SSA Member Skirts Issues

By JULIA WELLS

Vineyard Steamship Authority governor J.B. Riggs Parker said
this week that he will take no formal position on the pending
legislation to dramatically change the boat line governing
board.

"We are servants of the legislature; we are servants of the
state. The legislature is responsible for creating the framework
of the authority and they are entitled to change that framework,
and I don't believe that the authority member needs to take a
particular position," Mr. Parker told the Dukes County
Commission on Wednesday night this week.

The comments came one day before the Joint Committee on
Transportation was set to hold a public hearing on proposed
legislation that will expand the SSA board from three to five
members. If it is approved, the legislation will add a voting
member from Barnstable and a voting member from New Bedford.

Mr. Parker appeared before the county commission on
Wednesday night for an update on boat line affairs, and he came
under close questioning about his own position on the pending
legislation.

"Do you plan to support it or not support it?" asked county
commissioner John Alley.

Mr. Parker reiterated his statement about working for the
state.

"I am basically an employee of the state — I am appointed by
this body, but I am appointed to do whatever it is that the
legislature asks me to do," Mr. Parker said.

"But what message are you carrying to that meeting tomorrow?
You are considered the Island's representative — what message
are you going to carry to all of the other people at that
meeting from this Island?" said county treasurer Noreen Mavro
Flanders.

Mr. Parker replied that he did not plan to testify unless he
was called on by the chairman.

"So you're not carrying any message for us?" Mrs. Flanders
said.

"I am carrying only the message that it is time to let the
Steamship Authority get on with its business without a political
Damocles sword," Mr. Parker replied.

Mr. Parker said the Steamship Authority has been in
"political purgatory for years."

He said he would prefer to keep the three-member board, but
that he could live with a five-member board as long as the
Islands retain voting control.

"I don't consider it a threat to the Steamship Authority if
it were a five-member board," Mr. Parker said.

Mr. Parker was also questioned about the growing split
between Nantucket and the Vineyard.

"Nantucket doesn't support this — one of the Islands appears
to be going in a different direction than ourselves — isn't that
a threat to Island control?" Mr. Alley asked Mr. Parker.

County commissioner Robert Sawyer praised Mr. Parker for his
diligent work and he said he supports his no-position position,
but Mr. Sawyer also questioned Mr. Parker about the
Vineyard-Nantucket rift.

"This undercurrent is causing great concern — this
perception that the alliance between Nantucket and the Vineyard
is breaking apart. That perception is significant and it's
dangerous," Mr. Sawyer said.

"The perception is real, but I don't think the facts fit the
perception," Mr. Parker said.

Mr. Parker said he has supported Nantucket but Nantucket has
not supported the Vineyard. "I agree that we have to work
together, but there has to be a joint effort," he said.

The county commission struggled to come to a consensus on
the pending boat line legislation; three members spoke out
strongly against the bill, and three members said the board
might as well support it because it is inevitable.

Commission chairman Leslie Leland said little, but
acknowledged that he thought the legislation was inevitable.

The most vociferous voice against the legislation came from
commissioner E.B. Collins, who is a former Vineyard SSA
governor.

"I am diametrically opposed to this legislation because it's
wrong," said Mr. Collins. "This legislation is not addressing
any of our problems," he added.

"Yes it is," said commissioner Dan Flynn, who served as the
Vineyard representative to the ferry task force that drafted the
legislation.

"No it's not, Dan," Mr. Collins said, adding: "It isn't
doing a damn thing about controlling the traffic on the Cape.
The truth is that there needs to be a comprehensive
transportation plan and the Steamship Authority needs to be a
part of that plan, but the Steamship Authority legislation does
not need to be changed to do it."

Mr. Collins continued:

"The fundamental premise of this legislation is to aid in
the economic recovery of New Bedford. That's the bottom line,
and it's got nothing to do with traffic. I am opposed to any
legislation that takes it out of one person's hide to help
another one. It's not right and it's not sound. This is bad
legislation."

Mr. Flynn and commissioner Leonard Jason Jr. called the
legislation a necessary compromise.

"It would be responsible for us to say that this legislation
is the best we can do in the present environment," said Mr.
Flynn.

"Nobody wants to see the [present] three-member board
change, but the reality is that it's better to have five members
and keep control," said Mr. Jason.

"So if we support the five-member board, then what is next?"
Mr. Wey returned.

Mr. Jason delivered a harsh indictment of Cape and Islands
Rep. Eric T. Turkington. "Look at who you have on that
committee. You have Eric Turkington, who is occasionally on our
side although you never really know, and then there are eight
people from New Bedford. Count the votes," he said, his voice
rising.

"Face the consequences or we are going to get stepped on,"
Mr. Flynn said.

Mrs. Flanders questioned Mr. Flynn about his own change in
position on the subject of New Bedford representation.

"At that first public hearing in Oak Bluffs with George
Leontire, you were so opposed to New Bedford. What happened? You
changed 180 degrees," Mrs. Flanders said.

"Well, maybe 90 degrees," Mr. Flynn replied. "I got a
political education sitting on that task force. If this were
just about the facts then nothing would change much, but this
group could have dismantled the Steamship Authority," he added.

"Dan's talking like he's from New Bedford now," Mr. Wey
said.

In the end the county commission voted 4-2-1 to adopt a
position statement for Mr. Jason to carry to the public hearing
in Barnstable yesterday. The statement opposes the legislation
but notes that if the legislature decides to change the board,
it is important to keep Island control.

Mr. Flynn and Mr. Jason also pressed the board for a vote of
confidence in Mr. Parker.

"You've done a hell of a job," Mr. Jason told Mr. Parker.

"I think we are going to do a disservice to the Steamship
Authority representative if we don't unanimously support his
efforts," Mr. Flynn said.

"What does that have to do with this legislation?" Mr. Wey
said.

"He [Mr. Parker] said he could go either way [on the
legislation]," Mr.

Alley said.

"So it's no position," Mr. Wey said.

"You're not getting this, are you," Mr. Flynn said.

The vote of confidence was not unanimous; in the end it
carried 5-2 with Mr. Wey and Mr. Alley voting no.