Does Otisfield really need a harbor master?

One person thinks so and that’s enough to trigger a mandate under current state law that one be hired.

According to the Maine Municipal Association, there’s a little-known provision in the law that requires towns to appoint a harbor master even if a town has little need for one – even if a majority of selectmen and a majority of residents disagree.

As it stands, there’s no differentiation made between coastal communities or those inland. Only a confusing section of the law that gives one person the ability to demand an appointment.

There’s a bill pending in the Legislature that could resolve confusion in the requirement and give communities greater flexibility in assessing whether they need to fill the post.

While there are legitimate reasons why a coastal community might want to keep the one-person-request standard, it’s a poor standard for inland communities, which might not even have moorings or requests for them.

According to the MMA, L.D. 1697 would have eliminated the mandate but negotiations have moved the bill toward a different standard for inland and coastal communities, where the need for harbor oversight is more obvious.

If Otisfield’s selectmen – with good cause – don’t think the town needs a harbormaster, that’s good enough reason to question such an easy standard on a state mandate that increases the size of local government.

One person might think so, but Otisfield doesn’t need a harbor master. It should have the option of rejecting a single request.