In a presentation to the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen Nov. 2, Barney Baker of Baker Design Consultants told the board to “act immediately” on its repairs to the town’s Memorial Pier.
In a detailed report prepared with the Wright Pierce engineering firm, Baker recommended the following actions until measures are taken to strengthen or replace the pier: no vehicles on the pier except for light pickups; no storage of fishing gear on the town deck; no berthing of vessels at the end of the pier except in settled weather; and, no snow dumping from the pier.
Baker outlined a number of options for the town including a temporary steel brace to support the most vulnerable section of the pier, replace the damaged end of the pier, replace the entire structure, or simply do nothing.
“The bottom line is that the pier needs to be replaced but without available funding, this is not an option,” said Baker.
Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith suggested the “do nothing” option would work if the town could shift its snow dumping location from the pier.
Commercial fisherman, who showed up in large numbers for the meeting, would not be affected as the majority use light pickup trucks and don’t pose a significant threat to the weight threshold of the structure, she said.
Baker pegged the estimated cost of a new pier at $350,000, money the town could conceivably access through an interest-bearing “rainy day fund” said Selectman David Nichols.
“Well, it’s definitely raining at the Wiscasset waterfront,” said Selectman Pamela Dunning.
Smith suggested the selectmen put the issue on a June warrant and explore funding options through grants or available matching state funds.
All were in agreement that the pier should be replaced entirely in one fell swoop, rather than a piecemeal operation.
