Portsmouth agrees to kick in $70,000 for ferry dock repairs

PORTSMOUTH — The town will kick in up to $70,000 toward the repair of the Prudence Island ferry landing in Bristol on the condition that Portsmouth residents are guaranteed ferry service from the dock for at least 15 more years.

The Town Council voted 7-0 Monday night to approve a memorandum of agreement between the towns of Portsmouth and Bristol concerning the Thames Street landing, which is in dire need of repairs. Ferry operator A&R Marine Corp. had asked each town to contribute $70,000 toward the repairs, estimated to total about $210,000.

Portsmouth officials, however, didn’t want to commit any funds until receiving assurances from the Town of Bristol that longterm ferry service would be maintained. 

The latest agreement is a result of negotiations between Town Administrator Richard Rainer Jr., Town Planner Gary Crosby and Bristol Town Administrator Steven Contente.

Under the new agreement, if A&R’s lease with the Town of Bristol is terminated or if the company goes out of business, the Thames Street dock will be available for a comparable ferry service “to meet the needs of Prudence Island residents and visitors and all departments and services of Portsmouth government.”

It also states that Portsmouth will not have to pay any additional costs for a different ferry service.

“Portsmouth still has guaranteed access to that dock … regardless of who the operator is,” said Mr. Rainer, adding the Town of Bristol has no intent to block Portsmouth from using the dock.

The $70,000 contribution will come from surplus funds left over from a bond for road repairs on Prudence Island, contingent upon bond counsel approval. There is about $150,000 left over from the original bond of $2.5 million.

If bond counsel doesn’t approve the use of those surplus funds, then the town will take the money from a $300,000 contingency fund line item in the current budget. 

The council’s decision is also contingent upon Bristol's approval.

Mr. Rainer displayed photographs of the Bristol dock which showed a “fault line” running south to north on the dock, which he described as “falling into the bay.” 

At previous meetings, council members said the poor condition of the dock is preventing larger trucks from being ferried over to Prudence for various town projects. The town has been renting barges to haul these vehicles at great expense, they said.