A meeting to look at restructuring of the Boat School in Eastport, organized by the Friends of the Boat School Marine Trades Development Corporation, was held June 12 in Eastport, but some of the key players, including the Washington County Community College (WCCC), were not represented.

     The meeting was viewed by members of the Friends of the Boat School as part of the process authorized by the legislature in May requiring WCCC and the City of Eastport to explore partnerships to strengthen and secure the future of the Boat School. On June 8, WCCC President William Cassidy wrote to Husson College, Maine Maritime Academy, the University of Maine and the Maine Marine Trades Association, stating the legislation charges the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) with facilitating the process. "The letter from the Friends group misrepresented my (WCCC's) involvement in their meeting and whose authority it is to lead this effort. Given the authorities clearly designated by the legislature, I will work collaboratively with the DECD and partners once the department undertakes this important task."

      Although WCCC, the University of Maine and Maine Maritime Academy were not represented, Husson did send a representative to the meeting. In a statement, Tom MacNaughton, president of the Friends of the Boat School, wrote, "Everyone except Bill Cassidy, president of WCCC, seems to be in agreement that since the report must be ready by the end of October in order to get the supporting bill into the legislature by November, we must start now. Although up to now Mr. Cassidy has always said he would meet with us at any time, he now takes the position that he will not attend any meetings until after August 23 because they would be 'improper.'"

     T.J. Tavares, a policy specialist with the Department of Economic and Community Development, says the department is gathering background information at this point and will not have the statutory authority to begin the study until August 23. He believes that will provide enough time to have a report prepared by December for consideration during the next legislative session. Tavares says the department has no problem with the Friends discussing the restructuring now and will look at their results.

Restructuring considered
     During the discussion at the June 12 meeting, a memo from Fred Muehl, treasurer of the Maine Marine Trades Association, was reviewed. The letter states the association's position is that the traditional curriculum of WCCC and the Marine Technology Center (MTC), also known as the Boat School, is still relevant but must be adjusted and expanded; that WCCC could be the primary source of vocational and technical education but has not met that challenge; that WCCC marine programs should take place at both the Marine Technology Center and at other locations in the state; that WCCC must expand its off-campus activity to attract more students and increase revenues; and that WCCC and MTC should expand efforts to make alliances with private and public educational entities along with the marine trades.

     The Friends believe those objectives can be accomplished by the hiring of a full-time director at the school responsible for recruitment, fundraising and promotion, along with a full-time receptionist and maintenance person and part-time janitor; reintroducing the marine mechanics option as part of the program; making capital equipment purchases; keeping an active marine advisory board; and developing outreach courses to offer instruction off-site.
MacNaughton says it is not the policy of the Friends to advocate for any particular outcome, but he states, "There is a strong sense that a major structural change is needed to satisfy industry and many private individuals who would like to be contributors to the welfare of the school."    

     Those at the meeting also noted the June 7 enrollment report for the fall semester at WCCC. According to the report, 22 people have applied for the boatbuilding technology program. Eleven students were enrolled this past year. However, other non-liberal studies programs show substantial decreases in applications from June 2005 to June 2006, such as construction technology C 120 to 67; culinary and baking C 30 to 11; education C 32 to 18; mechanical technology C 101 to 68. "We're pleased to see boatbuilding technology has now the highest accepted enrollment of any of the non-liberal studies programs there, and we are concerned that the total enrollment of the community college in Calais appears to be dropping substantially," MacNaughton states.

     In other developments, MacNaughton has been appointed the Friends' liaison to the city to ensure that the city can present an official position concerning the Boat School. Another meeting organized by the Friends of the Boat School will be scheduled for July. They have also scheduled the launching of the John Pike Grady Endowment Fund for the Boat School on Monday, July 3, at 2 p.m. in Bank Square, Eastport.