Team effort makes smooth sailing for new Port dock project

Nov, 11-2009 10:41 am

By STEVE PRISAMENT
Staff Writer

PORT REPUBLIC – Local officials are calling the city’s new floating dock an example of how local government, volunteers and businesses can work together to achieve success.

Installed late this fishing season, the dock allows two boats to be tied up by the city’s Park Avenue boat ramp while tow vehicles are being parked or retrieved.

“For years the citizens of the City of Port Republic have wanted and needed a floating dock at the boat-launching ramp to make access to and from the water safer and more convenient, especially for our senior citizens,” according to local resident Ken Wilson.

Wilson said he discussed the situation with Councilwoman Doris Bugdon, who chairs the Recreation Committee.

“I thought a possible solution might be a prefabricated, poly floating dock system,” Wilson said. “I began researching the material cost for this type of dock system and we were pleasantly surprised the cost was much less than originally anticipated.”

While less than anticipated, it was still estimated in the $10,000 range – a lot for this small city to spend.

But by the time a deal was put together, the total cost was $5,300. And it was split between the city and the Port Republic Athletic Fund Association.

Dane Colton, a former neighbor of Wilson’s, is a professional dock and bulkhead contractor. He told Wilson and Bugdon that the dock proposed by Wilson would work for the city and provided details.

“The three of us then went to Beesleys Point Sea-Doo Inc. in Cape May County, for additional information and assurance the system would work for us,” Wilson said. “With the encouragement, contagious enthusiasm, and the ability of Doris to secure unanimous support for a funding joint venture between Port Republic’s City Council and Port Republic’s Athletic Fund Association, we were able to negotiate a workable, ‘under budget’ price for the materials and get the distributor to guarantee that the system would meet our needs.”

One big savings came from Colton who donated his time and equipment to handle the installation of the dock pilings, the fabrication of a 10-foot aluminum dock gangway, and supervision of the dock system installation.

“With the help of the city’s public works employees and the volunteer donations of materials and installation of signage and piling caps, the total additional cost amounted to zero,” Wilson said. “When my dad, Captain Ken Wilson, who has been working on the water for 80 years, saw the finished dock, his comment was, ‘It’s the cat’s meow.’ This small project is just one example of how government, volunteers and business can work together to meet goals.”

“Because so much was donated, the total cost was $5,300,” Bugdon said Tuesday, Nov. 10. “ The Athletic Fund Association gave $2,700, leaving $2,600 to be paid by the city.”

Of that, $5,200 went to Sea-Doo, she said. The other $100 was paid to Colton – the price of the “main piling that basically keeps that whole dock in place,” Bugdon said.

“He brought in his equipment and sank that piling,” she said. “Two shorter pilings with reflectors were donated by him, too.”

Bugdon said the floating dock, located at the city boat ramp on Park Avenue behind the tennis and basketball courts, opened to acclaim in late August.

“It’s had a tremendous amount of use,” she said. “It was at the point where people are giving you high fives,” she said. “Residents were excited. They’d yell, ‘Fantastic,’ and point to the dock.”

For now the dock is free to all.

“Next boating season, it will be free to local residents,” Bugdon said. “Non-residents will pay a fee. We haven’t set that fee yet.”

Naturally, the municipality must go through a bidding process, she said.

“We got proposals from four companies, Bugdon said. “One was for well over $10,000. I think we made out really well. It’s also just wonderful when people donate time and materials and you can have something nice and the cost is reasonable. Volunteerism in Port Republic is always wonderful.”

Bugdon also used Wilson’s father as an example.

“Ken Wilson’s father is 89 and whenever he wanted to go out, Ken would have to stop what he was doing and help him launch his boat,” she said. “Now the dock allows him to handle his boat all by himself.”

The improvement is simple, she said. People can launch boats alone without getting wet.

Wilson’s father and others can now back down the ramp and get boats into the water, and tie them to the dock while they park their vehicles, Bugdon said.

“It’s as easy as pie,” she said.

To comment on this story email steve.prisament@catamaranmedia.com.