MARATHON: On Sept. 12, the Town of Marathon’s council had their meeting during which one item on their agenda was the development of the Peninsula Port Authority.
In the early new year, the Town of Marathon and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg signed a memorandum of agreement that agreed to look at developing the old mill site into a functioning Port.
According to Town CAO Daryl Skworchinski, “The intent of the corporation is to establish the Peninsula Harbor Wharg which is the former mill site as a functioning Lake Superior Port, which will generate tremendous opportunities and employment,” stated Skworchinski.
During the council meeting it was reported that to date, feasibility work was initiated with a focus on looking at rehabilitation of the site as well as marketing and potential contract establishment.
Additionally, on e of the next items to complete is the ongoing development of the Port Authority to develop a Board of Directors.
Marathon’s CAO highlighted the important need to have this Port Authority in place stating, “As per the corporation Bylaw two representatives will be elected from both the town of Marathon and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, to make up the Board structure,” stated Skworchinski.
The council had the opportunity to discuss this matter in camera at its meeting on August 22, 2022.
Council recommended at that meeting, that Mayor Rick Dumas and CAO Daryl Skworchinski, would be the first to represent the Town of Marathon on the Port Authority Corporation Board of Directors. Council approved this recommendation and voted to accept that the Mayor and CAO of town of Marathon would be on the Port Authority Corporation Board of Directors.
Who else would have a voice on the Board? The Chief and their band member of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg will be the on the Port Authority Corporation Board of Directors as their two representatives.
Next step in this process according to Mayor Dumas is to, “Hire an individual for the operation of the Port Authority and look at the business models for the next 5 to 10 years through the strategic planning and then the next council, after the Oct. election, we can look at the structure of the Board once the a director is in place and see if the structure works.”
Town of Marathon CAO, indicated there will be 50/50 partnership with no external partners in this corporation-just the town of Marathon and Biigtigong. “So, if there is a dividend that will be split equally, if there is loss then we will own it equally,” explained Skworchinski.
In conclusion the report showed that, the initial Board will be appointed by the municipalities themselves. Then, after the Board serves one year of operation, there can be another call for Board members. “But it really becomes the responsibility of that first elected Board to establish those corporate structures,” added Skworchinski.
In terms of other goals, the town is in the process of engaging QSL from Quebec City, who according to Skworchinski, “Is a preeminent port operator in North America. They operate in Montreal and Prince Rupert, two of the biggest ports in Canada.”
They will have three things to do for the municipality in the next three to four months, which will take up to December, and that is to:
- Look at the feasibility of the work itself based on Historical documents of the port itself to look at load testing and understanding the capacity.
- To look at the extension of the Wharf with a floating dock to look at the Great lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, and look at it from a shipping perspective.
- Looking at a marketing program to set us up for 2023.