Boat Line Future Rests on Passenger Fast Ferries; Schamonchi Sale Is Final

Steamship Authority governors unveiled an ambitious business vision
for the 21st century yesterday that calls for a new emphasis on summer
visitors to both Islands with more passenger service, reduced car
service, streamlined high-speed ferries from distant ports and a price
tag that is potentially sky-high.

And when they exhaled from that, the boat line board voted to ink a
$1.75 million deal to buy the New Bedford passenger ferry Schamonchi.

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Fast Ferry: Few Facts, Much Propaganda

From the very start it had all the markings of a political campaign
- go heavy on the sales pitch, work the numbers to make them fit
the pitch and filibuster to silence anyone who questioned the
information.

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Steamship Authority Will Buy Schamonchi; Deal Opens Door to New Bedford Service

NANTUCKET - Placing a surprise trump card on the table in the
testy and complicated match over opening up ferry service from New
Bedford, Steamship Authority governors announced yesterday that they
will take immediate steps to buy the ferry Schamonchi, a privatepassenger ferry that operates between New Bedford and the Vineyard.

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SSA Ferry Plan Absent Money

Last week's report calling for high-speed ferry service
between New Bedford and the Vineyard was submitted without any financial
information, and the acting general manager of the Steamship Authority
said yesterday that he will now have to step in to finish the crucial
financial piece of the report.

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Falmouth Board Votes to Take Steps to Oust SSA Governor

FALMOUTH - - Adding fresh fuel to the fire that has burned around the Steamship Authority for months, the Falmouth selectmen voted 4-1 last night to take steps to remove Galen Robbins as the town boat line governor.

"Townspeople are in an uproar about this and I recommend we begin the process of removal," declared selectman Edward Marks.

"I believe that what's on the record is significant grounds and we may begin the process," said selectman Virginia Valiela.

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State Official Hit on New Bedford Stand

State Official Hit on New Bedford Stand

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

A prominent Boston attorney who represents the Steamship Authority
fired back yesterday at the state attorney general for climbing into bed
with the city of New Bedford in the latest political gambit around the
public boat line that is the lifeline to the two Islands.

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Islandwide Public Forum Set to Discuss Battle on SSA Policy

An all-Island public forum was announced this week amid a perceived growing disconnection between the Vineyard community and its elected leaders over Steamship Authority affairs.

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SSA Governor Starts New Job

Kathryn Roessel Begins First Term Amid Aggressive Selectmen's Campaign to Overthrow Her With Political Maneuvers

In a quiet ceremony on the second floor of the Edgartown courthouse yesterday, Kathryn A. Roessel was sworn in as the new Vineyard Steamship Authority governor.

The appointment came amid a fresh wave of back-corridor politics, both on the Vineyard and on Beacon Hill, aimed at some kind of coup to overthrow Ms. Roessel by fast-tracking a piece of stalled legislation that would overhaul the SSA board of governors.

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SSA Traffic and Revenue Numbers Drop; Governors Consider Financial Remedies

Traffic is down, revenues are down, there's an economic downturn going on and the weather has been awful.

As a result of all this, the Steamship Authority will begin to sell advertising space on the ferries and in the boat line terminals to pick up some extra cash.

Boat line managers also said yesterday that they will continue to pursue a plan to change the winter ferry schedule on the Vineyard run as a way to save some money.

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Winter Seizes the Vineyard in Icy Grip
Mark Alan Lovewell

The coldest weather in years has the Vineyard in a deep freeze.
Night temperatures have dropped into single digits and afternoon highs
have stayed below freezing every day this week but one. Edgartown and
Oak Bluffs harbors are locked up in ice.

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