Authority Members Talk Tomorrow About Future of the Chief Executive
By ALEXIS TONTI
The future of the Steamship Authority will be decided this week when chief executive officer Fred C. Raskin steps behind closed doors to tell the boat line board of governors whether he will resign.
At a meeting Wednesday, "I believe that Fred Raskin intends to tell us whether or not he plans to stay for the full term of his contract," Vineyard SSA governor Kathryn A. Roessel said.
Business Leaders Want to Say: Boat Reservations Are a Mess
By ALEXIS TONTI
The Steamship Authority vehicle reservation system is broken.
That was the take-home message this week at a forum that started as a focused debate about the boat line's new guaranteed standby policy and expanded to a broad indictment of the way the SSA books passengers.
The forum, hosted by the Dukes County Commission, was held Wednesday at the Vineyard Transit Authority administration building.
SSA Pressures Oak Bluffs on Pier Plan; Boat Line's Tone a Sore Point for Town
By ALEXIS TONTI
Amid controversy over a Steamship Authority proposal to renovate the Oak Bluffs pier, boat line managers are now using plans to lease the abandoned town hall for a new terminal as leverage.
In a letter to Oak Bluffs selectman Richard Combra, SSA director of engineering Carl Walker says any permitting delay will undermine the entire project. He puts pressure squarely on the town conservation commission to fast track its review of the SSA proposal.
Time for Guaranteed Standby? an Old Idea Gets New Airing
By ALEXIS TONTI
A Steamship Authority plan to reinstitute guaranteed standby on a trial basis this summer has at least one Oak Bluffs committee campaigning for a complete revival of the old standby policy, and has sparked an Islandwide debate on the boat line vehicle reservation program.
County Tries to Balance $4.4 Million Budget
By ALEXIS TONTI
Eliminating the water testing laboratory and turning down a $42,500 funding request by the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority - these are some of the measures under consideration by the Dukes County commissioners as they try to balance the $4.4 million total operating budget for next year.
The county commissioners must consider the changes after an initial draft budget came in with a shortfall of nearly $120,000.
Two Guards Suspended After Indictments in Inmate Beatings
By ALEXIS TONTI
After three days of witness testimony and deliberation, a Dukes County grand jury Wednesday indicted two correctional officers and an inmate on conspiracy charges in connection with an inmate beating at the Dukes County House of Correction.
Michael Trance, 26, of Edgartown and Teejay Roginski, 25, of Tisbury are both charged with conspiracy to commit assault and battery in connection with an inmate-on-inmate attack last June.