As part of the ongoing effort to keep the Eastport Boat School alive and in Eastport, state Sen. Kevin Raye (R-Perry) has introduced Legislative Document 1948, “An Act to Save the Marine Trade Center [MTC] and Strengthen Maine’s Boatbuilding Workforce.”
The bill would make available $433,877 in annual appropriations in fiscal 2007 to fund the Boat School, “in order to ensure that a high-quality and sustainable boatbuilding program is offered to address the needs of Maine’s boatbuilding industry.”
Raye adds that these funds will “reverse funding cuts that have threatened the future of the MTC, which for more than 30 years, has operated under the auspices of Washington County Community College. As Maine’s only public boatbuilding program, the MTC has been recognized throughout the state for the quality of its graduates. Growth in the boatbuilding sector demands that the MTC be strengthened in order to leverage its experience and knowledge of boatbuilder training to support the workforce training needs of the industry along the entire coast of Maine.”
Raye added, “This act will make available the funds necessary in FY 2007 ensure the core level of staffing required to maintain a sustainable and world-class boatbuilding program at the MTC, and allow it to deliver boatbuilding training at various sites along the Maine coast in order to more fully meet the statewide workforce needs of Maine’s marine industry. The school will need to be similarly funded in future years.”
The funds made available by this act will be combined with $242,595 in existing resources identified for FY 07 by the community college, including projected tuition revenues, toward an additional full-time boatbuilding faculty member and increased operational costs.
Noting that a federal grant for composite training has been secured, Raye said, “It would not hurt to note that, while the $15 million WIRED grant from the federal government is a welcome development and can do good things, it is not a replacement for LD 1948. It is critical we have sustained funding in order to ensure the long-term future of the Boat School and its programs..”
Boat School faculty member Dean Pike described the bill as “a good start at keeping the boat school in Eastport. The Friends of the Boat School have put together a plan to promote it basically emailing all members of the marine trades association and having them write their reps and senators. I am hopeful but am standing ready for next step if it doesn’t pass. In short, this is the best chance we have. If this doesn’t work and we cannot keep the school from moving to Calais, the school is cooked.”
Washington County Community College President Bill Cassidy declared himself to be “cautiously optimistic” about passage of LD 1948 and praised Raye for his leadership. The federal composite grant, he added, will enable the college to enter into a training partnership and “offer training opportunities from Brunswick to Calais.”
Raye says that LD 1948 has the support of Washington County Representatives Ian Emery (R-Cutler), Eddie Dugay (D-Cherryfield), Howard McFadden (R-Dennysville) and Everett McLeod (R-Lee).
He added, “And it is significant that Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Hancock County) and Sen. Mary Black Andrews (R-York County) are also cosponsors, a clear indication of the relevance of this issue to all of coastal Maine.”