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The V.I. Port Authority has board approved revised marine fees, despite widespread public pushback on the initially proposed increases. “We’ve made the adjustment, and we believe this is a fair compromise that we’re coming back with to the public,” Executive Director Carlton Dowe told board members during the V.I. Port Authority meeting Wednesday morning on St. Croix. Adjustments include the elimination of a passenger fee for cars at the barge ramp and the paid parking system at the Victor Sewer Marine Facility lot in Cruz Bay. Some of the initially proposed fee increases remained the same, while others will increase, but by a smaller amount. On Tuesday evening Sen. at Large Angel Bolques Jr. submitted his community survey findings and a formal letter to VIPA board members and executive director, according to a press release. According to the release, 93% of survey respondents expressed opposition to the proposed marine tariff increases, citing concerns over the rising cost of living, lack of economic impact transparency, and insufficient community engagement. “There is significant concern that these increases will disproportionately burden St. Johnians and marine-reliant communities without sufficient justification or analysis,” Bolques said. He recommended that the authority refrain from implementing the proposed fee increases at this time, and instead conduct a comprehensive economic impact analysis specific to each island. Five board members voted in favor of the fees — Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel, Tourism Commissioner-nominee Jennifer Matarangas-King, Attorney General Gordon Rhea, Willard John, and Kevin Rodriguez — and two voted against them — Leona Smith and Celestino White Sr. White questioned why small to medium vehicles and motorcycles would pay the same $5 fee as large sport utility vehicles and vans on the St. Thomas-St. John barge ramp. “Is there a reason why the small cars are not moved from $3 to $4 instead of $5, which is a $1 increase similar to the large vehicle?” he asked. Ava Penn, VIPA’s financial affairs director and acting property manager, explained that the two categories of vehicle have been combined into one category, noting that the majority of the fees charged are at the $4 rate for large vehicles. Earlier this month the barge ramp fee was proposed at $6 for both small and large vehicles. Other barge ramp increases include $30 for heavy trucks and equipment, $10 for commercial vans, hearses, and safari taxis, $30 for containers 20 feet and smaller and $40 for containers over 20 feet. Dowe said after having conversations with companies about the proposed docking fees, including Smith Ferry, Native Son Ferry, Tortola Fast Ferry and QE 4 Ferry, the staff concluded that a .50 cent per foot increase was feasible for businesses. “They said, ‘Don’t take us all the way to where you were proposing, but come down a bit’ and we listened,” Dowe said. Initially, the Port Authority proposed a $3 per foot fee, a nearly 200% increase from the current $1. Now boats will be expected to pay a docking fee of $1.50 per foot, and eventually the fee will go up to $2 per foot in April 2029. The Red Hook parking lot rates will increase past four hours as initially proposed, with the exception for a $125 monthly fee for tenant and employees, a decrease from the initially proposed $150 a month. The pilotage rate increases and new cargo overflow staging fees will be implemented as initially proposed. The new marine fees will go into effect on April 6, 2026, and will be reviewed every five years. The authority said the fee adjustments have lowered their potential revenues, from $5M to $2.1M annually, primarily due to reduced docking fee rates. “There might be a project or two that we might have to hold up on, go a little slower on, until our revenues, in terms of any other fees, might kick in,” Dowe said. During the meeting Dowe addressed public concerns that the authority was missing out on federal grants due to noncompliance with submitting annual audits. He said that the Port Authority is behind on their audits and expects to submit a 2022 audit by the end of this year, followed by the 2023 audit in the following four months. “There are certain reporting requirements that we have to adhere to, even to get the federal grants that we are still receiving,” Dowe said. “There has been no impact with any of the revenues received. We still have to submit the reports to the various federal entities and also to our bond holders when we borrow the money.” He reported that on Oct. 17 the authority installed a 30 KW standby generator along the southern perimeter wall of the Battery in Cruz Bay, which is trenched to power the Loredon Boynes Dock. The generator was put to the test two days later, as St. John experienced an extended power outage. “We know that the generator works because the whole of our dock, the people that work there, the people that traverse there, were able to have power in real time,” Dowe said. The board also approved an amendment related to Moffatt & Nichol’s design services for the Enighed Pond Community Park, by issuing $1,161,713 to the initial task order of $117,082.00. Moffatt & Nichol’s, VIPA’s on-call architectural engineering consultant for marine projects, has proposed to expand their scope of work, to include program management, project permitting, design development and preparation of construction documents, which is expected to be completed within 12 months. Since 2022 VIPA has been engaged in the community park project, funded by the V.I. Legislature.
