All the residents of Sooke should be made aware that the mayor and council entered into an agreement with a private business known as Jocks’ Dock. This agreement gives Jocks Dock 90 per cent of all launch fees from our public boat launch.
Why should we be paying them that amount of money to collect fees that have been put into a locked metal box? I am sure it takes them less then 30 minutes a day to pick up the money.
Several months ago, the owner of Jocks’ Dock was complaining to council that they had been losing money since the new launch opened. Why should the people of Sooke be compensating Jocks’ Dock for any so-called loss of revenue due to the public boat ramp?
In my opinion, giving them 90 per cent of the revenue is compensating them. Who is going to be responsible for all the expenses that will be incurred over time with the launch and dock? With Sooke only getting $1 per launch, it might as well be free launching, as I would think that the bookkeeping would use that up so it is in a deficit position. One dollar a launch probably does not even pay the interest on the money used to build it. Why are the residents of Sooke building infrastructure for private business to make money?
Sooke has recently put out a Request For Proposal to operate the boat launch. Is this also going to be a revenue losing agreement with someone or some group? If we have to pay for launching, the launch fee must be able to cover the building costs, expenses, upkeep, future repairs etc., not be run in a deficit position. Once all the expenses are accounted and budgeted for, the excess can be divided between Sooke and what ever party is running it.
D. Widrick
Sooke