Chatham Seeks To Tap Waterways Fund For Pier Work

CHATHAM – There’s no harsher environment in town than Aunt Lydia’s Cove. It’s subject to increasingly higher tides and is protected from the open ocean only by a thin barrier beach. 

 The recent multi-million-dollar upgrade of the facility’s infrastructure will, officials say, give the fish pier resilience against climate-driven changes. But thanks to the unforgiving winds and salt spray, the fish packing building requires constant attention. With two packing bays used by many of the town’s commercial fishermen, the facility’s continued operation is critical to the commercial fishing industry, as well as the tourist economy, as thousands crowd its observation deck every summer to watch fishermen unload their catch.

 One of the elements of the pier infrastructure that needs close attention is its electrical systems, which the difficult environment, with its corroding salt spray and salt water, eats away at constantly. Recent equipment upgrades and improvements are also driving a need to upgrade electrical service at the pier.

 Natural resources officials are seeking $71,281 for a number of electrical improvements at the pier. The work includes repairing a light fixture in the parking lot; upgrading wiring damaged by water; installation of a new sub-panel and services to accommodate a new electric davit and saltwater pumps, and installation of transformers at the north and south jog. 

 The town has already purchased some of the equipment involved, said Natural Resources Director Greg Berman. The new funding will go toward installation, particularly for the transformers, which are more energy efficient and will allow more efficient use of larger-scale equipment, he said. 

 “This is really what we should have for a commercial facility,” he told members of the south coastal harbor plan committee last week. One of the holders of the two leases on the packing bays has new equipment that can’t be used to its fullest efficiency because of the current electrical service, he added. The new transformers should help reduce electricity use for both the packing back operators and the town.

 The money is being requested from the waterways user fee account. Waterways-related permit fees and other funds, such as income from the pier packing bay leases, go into the account, and can be expended by the town manager with the advice of waterways-related committees. Berman said the account receives $10,000 annually from fuel sales at the pier and $15,000 in lease fees for each of the two packing bays. The waterways user fee account receives about $250,000 in total revenue annually.

 Setting aside approved but unexpended allocations, the fund currently totals $985,175. Use of the requested funds for the pier electrical work will leave the total at $913,894.

 Berman said the projected cost is based on an estimate from one contractor. Bids will be sought for the work, but he anticipates it to not be more than the request. He noted that replacing overhead doors at the pier was projected to cost $183,000, but came in at $97,000 less. 

 “This, hopefully, will be the most we spend,” he said of the requested funds.

 The south coastal harbor plan committee voted to endorse the request. Berman will be seeking endorsements from other waterways-related committees before taking the request to the town manager.