Changes Underway in SSA Priorities

An Olive Branch Toward Nantucket; Islander Meeting Will Be August
12; Can Rates Be Held Down?

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

Change is the watchword these days at the Steamship Authority,
palpable and overnight change.

The sudden death of Nantucket governor Grace Grossman two weeks ago
has left a gaping hole on the SSA board, and the departure last week of
chief executive officer Fred C. Raskin has resulted in an immediate
change in the top post at the boat line which is the lifeline to the two
Islands.

Longtime SSA treasurer Wayne Lamson stepped in as acting general
manager late last week.

An overflow crowd attended a warm and moving memorial service for
Mrs. Grossman on Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church on
Nantucket. A number of Vineyard residents were in attendance, but there
were faces notably missing, including three of Mrs. Grossman's
fellow board members: Vineyard governor Kathryn A. Roessel, New Bedford
governor David Oliveira and Falmouth governor Robert Marshall. Also
absent was Mr. Raskin, who had become estranged from Mrs. Grossman and
the people of Nantucket in recent months.

At the time of her death, Mrs. Grossman was at the forefront of an
effort to examine splitting the boat line into two separate entities.
The people of Nantucket were unanimously behind the effort.

Yesterday Mr. Lamson, who has already begun to project an air of
quiet confidence and stability, outlined a short-term agenda for the
boat line that includes an open invitation to Nantucket to return to the
fold.

"I plan to open up lines of communication and offer whatever
assistance we can," Mr. Lamson said. "I plan to speak with
the selectmen - we're more than willing to sit down and meet
with them on a formal or informal basis. So we'll see how that
goes," he added.

Mr. Lamson said the appointment of a Nantucket governor will be up
to the Nantucket selectmen, acting in their capacity as county
commissioners.

The appointment is expected before the next boat line meeting, set
for later this month on Nantucket.

"This is entirely up to the selectmen," Mr. Lamson said.
He said there is no provision in the enabling legislation for an interim
appointment. Mrs. Grossman was reappointed to a third three-year term in
January.

At the July meeting in Hyannis the SSA governors drew up a punch
list for Mr. Lamson that included an overhaul of the reservations system
and a look at possibly replacing the Flying Cloud, the hapless
high-speed ferry that has been plagued with mechanical problems since
the day it went on line. The Flying Cloud operates only on the Nantucket
run.

Mr. Lamson said the problems with the Flying Cloud will be
addressed, but not without the full participation of Nantucket.

"We're going to look at all the options, but that will
take a little time," he said.

Mr. Lamson said overhauling the reservation system is the main
priority.

"The reservation system is job one. We are going to look at
all the problems - why people can't get through on the
phone, improvements to our internet system and allocation of space on
the boats," he said, adding: "I have a meeting this
afternoon with some key people to look at the problems and to see what
we can do to solve some of these things, both in the short term and the
long term. I am committed to doing everything we can to improve our
operation. We may not be able to do it all in the next couple of weeks,
but I know we're going to try hard."

Mr. Lamson also said the proposed design is now complete for the
replacement vessel for the ferry Islander, and he said a meeting will be
held on the Vineyard on August 12 to hear public comment on the final
design. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Vineyard Haven
terminal.

The ferry is planned as a double-ended vessel with two pilot houses
and lift decks that can carry extra cars on the freight level. Mr.
Lamson said the board of governors will be asked to vote to put the new
ferry out to bid this month. The estimated cost of the ferry is $22
million to $25 million, but Mr. Lamson said SSA managers will have a
more precise number by the time of the public meeting on the Vineyard.
The tentative launch date for the new ferry is 2006.

As budget planning begins for the coming year, Mr. Lamson said he is
committed to keeping rates down, but with traffic off this year that may
translate to other expense cuts, including cuts in service.

"Raising rates is a last resort, and we are going to go back
and look at everything including our operating schedules for the coming
year, because we may need to go back and look at ways that we could
reduce costs," Mr. Lamson said.

He said senior managers will also examine all the capital projects
now on deck for possible cutbacks.

"Everything is open at this point," Mr. Lamson
concluded.