Mooring Committee looks to survey community

Winthrop's ad-hoc citizens Mooring Committee discussed how to most effectively survey the community during its initial meeting Aug. 17. 

The committee's seven residents agreed a digital survey that could also be taken on paper and that targets Winthrop property owners and taxpayers could best give them a sense of whether the town needs a mooring ordinance and, if so, what issues it should seek to address. Committee members by Labor Day will send to Town Manager Anthony Wilson, who is facilitating the group's work, questions they believe should be posed to the public. The public is also welcome to suggest survey questions by emailing them to manager@winthropmaine.org.

During its hour-long discussion, the Mooring Committee also asked the town manager to consult with the Town's attorney on how much authority a municipality has to regulate moorings and to provide a copies of the recently repealed mooring ordinance and an alternate version proposed as that ordinance was being considered. Both of those documents are attached below, as is the committee's charge from the Town Council. 

The committee will deliver a report of its findings to the Town Manager no later than Aug. 30, 2024. The committee will present its findings to the Town Council for its consideration at the Council’s next scheduled meeting following receipt of the committee’s report. The Council will consider either adopting the Committee’s recommendations as presented or calling for a special referendum election for voters to consider the recommendations.

The Committee's members are: 

• Barbara Brosius
• Matthew Colpitts
• Dwight Doughty
• Michael Ketchen
• Lynn Reed
• Matt Steele
• Jim King

The Committee's meetings are open to the public. Its agendas are posted at winthropmaine.org/mooringcommittee.