<p>Carl Walker, the longtime director of engineering and maintenance at the Steamship Authority, has had his position eliminated due to restructuring, the SSA said.
Carl Walker, the longtime director of engineering and maintenance at the Steamship Authority, no longer works for the boat line, communications director Sean Driscoll confirmed late last week.
Mr. Walker was out as of Friday, but the SSA offered no explanation for his departure. Mr. Driscoll emailed the following brief statement to the Gazette early Saturday:
“As of Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, Carl R. Walker is no longer employed as director of engineering and maintenance, or in any other capacity, by the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority. As has been its practice in the past, the authority will offer no further comment on this personnel matter.”
In a followup email Monday, Mr. Driscoll said that Mr. Walker’s position had been eliminated.
“The position has been eliminated as part of the restructuring of the authority’s organization structure,” he wrote. Oversight of the department will now fall to Mark Amundsen, the director of marine operations, he also said.
Mr. Walker had worked at the SSA for 24 years, beginning in 1995.
Comments
Time to hold the SSA
Mark EdgartownTime to hold the SSA accountable. Bring in a new management team and ensure governance and compensation is directly aligned with the objectives of efficient and reliable service.
What was Carl Walker's
Cement Truck Driver Used to live in Tisbury Now lives in EdgartownWhat was Carl Walker's background. Did he at one time work on the Fleet of Vessel's as an engineer? I am sure some personal knowledge about the vessel's would go along way in knowing what they need to concentrate on the preventative maintenance aspect of the fleet. I would like to know the background of the new person the SSA is going to hire in his place.
After twelve years (4 terms
Frequent SSA Customer EdgartownAfter twelve years (4 terms already) on the SSA Board representing the Vineyard, Marc Hanover also needs to resign.
Agreed. Much change is
T Bone Oak BluffsAgreed. Much change is needed at the SSA. Marc has been part of the ingrained culture. 4 terms is enough. Fresh perspectives are needed -- views that will challenge SSA leadership, not accept the status quo.
Those complaining about Marc
Ted Stanley West TisburyThose complaining about Marc Hanover’s extended service as the Martha’s Vineyard representative on the SSA’s board of directors would do well to STOP WHINING and become informed. Calling for Mr. Hanover’s resignation is patently pointless. We should all be grateful for his investment of time and effort into what I imagine is a thankless and unpaid position.
Those who believe Mr. Hanover should be replaced need to WAKE UP, learn how the system works, and actually do something. Specifically, find and encourage a worthy individual to apply for the position, then actively support that person’s appointment. The MV rep to the SSA board is appointed by the Dukes County Commissioners. Mr. Hanover’s three year term expires this year (2020). FYI ...
https://www.dukescounty.org/county-manager/pages/volunteer-opportunities
Which points out:
COUNTY APPOINTMENTS
Dukes County Commissioners are accepting applications for our annual volunteer position appointments.
The Associate Commissioners positions are appointments made by the chairman of the Dukes County Commissioners. They are one year appointments (this is an error which is being corrected) - starting March 2020. For more information on each position visit the website for the particular position.
Steamship Authority - Martha's Vineyard representative to the board of Governors (requires travel to meetings off island)
For more details about each position please visit the website of the individual organizations.
Feel free to call the County Manager at 508-696-3840 with any additional questions.
Deadline for applications: January 31, 2020
If you are interested to volunteer your time and skills and have any questions, feel free to contact the County Manager Martina Thornton.
If you are interested in any of the appointed positions, please submit your application and letters of interest to the Manager's Office.
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (508) 696-3841
By Mail:
Office of the County Manager
P.O. Box 190
Edgartown, MA 02539
Then on the SSA web site: https://www.steamshipauthority.com/about/history
the SSA governance is described as follows:
The Steamship Authority is governed by a five-member board: a Nantucket resident appointed by the Nantucket County Commissioners; a Martha’s Vineyard resident appointed by the Dukes County Commissioners; a Falmouth resident appointed by the Falmouth Board of Selectmen; a Barnstable resident appointed by the Barnstable Town Council; and a New Bedford resident appointed by the Mayor of New Bedford, with the approval of the New Bedford City Council. Each of the Island board members has 35% of the members' combined vote; and each of the mainland board members has 10% of the members' combined vote.
AND
The Steamship Authority also has a seven-member advisory board known as the Port Council, whose members are appointed by the municipal authorities of the following communities: Barnstable; Fairhaven; Falmouth; Nantucket; New Bedford; Oak Bluffs; and Tisbury.
Therefore ... If you don’t like the job Marc Hanover is doing, Put Up, or Shut Up.
Really it’s time that the
OHMY TisburyReally, it’s time that the administrators of the SSA live on the vineyard. It’s time for them to need the life line as much as those who live here. They can still work off island in their fancy offices but need to get to work by using the SSA. This might make a difference in how it is run and how often it runs. May also help them appreciate the finer points folks on MV are trying to make. There are many positions on MV that require you to live here this should be one of them.
I agree.
Julie EdgartownI agree.
In addition to adopting its
A Bigger Boat EdgartownIn addition to adopting its recent "Mission Statement", can we also nominate "On the good ship Lollipop" as the SSA theme song? Shirley Temple would be a welcomed addition.
Agree with Frequent & Tbone
ECS Ft Lauderdale / EdgartownAgree with Frequent & Tbone but this is not a private company and more information should be provided as to exactly what Mr. Walker did-engineer at Boeing punch rivets but those who design buildings and ships have a somewhat different function.
I would start at at the top with the account who got promoted to run the good ship Lollipop[s].
Living on the Island really won't make a difference; competent people working together make the difference.
Agree, living on the island
Mark EdgartownAgree, living on the island won’t make a difference. Take a page from private enterprise and align compensation and governance with performance. Don’t run this like a utility where status quo is acceptable.
Here here!!!
Ecs FLL edgartwnHere here!!!
Another longtime employee,
Beaner Vineyard HavenAnother longtime employee, thrown under the bus ! Not, a happy new year for him, very sad how alot of the employee's are treated. We need change here people. I hope he was in the "union" and somehow gets compensated. 24 years gone, just not right and yet we aren't allowed to know the real story. I am sorry for Mr. Walker and, his family. The "powers that be" should be sorry as well, destroying a man's livelyhood like that ! For shame, for shame, KARMA !
Last time I checked, humans
Simpleton SimpletownLast time I checked, humans are fallible, engineering is different than maintenance, and tenure is reserved for academia.
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