The Coast Guard permitting requires a responsible party be listed to handle the financial responsibility of the repair/replacement of channel markers for this area. With this permit requirement the MSTBU office will change the process for future requests for dredging to include the creation of an operation and maintenance unit along with the capital project.
The MSTBU office held meetings with the community to go over the dredge project along with the creation of the operation and maintenance to cover the channel markers. The County's current processs requires formal petitions for the CIP and the O&M and must meet the 50%+1 of property owners. The community received 31 petitions meeting the 50% +1 requirement (61 property owners). The attached budget, as discussed at these meetings, is set up using a replacement cost of $2,000 per marker and an assessment amount maximum per year per parcel of $52.08.
The appointment of the Board advisory committee and the budget/assessment for this operation and maintenance unit will not begin until after the completion of the capital project which replaces all the channel markers.