Prudence Island Ferry to Cease Operations Sept. 14

Prudence Island Ferry will cease operations out of Bristol on Sept. 14 after failing to get a renewed lease from the town of Bristol to operate out of that town.

The non-renewal of that lease coincides with the town of Portsmouth and another company, A&R Marine Corp., getting approval by the state Coastal Resources Management Council, to build a new pier on Prudence Island following the town and A&R entering a lease agreement for a 15,000 square foot piece of land next to Prudence Island’s terminal.

Captain Eric Leite said on Prudence Island Ferry’s Facebook page that the ferry company will “most likely” take the winter off and try to start a service from elsewhere in the spring.

Prudence has been the lone ferry company operating service between Prudence and Hog Islands and Bristol for years until the emergence of A&R, which got conditional approval from the state Division of Public Utilities and Carriers to operate as a ferry service in February.

Leite blasted local officials in a series of Facebook posts, suggesting he was forced out of Portsmouth and accusing the town council president and town administrator of “going out of their way” to “get rid of us.”

“This is the end of almost a century of good, reliable, economical service and I hope everyone is happy with their new ferry company,” Leite said.

The new pier on Prudence Island will accommodate A&R Marine’s 112-foot ferry and will be 96 feet long.

The CRMC unanimously approved the special exception request last week.

A&R Marine will be doing business as Prudence & Bay Islands Transport.

In a filing before the PUC, town officials said Bruce Medley, president of Prudence Ferry, initially indicated they would cease operations on Dec. 1 of last year, prompting the town to begin searching for a new provider.

The briefing describes town officials getting mixes messages afterwards, with Medley’s reported plans to operate out of a ferry terminal in Fall River, Mass., causing great concern because the existing service provides emergency, trash and public work functions in addition to school transportation.

“A change to a location much further away that Bristol would also increase the town’s costs associated with providing services to island residents,” the briefing states.

As the town of Portsmouth continued to make progress with A&R, including collecting resident comments on what they wanted in a ferry service, which detailed amenities like text message reservations, a heated cabin on the boat and restroom facilities at the terminal, Medley allegedly sent a disturbing voice mail to Town Planner Gary Crosby.

That message stated “I understand you’ve had engineers or surveyors or something snooping around the Homestead property. Be warned; keep your people out of my property over there. And I don’t want to hear anything more about poor condition of the dock or whatever over there; otherwise I will take legal action against you… and your buddy Klimm.”

In response, Prudence Ferry are countering with a different account. Here’s what they posted on their Facebook page on July 26:

“I am sure at the council meeting next Saturday Klimm and Seveny are going to point their finger at the “Dec. 1 closing”, so here is the story: klimm and I met numerous times two years ago this summer. Based upon his experience with the Steamship Authority on the Cape, he said the authority is “the only way to go”. He also said the ferry should be based in Portsmouth and we travelled the west shore of town looking for a spot. There was another person at these meetings who will verify this if Mr. Klimm has a memory lapse. The first week in January 2013, Klimm called me into his office and asked “when do you want to quit”? I believed he was referring to a time frame for the authority to get up and going and take over. On Television klimm continued to say “the authority is the only way to go.” The legislation was filed. After two months, the legislation was not on a council agenda. I spoke with Ray Gallison and said I was going to give them a time frame “that ought to get them going” I gave Klimm what he had asked for, “Dec.1”. The Authority was never brought to the Portsmouth Council. A lawyer told me Klimm said “the PUC has had enough of Medley”. I was told that the DPUC sabotaged the authority legislation, it would take us out of Spiritos control. I followed the legislation up to the last session July 3, 2013. nothing happened. I notified all council members on July 5 by email that because the authority legislation failed I was continuing service and we have to date. I know where the RFI came from and it was not the council. When John klimm got my “Dec 1 email” he said to the Council as if surprised “ I never want to get another email like that as long as I am here”. Did you forget you asked for it three months prior? Mr Seveny, you said you were “blindsided” by this but really Klimm never brought the issue to the council.”