future
involvement with the National Park Service and its Ferry operation.
Thank you for your time and
feel free to contact me with any questions.
Respectfully,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Owner- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
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