Fishermen vs. Yacht Club

Once again last night, the St. Marys Property Committee was faced with the ongoing debate between local fishermen and the Yacht Club over the city owned waterfront "bait shop" building. It seems that the Yacht Club has a proposal to convert the building to a welcome center for boaters visiting St. Marys as a first step in making St. Marys destination to cruising boaters. The local fishermen appear to be firmly allied against the plan. Their argument is that the building was constructed as a "bait shop" and, despite the fact that it has never been successfully used as one, it should remain available exclusively as a "bait shop" just in case someone wants to sell bait in the future.

St. Marys has an extensive and very under utilized water front. Both the fishermen and the Yacht Club should be able to share access without animosity. The existing "bait shop" building is not and never has been used successfully to sell bait. if the city subsidized bait shop were located in this building, it would compete unfairly with local, privately owned bait shops. It seems like a "no brainer." The Property Committee's solution was to refer it to an ad hoc committee of fishermen and the Yacht Club with the directive to bring back recommendations.

What do you think?

and since it should be relatively easy to arrive at a

Jimmy

Judged:

Its simple. The city needs to allow someone to lease a space at Meeting Street ramp for a bait shop. This is the best place to put in anyway and just shut down the down town ramp.

sandy feller

it seems to me that the committee should be given a little time to resolve the problem. if they cannot come to a solution then an independent arbitrator (one with no axe to grind) should be appointed to guide them to a solution. i would be more than happy to act in that role. clearly that facility could be a boon to the area. having said that , clearly both sides should be served by the conclusion. let fair minds prevail.

Politics

This is exactly why the St. Marys City Council is sooooo dysfunctional. They have too many committees and not enough wisdom.

big sho

Since: Mar 09

I think there is no reason to consider closing the boat ramp downtown. The bait shop has never been sucessful for various reasons. For one, the City charges an arm and a leg for rent of the facility. Second, previous operators of the facility have not been able to have on hand a constant supply of bait for the public. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that local fishermen and boaters alike provide generous revenue to the City of St Marys. St Marys was founded as a fishing community and should remain surrounded by the people who made St Marys what it is. Closing the ramp in St Marys is NOT the answer to solving the City's problem of untilizing the waterfront. Enhancing boat trailer parking, adding extra boat dock space, and encouraging fishermen and boaters alike to use the waterfront for its intended use should be the City's focus. Keep in mind the Rotary Club's annual Kingfish Tournament coming up in August. This is what the City needs more of if they want to enhance or utilize the waterfront.

A Nonny Mouse

There was no talk of closing the downtown boat ramp. It seems that the only bone of contention is the use of the "bait shop" building.

Since it not needed as a bait shop, why not let it be used as a welcome center? Would that not be the best use of city owned resources?

Since: Feb 09

306

what did the smyc enter into a contract to do a baitshop or a wellcome center?
and yes it has been brought up before to close the ramp. the city went as far as taking all boat trailer parking from down there once.
the only reason that there would be a problem with keeping bait is an a/c unit and the council let the pipes get out of the mud.
but lets just say no boats in the city at all.
unless it has sails or is a yacht

A Nonny Mouse

seapro wrote:

what did the smyc enter into a contract to do a baitshop or a wellcome center?
and yes it has been brought up before to close the ramp. the city went as far as taking all boat trailer parking from down there once.
the only reason that there would be a problem with keeping bait is an a/c unit and the council let the pipes get out of the mud.
but lets just say no boats in the city at all.
unless it has sails or is a yacht

I'm really sorry to hear that you think fishermen should be banned from the city. I don't think you will find many who agree with you. St. Marys was historically a fishing community. I think it should always welcome fishermen. When I go on a boat, it will be to go fishing or diving or because I have to to travel someplace. I spent too many years working on a boat to want to just ride around on one for "pleasure." You would have to drag me onto a cruise ship.

But, if we can entice yachtsmen, sailors, and other pleasure boaters to visit St. Marys and spend money while they are here, I'm all for the idea. If all we have to do to get the ball rolling is to convert an underused city building into a boater's welcome center, lets do it.

CheersForKyle

Casselberry, FL

Judged:

Politics wrote:

This is exactly why the St. Marys City Council is sooooo dysfunctional. They have too many committees and not enough wisdom.

I have the solution---
A Waterfront CZAR!! Probably get one for about fourteen grand!!

big sho

Since: Mar 09

Judged:

A Nonny Mouse wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm really sorry to hear that you think fishermen should be banned from the city. I don't think you will find many who agree with you. St. Marys was historically a fishing community. I think it should always welcome fishermen. When I go on a boat, it will be to go fishing or diving or because I have to to travel someplace. I spent too many years working on a boat to want to just ride around on one for "pleasure." You would have to drag me onto a cruise ship.
But, if we can entice yachtsmen, sailors, and other pleasure boaters to visit St. Marys and spend money while they are here, I'm all for the idea. If all we have to do to get the ball rolling is to convert an underused city building into a boater's welcome center, lets do it.

Who is planning on funding this welcome center and who is gonna staff the center? I think if you compare the number of local recreational boaters and fishermen who use the downtown ramp to the number of boaters that would come to St Marys to visit the welcome center via water, you would see that there really is no valid support for a welcome center at the waterfront. You have Orange Hall, Submarine museum, Cumberland Island visitor center, and many other attractions for visitors that all reflect on the history of St Marys. Why doesn't the City look into how it can help make the bait facility sucessful and use the building for its intended purpose?

A Nonny Mouse

big sho wrote:

<quoted text>
Who is planning on funding this welcome center and who is gonna staff the center? I think if you compare the number of local recreational boaters and fishermen who use the downtown ramp to the number of boaters that would come to St Marys to visit the welcome center via water, you would see that there really is no valid support for a welcome center at the waterfront. You have Orange Hall, Submarine museum, Cumberland Island visitor center, and many other attractions for visitors that all reflect on the history of St Marys. Why doesn't the City look into how it can help make the bait facility sucessful and use the building for its intended purpose?

As I understand it, the Yacht Club would fund the welcome center. Probably, like many other proposed projects, it would end up costing the citizens if we aren't alert.

Wwhy should the city put any more money into making the bait shop successful? I don't really care what its intended purpose was. It seems to me that the fishermen don't really need it because they have a source of bait run by a private individual. I don't believe that the city should continue to support a bait shop that would compete with a (I assume) fellow fisherman's business?

We have 2 public boat ramps and NO ONE is even talking about keeping the fishermen from using them. That is not a point in this discussion. If anyone ever says that they want to restrict local fishermen in any way from using the ramps, I will be marching to city hall with you.

Since: Feb 09

306

this is my main complaint it was bidded out as a bait shop for 50% profit and they clean restrooms.
ive read letter to editor that restrooms were nasty. so that part of deal was broke.
second part is in rent on
12/17/2008 city got check for 268.78 that represents 4 months aug.-nov.2008
then on 1/26/2009 they got a check for 130.70
profit share for december 2008
not a dime from then, but if you read the miniutes
from that meeting they turned down a 300.00 month
bid. 1 member voted against it johnson greg bird did not vote.
ya do the math. but yet in a meeting we had the yacht club said they had paid over 1100.00 in rent. is our problem with finace taking money or the truth not being told in meeting. who do we trust?

Since: Feb 09

306

Jimmy wrote:

Its simple. The city needs to allow someone to lease a space at Meeting Street ramp for a bait shop. This is the best place to put in anyway and just shut down the down town ramp.

jimmy what happens if meeting st. ramp had to close for repairs as ramps do. we turn all boats away until its repaired crooked rivers ramp was down for a long time a few years ago. ask the owner of green cedar how that took away gas sales. be the same for downtown ramp.

A Nonny Mouse

seapro wrote:

this is my main complaint it was bidded out as a bait shop for 50% profit and they clean restrooms.
ive read letter to editor that restrooms were nasty. so that part of deal was broke.
second part is in rent on
12/17/2008 city got check for 268.78 that represents 4 months aug.-nov.2008
then on 1/26/2009 they got a check for 130.70
profit share for december 2008
not a dime from then, but if you read the miniutes
from that meeting they turned down a 300.00 month
bid. 1 member voted against it johnson greg bird did not vote.
ya do the math. but yet in a meeting we had the yacht club said they had paid over 1100.00 in rent. is our problem with finace taking money or the truth not being told in meeting. who do we trust?

Do you want to rent the building and run a bait shop?

Earl

Judged:

That limp armed gimpy legged bastard couldn't run anything but his mouth.

Since: Feb 09

306

A Nonny Mouse wrote:

<quoted text>
Do you want to rent the building and run a bait shop?

no i dont, neither did the yacht club so put it back up for bid as a bait shop to see if anyone else does.

Since: Feb 09

306

Judged:

Earl wrote:

That limp armed gimpy legged bastard couldn't run anything but his mouth.

that just shows how much you know me.
you do have the right of your opinion.

A Nonny Mouse

seapro wrote:

<quoted text>
no i dont, neither did the yacht club so put it back up for bid as a bait shop to see if anyone else does.

Seapro,

I'm really not trying to be an a-hole, but I am new to this subject and I really don't understand. I have been led to believe that the yacht club did lease the building and did try to run a bait shop. I have been told that nobody who has tried to run a bait shop in that building has succeeded. I know that there is a good bait shop just up the street.

Why should the city keep trying to rent this building as a bait shop when another bait shop is not needed and experience has shown that the building cannot be run as a bait shop?

Thanks for answering my questions.

Since: Feb 09

306

darrell was making money when he got fed up with the city closing boat ramp on best weekends is one that it good
ronnie had to start taking grand child that had to live with him. so he could not open until after 8am. most of us are gone fishing by then.
tim and gene had another job (crabbing) so they could not man it but did keep head above water part-time.
this building was built by tax dollars to be a bait shop. it should be what it was built for.
when i dont catch bait i use (reef donkey)bait shop.
but if next month jerry sells that building tells them to get out. what are we do do (again)brunswick or fernandina. we have no baitshop.
but we paid for one to be built and the club wants it to be their little club.
why should that group get a building to seel things out of for no rent?

Baited Breath