Middle Bass property owners unpleasantly surprised by real estate tax bills

(The following article has been reprinted from the February, 2010 Put-in-Bay Gazette, and has been reprinted with permission. Please leave your comments at the end.)

Taxpayers on Middle Bass Island opened their tax bills in January and found something they weren't expecting ..... a hefty increase.

The increase came because the Middle Bass School Board decided to reinstate three separate levies totaling 15.2 mils voted on in 1981 , but which haven't been collected in many years.

Originally, these continuing levies were approved by voters for the board's operating expenses such as paying tuition for Middle Bass students attending Put-in-Bay School, their daily transportation and other expenses. The board voted later to put a hold on collecting the levies when they found they didn't need the money.

In recent years, the board realized it was running in the red. To solve the problem, they decided to reinstate the levies so they could become solvent. They contacted the Ottawa County Auditor who put the levies back on the tax duplicate for 2009 taxes.

This extreme increase in taxes even caught the Middle Bass School Board off guard. They were expecting to collect much less money. When this was discovered, it was too late for the auditor to adjust the tax bills. The board is now working to find a way to refund any overpayment, hopefully about half, plus determine exactly how much of the 15.2 mils is actually needed to meet their expenditures.

Some taxpayers initially thought they were paying back taxes from past years, but this is not the case. The increase, however, is what taxpayers could have been paying all along, had the board never taken the levies off.

Currently, there are five Middle Bass students attending school at Put-in-Bay. Members of the Middle Bass School Board are President Art Wolf, Vice-President Robin Glauser, Katie Schneider, John Glauser and Eddie Sheller. John Schneider is the treasurer.

We're on the ferry, while our friends think we have been kidnapped in London

My wife's Facebook account was hacked yesterday morning while we were on the road. They changed her password and started chats with her friends at about the time we were on the ferry leaving Middle Bass. They said we were kidnapped in London and our friends needed to wire money immediately. We started getting urgent cell phone calls from a number of friends and relatives immediately, and stopped at a Starbucks to get on the web with a computer and fix the problem.

After fixing it, I did some research and figured out that the only reason we were able to recover the account, while many other people with the same problem couldn't, is that whoever got her password couldn't use the same password to get into her email, because our middlebass.org email addresses don't have a "generic" web address for web access that others can find. When the scammers tried to change my wife's email address, a confirmation request went to her email and had to be approved by her. The lesson from this is that if you use Facebook and also use a common web-based email service such as Gmail, Yahoo mail, Windows Live, etc., don't use the same password for both. A quick web search will show that when Facebook scammers were able to access your email and confirm the email address change, the Facebook account was lost to the original user while the scammers could continue to use it and scam all the friends of the original owner. Getting Facebook to shut down the account is VERY difficult and time-consuming when you can't access the account.

How did the scammers get access to my wife's account? There are two main possibilities. The first is that some phishing attack was successful. Emails with a link to a Facebook phishing site (that looks exactly like Facebook but isn't) are known for grabbing your password and then actually taking you directly into and through your regular Facebook login, so that you never even notice that you were not on a real Facebook site.

The second possibility is that there are known vulnerabilities in the 3rd-party Active-X control that is used when you upload pictures to Facebook from Internet Explorer. If you use another browser such as Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari, that vulnerability doesn't exist because they all use Java rather than Active-X to support access to your file system for the picture uploads.

Our Facebook passwords and email passwords are now different, even though they were the same in the past. We were lucky because the scammers couldn't figure out how to get into our email accounts. A lot of people have not been so lucky, such as the one who wrote the article Kidnapped on Facebook last January

Response from Dan West of ODNR to Letter Below from 1/23/09

Thank you for taking the time to share the comments below. I really appreciate your interest regarding the Middle Bass Island State Park Marina and the Dock Lottery program currently being considered. Sorry that I didn’t respond right away but I wanted to carefully review and consider your comments.

As a public agency we are charged with the responsibility to administer our public resources fairly and equitably for the public. As you might know, dock lottery programs are not unique to our division. We manage a number of marinas in our State Parks utilizing a dock lottery system. They are considered to be a fair and equitable method of offering seasonal dockage. As you shared, we do have at issue a "handful of residents who depend on their boats for daily transportation to and from work". You might or might not be aware that we spend considerable time over the past several years to meet with residents, local officials and the general public to find an equitable solution to the above. In an effort to uphold our commitment to these people we are conducting a year round resident’s lottery in addition to the general lottery.

You propose as an option to the two tier lottery, a three tier lottery. I appreciate your taking the time to put forth thought and offer a possible alternative to the current plan. This option was considered when we were preparing our lottery plan. However, it fell short of the given parameters in how we are able to structure our lottery system. We did our very best to provide an equitable system that would still take in consideration those that need a dock slip for their work and the general public at large that want a slip for recreational purposes. By defining various classes of residents we are creating unequal opportunities for the public as a whole. When the master planning was started for the marina, through public meetings, we heard the concern and need for dockage for the residents on the island who depend on their boats to get to and from work. You have shared your understanding of this point as well in your letter. By providing a two tier lottery we are able to provide for this consideration. However to extend the lottery program to a third tier as you ask, for those who own property there but do not reside on the island as their primary residence, is comparable to a person who lives in one part of Ohio, yet owns property near a marina in another area of Ohio. Does this person have increased opportunity of use – yes – by the mere fact they have a home near the marina gives them an expectation of increased opportunity. However, should this person be given increased privilege of use to a public facility? No, unless there is a deed or property title providing for such. Using this guideline, we are striving to serve everyone equally and still maintain a balance with those residents whose livelihood is derived by year round residency on the island. Given that the state and federal government is investing well over 12 million dollars in the Middle Bass marina, there comes a greater expectation that the facility will be open to everyone. We think by offering the two tier lottery that provides permanent residents a separate lottery, and still allowing seasonal residents to apply for the general lottery we will accomplish what we initially promised at the onset.

Finally are there enough docks being offered in the seasonal lottery for those who may be interested; we think there will be. As you state we are increasing the number of docks available beyond what had been offered in the past. Those offered previously were designated for anyone interested, not exclusively to island residents. At this time we feel this will be enough to accommodate the demand. However, if this does not prove to be the case we do have options available. If in the future additional capital dollars are available, the marina has design space for additional dock capacity. Therefore, additional docks can be added. With additional docks it is within reason to expect there would be additional seasonal dock opportunities.

As with any new operation, product or service, private as well as public, reviewing and improving are instrumental to its success. This is also a part of our philosophy. At the end of this year, we will be evaluating and taking further steps to improve our facilities for the equal benefit of our constituents.

Again thank you for taking the time to share you thoughts. I will share them with the Lake Erie Islands Regional Manager, Scott Doty. Direct communications with our field managers is always encouraged. He can be reached at Lake Erie Islands State Park, 4049 E. Moores Dock Rd. Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. Phone 419-797-4530

Dan West
Ohio State Parks
2045 Morse Road Bldg C3
Columbus, OH 43229-6693
(614) 265-6561

Dock Lottery Application Procedures and Rules

The Middle Bass Island State Park dock lottery application procedures, rules and forms can be found at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/middlebass/mbidocklottery/tabid/21465/Default.aspx.

The Year Round Island Resident Boat Lottery application (for Tier 1) is at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=L8K6PG84Uzo%3d&tabid=21465.

The General Boat Lottery application (for Tier 2) is at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=EhHn%2b8PsLh0%3d&tabid=21465.

Note that the deadline for applications is February 25, 2009.

For further information, contact Scott Doty or Karen Beckman at Catawba Island State Park at 419- 797- 4530.


Letter to Dennis Murray, the local State Representative for the island area 80th district

(from an islander who wishes to remain anonymous)

01/31/2009

Representative Murray

I am writing to you today due to the concerns myself and many other residents residing on Middle Bass Island have as a result of the publication of the newly renovated State Park Marina operating policies and procedures with regard to the allocation of seasonal dockage. Ever since the State of Ohio purchased the Lonz property, residents had voiced concerns in regard to making sure the island residents who for years had access to seasonal dockage would not be displaced. Fast forward several years, and what we had feared is about to come to fruition. The state recently posted rules for seasonal dock allocation and the concerns voiced by residents full and part time have gone unnoticed. While they have acknowledged year round residents and the few that require boat transportation on a daily basis, the remaining other 40 to 50 seasonal dock holders from Jim Roesch’s old marina (purchased by the state) have now been displaced. With the upcoming lottery system for dock allocation, the current taxpaying summer residents of Middle Bass Island will now be thrown into the pool of all other Ohio residents that apply for a seasonal dock. If the infrastructure existed on the island to absorb the 50 displaced, families, I do not think anyone would be concerned or have complaints. That is not the case however, there are only two other marina facilities on the island, both being full now for several years.

Following is the letter of concern I sent to Dan West and Tony Celebrezze of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. As you will see I not only voiced my concerns but provided what I and many think to be a very proactive, logical and amenable solution for all parties involved.

I am hopeful as the State Representative to the island area, you will also see and acknowledge the need for a modification of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources policies regarding the allocation of seasonal docks at the new State Park on Middle Bass Island. At this point they have failed to see the uniqueness of the Island area and the needs of the residents of Middle Bass Island in regard to maintaining access and providing infrastructure opportunities for the taxpaying residents of the island. If they are allowed to follow through as they have stated, the state of Ohio has come to Middle Bass and taken vital infrastructure away from the residents / families.

Thank you for taking the time to look into the current situation now being encountered by your constituents.

__________________________________________

Date: 1/23/2009

TO: Dan West; Chief Parks and Recreation

CC: Monica Drake; Put–In-Bay Port Authority

Tony Celebreeze, III; Deputy Director Resource Management

Subject: Middle Bass Island State Park Dock Lottery

Mr. West

My family has owned property on Middle Bass Island for the past 89 years. Being the 4^th generation of our family to have grown up enjoying everything Middle Bass and the surrounding islands have to offer, I read with great interest the latest update of the Middle Bass Island State Park Marina development project, provided by Scott Doty.

We are one of the families who have the potential to be negatively impacted by the upcoming lottery system used to allocate seasonal dockage in the renovated marina. I have maintained from the beginning the State of Ohio had the potential to be “good neighbors” and a true asset to Middle Bass Island, as the plans for the park have unfolded.

Our family was one of the 50 plus residents that were displaced from Roesch’s marina with the sale to the State of Ohio. My present concern is with the proposed lottery system that was rolled out and presented to the public within the last couple of weeks via Scott Doty. I appreciate the fact the State has recognized and acknowledges the genuine need for guaranteed seasonal dockage to the handful of residents who depend on their boats for daily transportation to and from work. It also hasn’t gone unnoticed that an additional 20 slips have been added for seasonal dockage within the renovated marina.

While there has been a 29% increase in seasonal dock slips provided in the marina renovations, those 20 along with 50 that were present in Roesch’s marina are now available by lottery to any resident in the state of Ohio. Without the addition of another tier for seasonal residents, those property owners paying taxes at Middle Bass but not residing on the island year-round, it would appear the State of Ohio has taken away vital infrastructure opportunities from the island’s residents, not added to their community. I am confident that this is not the intention of the State of Ohio and only an initial oversight in the current lottery structuring system.

If 50 additional seasonal slips were available elsewhere on the island, I do not think there would be the level of concern regarding the dock lottery system for seasonal dock allocation the state presently has in place. This, however, is not the case. The infrastructure simply does not exist on Middle Bass Island to absorb the displaced boats from Roesch’s marina, which in the past guaranteed the island residents, which includes seasonal residents, a place to keep their boats during the boating season.

I would like to propose a modification to your current dock lottery system for the Middle Bass Island State Park Marina. Instead of being a two tier system as is currently presented, increasing this to a three tier lottery system would better meet the needs of all parties involved and in doing so would acknowledge the unique circumstances of both The State of Ohio and Current Middle Bass Island Residents.

1. Tier one – Would continue to be for those “year round” residents who can prove / validate they require their boats for their primary mode of transportation to and from work. I.e. back and forth to the bay or mainland on a daily basis. (Pay stubs or copy of w-2)

2. Tier two – This tier would be for all Middle Bass Island property owners. Documentation by providing a notarized copy of current year tax bill to be included with application.

3. Tier three would be for all other interested parties. This number would vary based on Island resident participation in both tier one and tier two lotteries. It would however provide the opportunity for other interested state residents to participate in the lottery system if they wished.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read and consider proposed changes in the current dock lottery system for the newly renovated Middle Bass Island State Park Marina.

Middle Bass Island Homeowners Not Happy With ODNR

Middle Bass Island Homeowners Not Happy With ODNR

When the new Middle Bass Island State Park Marina opens in the spring, the handful of islanders with boats over 26 feet in length are guaranteed the seasonal slips they previously had, but the larger number of islanders who had boats 16-25 feet in length and used them much more are not guaranteed anything. That’s the effect of ODNR’s January 14 announcement of a dock lottery.

The Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, whose members for the most part have larger boats, had struck a deal for space at the new marina that guarantees their members the seasonal and daily slips they had before. But the less organized boat owners using Roesch’s Marina failed to get the attention they needed and deserved. The effect is that some families that have had seasonal slips on the island for over 50 years may not get one.

Essentially, ODNR is implementing a 2-tier lottery system giving first preference to year-round island residents, when they should be implementing a 3-tier system giving second preference to other island homeowners.

An abridged version of ODNR’s January 14 announcement is the following:

Docks:

· Docks are being constructed this winter, 2008 – 2009. And will be installed this late spring 2009. Anticipated Available for use starting the beginning of June, 2009.

· The Middle Bass Island Yacht Club will be purchasing their own docks as allowed by their lease agreement with the state. They will be constructing them using the same contractor the state is using. These docks will be installed shortly after the state’s docks are installed.

· The docks will not have electric or water service available until late in the season, possibly after Labor Day.

· The docks that will be along the West end of the basin will designated mostly for seasonal lottery dockage

Dock Lottery:

There will be a dock lottery for those desiring to have a Seasonal Dock. This up-date is not intended to give every detail regarding the lottery, but an over view. Specific forms, stipulations, rules and instructions will be made available in the near future on the ODNR, Middle Bass Island State Park Web Site as well as by mail or fax.

· A Seasonal Dock is defined as a dock that is paid for by a person who wants to have personal use of the dock for his /her boat only, for the entire season.

· The Dock Lottery will be structured to include 2 tiers of applicants. They will be defined as Year Round Island Resident and The General Dock Lottery – all others.

· For the “Year Round Island Resident” Lottery, we will accept lottery applications for this lottery only from those people who can prove they are truly a “Year Round, Island Resident”. A “Year Round, Island Resident” is defined as a person who is registered with the county auditor for the Ottawa County 2 ½ Primary Residence Roll-Back Property Tax applied to their residence on Middle Bass Island, or has a notarized statement declaring they are a year round resident, who resides on Middle Bass Island as their principal place of residence year round. This signed and notarized statement must be an “original” and accompany the application when submitted. If the statement is found to be false, the applicant will be subject to prosecution, and forfeiture of any and all docking privileges at Middle Bass Island State Park.

· The General Dock Lottery Applicants will be required to submit an application as well. Any “Year Round Island Resident” is also allowed to submit a “General Dock Lottery” application. If they are drawn in the Year Round Island Resident Lottery, their application in the General Lottery will be null and void.

· Only one application will be accepted per family and household address for the lottery you are eligible for.

Dock Rates:

For the Summer of 2009 the rates will be as follows

· Transient Docks Non – Electric

· Day Dockage $15.00. 10AM - 7PM or any portion thereof.

· Overnight Dockage $1.25/ boat foot, $30.00 minimum whichever is greater.

· Transient Docks With Electric (NOTE – as mentioned earlier electric is not anticipated to be available until the end of 2009 boating season)

· Day Dockage $20.00. 10AM - 7PM or any portion thereof.

· Overnight Dockage. $1.45/ boat foot, $30.00 minimum whichever is greater.

· Seasonal Docks

2009 -------------------- 2010 -------------------- 2011

26’ * $780 ------------- 26’ $1040 ------------- 26’ $1300
28’ 840 ----------------- 28’ 1120 ----------------28’ 1400
30’ * 900 --------------- 30’ 1200 --------------- 30’ 1500
32’ 960 ----------------- 32’ 1280 --------------- 32’ 1600
34’ * 1020 ------------- 34’ 1360 --------------- 34’ 1700
36’ 1080 --------------- 36’ 1440 --------------- 36’ 1800
40’ 1200 --------------- 40’ 1600 --------------- 40’ 2000
44’ 1320 --------------- 44’ 1760 --------------- 44’ 2200
48’ 1440 --------------- 48’ 1920 --------------- 48’ 2400
52’ 1560 --------------- 52’ 2470 --------------- 52’ 2990

· * Denotes there is only one dock slip with this length.
· The length of the dock cannot be shorter than the overall boat length. This includes the swim platform, bow pulpits, etc.

On January 22, ODNR sent the following additional information:

First, it has been our intent to implement a seasonal dock program that would have year round island resident considerations as part of the equation, while implementing a fair equitable program to the public with public resources we have available at the time.

Secondly, the former private marina within the old original marina had slightly less than 50 slips. There will be 70 slips available for seasonal rental. We are increasing our seasonal dock opportunities beyond what had been previously offered. Of those 70 slips, 30 will be available for the “Year-round Resident Lottery”. If the year round resident lottery does not utilize all 30 slips, the balance will be available for the general lottery. The “Year-round Island Resident Lottery” will be conducted first, providing them with the first opportunity to obtain a dock. Any year round resident that does not obtain a slip in the special lottery, can also apply for the general lottery.

We are using all the dock funding we could to build as many docks while still providing the most basic of services. The transient docks were purchased with Federal funds that could only be applied to transient dockage. The Yacht Club is purchasing their own docks, and the department funded the seasonal docks. I also offer our marina basin is designed for more docks than are currently funded. It is hoped that if the demand is present, we will be able to secure additional funding in the future for additional seasonal docks.

When we purchased the Middle Bass Island Marina we recognized there were individuals whose livelihood depended on having watercraft transportation. We have tried to accommodate those individuals. The Division strives to administer our public facilities & resources within its charge fairly to all Ohio residents. Understanding the unique nature of Middle Bass Island, we are making an exception. This is why we have approached the lottery program with a two tiered system. As with all of our facilities we do continually review our operational processes. We feel this approach is a reasonable, sensible and responsible solution.

ODNR has also informed us that the long-term plan is for all leases to be for five years. One-fifth of the leases will renew every year. To get the leases staggered, the lottery will randomly assign one, two, three, four or five-year leases to the seventy winners of the general dock lottery.

Since the seasonal dock prices are for boats 26’ and longer, they are much more expensive than the previous docks for boat owners with 16’-25’ boats. I estimate that with the better launching ramps and the higher rates at the new marina many of the previous seasonal dock holders will not even apply this year. And the lottery may only get 10-15 applications from property owners who are not year-round residents. With 70 seasonal slips available, will 55-60 off-islanders really apply for the fairly expensive slips? I think it’s doubtful. So the odds are actually reasonable good that all islanders who want a slip will get one.

But the principle is wrong. There is a strong chance that a few islanders will lose the slips they need to do regular shopping, fishing and visiting family and friends on other islands, in addition to the recreational boating they do. Personally, I have friends on 5 other islands that I like to visit regularly. Ohio’s ODNR may be the first state agency in U.S. history to take away seasonal slips from islanders who need them and have no other place to get a slip. The islander boats are mostly small and old and a state agency that doesn’t recognize an island property owner’s right to be able to find a seasonal dock is simply out of touch with reality.

The reality is that even the old, much smaller marina was never full more than the 3 summer holiday weekends a year since the Lonz Winery shut down in 2000. So the cost of giving 10-15 islanders the slips they need is just the cost of 10-15 other 26’ boats not getting in 9 days a year. The state is actually losing money by not allocating those extra slips, assuming that all 70 lottery slips are allocated. To keep calculations simple, let’s assume twenty 26’ seasonal slips for property owners who are not island residents. The state would get $15,600 for the seasonal slips. If these slips are used 9 days a year for day dockage, the state’s income would be $2,700. Even if it was all overnight dockage, the income would be about $5,400.

So it’s costing the state about $10,000 in revenue to keep 20 slips a year available for non-islanders for 3 weekends a year. And that’s only if the marina is full those weekends. And that logic also means that islander families who have had a seasonal slip for over 50 years may not be able to get one in spite of the mostly empty marina. The argument that day dockage fees will make up that $10,000 is false. Most or all of the affected islanders will use day dockage at Burgundy Bay Marina for $5 or $10 a day instead of the state park dockage for $15.

Of course, one perspective on all this is that the needs of a handful of Middle Bass Island property owners are very insignificant in the scheme of things. Still, why can’t ODNR adhere to the simple principle of “Do No Harm”, even when it doesn’t cost them anything?

The right solution is simply to have a 3-tier system instead of a 2-tier system, with the second tier for island property owners. Even with that extra tier, it is likely that not all 70 seasonal slips will be rented out. And if they are, changing the 70 slips to 85 for a 3-tier system would allow island property owners reasonable access to slips while also clearly generating more revenue for the state.

Readers are encouraged to add their comments at the end of this article at http://mbieditorials.blogspot.com/ or via the link on the News page at http://www.middlebass.org.

Middle Bass Islanders Met with ODNR on Aug. 12

Middle Bass Islanders Met with ODNR on Aug. 12

to Discuss the state Park Marina Plans

Middle Bass Island representatives from Burgundy Bay, the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, and the rest of the island attended a Aug. 12 meeting at Put-in-Bay with ODNR's Dan West and several other ODNR officials. We are delighted that the dialog between ODNR and islanders is improving, and the plans that ODNR discussed are summarized below:

	ODNR is committed to developing a traditional state park on Middle Bass Island with a larger and improved marina with a blend of transient and seasonal docks, boat launch ramp, campground, picnic areas, hiking trails, interpretive areas, fishing access, etc.
	The marina and campground development project is currently under review by the US Army Corps of Engineers (404 permit), the Ohio EPA (401 permit), US Fish & Wildlife Service (Environmental Assessment), and ODNR Office of Coastal Management (Coastal Consistency Determination and Shore Structure Permit).
	The funded portion of the project consists of a 360 boat slip marina basin, docks for 180 transient boat slips, boat launch ramp, a 60 unit full service campground, water & wastewater facilities, some public restrooms, day use facilities, staff housing, and other infrastructure improvements.
	Current funding is only for 180 transient boat slips (transient due to a funding grant stipulation), but ODNR intends to have approximately 360 boat slips available when the marina opens for the 2009 season using new capital funds or private sector involvement or both.
	The unfunded portion of this project includes the additional docks, marina support buildings, and permanent restroom/shower facilities.
	Assuming approval of all permits by 7/06, construction documents will be completed and the project advertised for bids late in '06. Construction on the marina entrance channel will begin 7/07, the marina basin 9/07.
	The existing marina basin will close for construction starting 9/07 and remain closed for the 2008 season. The marina and campground will re-open spring of 2009.
	Unfunded future improvements may include improvements to existing historic structures within the park (winery, mansion), other day-use improvements (educational interpretive exhibits, boardwalks, nature trails, and wildlife viewing structures).
	ODNR has formed a working group with local constituents to address the issues of emergency dockage (fire, police, ems), seasonal dockage needs while the marina is closed, water and wastewater concerns, and coordination with the port authority, Ottawa County, Put-In-Bay Township, Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, Island residents, and adjacent businesses and landowners. As part of our mitigation plan to offset the impact to approximately 9 acres of wetlands for the marina/campground project, ODNR has proposed a 39 acre high quality wetland restoration project at Middle Harbor plus preserve or enhance 13 acres of wetlands on Middle Bass Island.
	Other benefits of this project include: safe harbor for boaters during storm events, improved marina basin water quality, and improved wildlife habitat for the Lake Erie Water Snake, small mouth bass, and other aquatic species.

State Park Plans Threaten Threaten Island Way of Life, Defy Common Sense

On July 7, the Cleveland Plain Dealer contained an article with the title “Middle Bass Island state park already popular”. Unfortunately, the article did not state that it is only popular with visitors. Islanders are unhappy and and more than a little upset with ODNR’s plans for the state park. On July 5, the same day that Dan West, Chief, State Parks, ODNR met with reporters on Middle Bass to say what a great place it is and how islanders have no objections to the park plans, he had earlier met with a few islanders who expressed their concern and dismay.

ODNR plans to shut down the marina for 1-2 years while expanding it, and that may cost some jobs. Some islanders depend on the state park marina for their boat that takes them to work on Put-in-Bay. There is no ferry service that meets their requirements. Can you imagine a private marina that would not find any way to expand its docks without shutting down completely for 2 years? Even rebuilding the enter Middle Bass main dock, a much smaller dock, in the past year, never required it to be completely shut down.

But the shutdown is just a minor inconvenience compared to the long-term plans, which still do not have a firm commitment to seasonal docks for islanders.

How would you feel if the only public road connecting your village to the next largest town were controlled by the state and access was increasingly limited. Well, that’s what the situation will be much of the time on Middle Bass Island if the state does not provide seasonal slips for residents. By taking over Roesch’s marina on the island without replacing the seasonal slips there, the state would be keeping islanders from having a boat in the water to go to jobs on Put-in-Bay, visits friends and relatives on other islands, and even just go grocery shopping or to the hardware store on Put-in-Bay during the off-season. The ability to put a boat in the water for one or two days at a time, using a ramp at the state park, does not meet the needs of islanders who have a greater actual need than most people on the mainland to have a boat in the water.

Except for the State Park marina, there is no other real marina on Middle Bass Island except for the one at Burgundy Bay, and that one is available only to residents of that private community. So Middle Bass Island may become the only significantly inhabited island in the country in which most residents can’t keep boats in the water.

Those of us who come up early in the spring and stay late in the fall need a boat to get to Put-in-Bay, because the inter-island ferry, the Sonny-S, runs only three months a year and very limited hours during those months..

And the granting of seasonal slips to the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, the vast majority of whose members are not islanders, is fine, but giving the yacht club priority over the real needs of islanders is absolutely astounding and incomprehensible, at least in the eyes of islanders. We have nothing against the yacht club and a good number of islanders including myself are members, but it is totally unreasonable, unfair and unacceptable to assure the yacht club of their future slips and not to give the same assurance to islanders. At this point nothing has been made public by ODNR, but several reliable sources have indicated that ODNR has made a commitment to the yacht club but not to the islanders.

By taking over Roesch’s marina, the state is closing the only significant marina available to islanders for boats they need to have in the water. If the islanders don’t get seasonal slips, the state is essentially taking away a right the islanders have had for over 100 years.

Also, the State Park marina has traditionally been full, for all practical purposes, only during the three holiday weekends each year, i.e., Memorial Day, the 4^th of July and Labor Day. During the week the marina is empty, and outside of the three peak summer months the marina is empty. So the only argument against giving islanders seasonal slips is really just to provide extra capacity three weekends a year.

Last but not least, private boats on Middle Bass have frequently and regularly assisted in fire and EMS emergencies (mostly but not exclusively in the off season) when official boats were not available, to get people and equipment from Middle Bass to Put-in-Bay and vice-versa. And just recently, in spring 2005, a private boat on Middle Bass was the only boat available to take EMS personnel (Middle Bass EMS, because Put-in-Bay EMS was not available), to a serious accident on North Bass Island.

To be fair, Dan West On July 5, Dan West, ODNR’s chief of state parks, indicated to us that ODNR does understand that islanders need seasonal slips, and that many other state parks do provide seasonal slips. He also explained that the allocation system for slips does not need to be by lottery. So what’s the problem? Well, we got the feeling that the major holdup, as usual, may just be the budget. The full expansion of the new marina, with enough slips for to allocate some to islanders, may be far off. The currently planned first phase of the expansion is being financed to a great extent by a roughly million dollar federal grant to provide more transient slips for boats over 40 feet in length.

So islanders will be losing jobs and boat slips to make more space for the very rich, who will just use the marina as the Put-in-Bay overflow marina that it often is on weekends. The slips will be mostly empty 320-350 days of the year.

Middle Bass islander boat slips are practically all under 25 feet. Islanders need inter-island runabouts and small fishing boats, not weekend cruisers. A handful or less need slightly larger all-weather boats.

Question to Dan West and ODNR: Is it really impossibly difficult to do things right and not hurt the Middle Bass islanders?

Also see the August 12 follow-up to this editorial.

“Make a habit of two things—to help, or at least to do no harm.”

– Hippocrates

“I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.”

– Harry S. Truman