The Steamship Authority board of governors voted Friday to hire Faststream Recruitment to conduct an executive search for the next general manager.
The Steamship Authority board of governors voted Friday to hire Faststream Recruitment to conduct an executive search for the next general manager.
Current general manager Robert Davis is set to step into an advisory position once the new general manager is in place.
The Steamship Authority board also discussed requests to place a non-voting community representative on the general manager search committee, which is made up of board and port council members.
“I’ve received a number of requests to have a non-voting member from the community be part of the search process [and] I’m not sure exactly why people want that, other than they feel it might make it more transparent or more inclusive. Or perhaps there’s a sense that the board members are somehow ‘inside’ and perhaps not as open,” said James Malkin, the Vineyard’s representative to the board, adding that he has received three resumes from people interested in joining the committee.
Board member Robert Jones of Barnstable called the request “completely unprecedented [and] unorthodox.”
“We’ve never done anything like this, and I don’t want to start a precedent today that will limit us for years to come,” Mr. Jones said.
The board voted unanimously to table the item.
Also at the meeting, chief operating officer Mark Amundsen updated the board on the progress of the three new freight vessels. He said that the new M/V Barnstable is up to speed on the Nantucket route, after initially running slower than expected.
“We’re right on the money of where we want to be and, quite frankly, very happy with the speed performance,” he said.
The Barnstable’s first sister ship, M/V Aquinnah, is nearly ready for sea trials and Coast Guard inspections before joining the fleet later this spring.
The last of the three identical vessels, M/V Monomoy, is still being equipped at Alabama Shipyard, where Mr. Amundsen said the work is moving quickly.
“This vessel being the third, the efficiencies of the first two have been picked up and she’s going very well,” he said.
The board of governors was also told that the new transfer bridges for the Vineyard Haven terminal will not be ready until after the summer travel season. The replacement work was previously scheduled for this past winter, until it was put on hold until the Tisbury Conservation Commission reviewed the project.
Mr. Davis reported that difficulties with the vendor have now pushed the Vineyard Haven work to this fall, while the Nantucket work still has not begun.
“We previously reported that we’d be doing the transfer bridge replacements on Nantucket, followed by the Vineyard. That’s still the plan, however, the Vineyard will definitely at this point be put off until the fall,” Mr. Davis said.
Comments
If one was to look for the
Ben Gardner AndoverIf one was to look for the definition of consistency neither good nor bad look at the steamship Authority and the board. One would think y’all have enough sense of how the boat line runs to have the skills to hire.
But no, let’s hire a company that has no day to day history of how your business runs. Seems to me that’s defeating the purpose of boards and commissions and the whole nine yards.
Hiring consultants is a smoke screen for lack of confidence in an organization it’s that simple. The SSA has been playing defense for to many years to count. Y’all been losing at every aspect for far to many years.
Stand up and be accounted for or leave the board. There are so many good people who would step forward if the weak would get out of the way. Best to all
I support the addition of a
Lisa, Island KidI support the addition of a non-board member to the selection committee process. It might be unprecedented for the SSA to add a diverse member (diversity, in this situation, of someone being from the outside) as it brings a freah look and different way of thinking to the organization. I've facilitated over 60 non-profit CEO Searches, and agree this would be a great benefit and opportunity to both shine a light on the process and keep it transparent without harming confidentiality when the right person (or people) are selected!
It is important that the CEO
Gail Rowe West TisburyIt is important that the CEO search committee is as inclusive as possible. One additional person should not be viewed as a threat but a very necessary addition to the search. This should not be tabled but resurrected immediately.
The Steamship Authority (SSA)
Thomas This to shall pass Vineyard HavenThe Steamship Authority (SSA) faces a challenging situation in its search for a new leader. There's a conflict in the advice above: one suggests avoiding outside consultants lacking daily operational experience, while another recommends adding an external, non-board member to the selection committee for a fresh perspective. This reflects the SSA's predicament – damned if they rely solely on internal knowledge and damned if they bring in outside perspectives.
The need for a search committee itself highlights a potential issue: qualified internal candidates may be hesitant to take on the leadership role due to relentless public scrutiny. Despite the SSA's efforts towards transparency through community meetings, accepting criticism, and adapting, the public pressure seems significant.
Contributing to the difficulty is the influence of unions in a tight labor market, where the limited supply of workers and captains gives them considerable leverage. External factors like weather and mechanical breakdowns further complicate the SSA's operations, issues beyond their direct control.
I would argue that the public's demand for better service should be directed at the SSA board and its "redundant port council." The board should focus less on issues like traffic speed down Woods Hole Road and appeasing specific local interests, while focusing more on potential "waste and abuse" such as the extended operating season of the Oak Bluffs terminal despite possible inefficiencies in scheduling.
The search for a new CEO should be handled by an external firm. The rationale is that an outside entity can impartially assess the backbone of the current management and deliver honest feedback to the board, even if it's unwelcome. This implies a need for an objective evaluation of the agency's strengths and weaknesses, free from internal biases or political pressures!!!
“We’ve never done anything
Doug Ruskin West Tisbury“We’ve never done anything like this, and I don’t want to start a precedent today that will limit us for years to come,” Mr. Jones said
The problem, in a nutshell
Doug, you’re absolutely right
Thomas This to shall pass Vineyard HavenDoug, you’re absolutely right—it’s all about the board and its composition. This situation is a prime candidate for state ownership. Our rates would remain low due to state subsidies, and we could eliminate the influence of special interest groups that continually make outrageous statements, like the members from Falmouth and New Bedford.
The Steamship Authority exists to serve the residents and islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, yet we constantly bear the brunt of political maneuvering. An independent board appointed by the governor—or even Massport—would be a step in the right direction. It’s time to move on from this mess.
I’m tired of hearing longtime residents warn that we’ll regret state involvement. The real regret is that the state hasn’t stepped in over the past and we still have regrets!
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