DENNIS – Refunds to commercial fisherman who paid for special waterway use permits will be made available by the Town of Dennis after a recent vote from selectmen.
Permits of up to $300 were implemented during the previous season in order for the town to figure out how many commercial fishermen were launching from Dennis.
The state notified the town’s Waterways Commission in July that fees to access waters from boat ramps owned by the state couldn’t be applied to commercial users, thus putting the fee on hold when multiple users had already paid and setting off legal discussions between state and town representatives.
Selectwoman Sheryl McMahon said at a recent meeting that while those who paid don’t necessarily have to take the refund, having the option to do so is key.
“Not having to and thinking it’s the right thing to do, I think,” McMahon said, “is two different things. Why did we make one group of people pay in one, specific time, to do something that we thought we were going to have as a program?”
The Waterways Commission voted 4-3 to recommend not issuing refunds to those who have paid. Wayne Bergeron, former selectman and member of the commission who already paid for the permit, was a part of the minority vote.
“I’m just going to donate it, personally, to the Waterways Committee, what I pay; I’m not looking for a refund,” Bergeron explained.
“I can’t speak for anybody else on this particular issue. But, I think it’s a positive thing to do within the community.”
Those who have already paid will be given the choice of accepting the refund or donating their permit expense to the town’s dredging fund.
The special waterway usage permits will not be returning to the town in the future.
About Brendan Fitzpatrick
