New Ferry for Thimble Islands Commute

The Thimble Islands will have the benefit of a new public service ferry-basically, a commuter bus to and from the islands-under the jurisdiction of the newly created Thimble Island Tax District.

The district operates under state law, not town ordinance. The Stony Creek-based ferry will begin operating this spring, carrying one-way and round-trip fare passengers.

On Feb. 1, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) used on an opinion from Town Attorney William H. Clendenen, Jr., to agree, by unanimous vote, that the town doesn't have jurisdiction, under its commercial boating ordinance, over the new, non-profit district, which will operate as a public service.

The district has acquired a ferry and hired a captain and will begin operating this spring. The district's president, attorney Charlie Goetsch, attended the Feb. 1 BOS meeting to speak on behalf of the group during a public hearing scheduled on the matter.

The Thimble Island Ferry Tax District was created on July 30, 2011, pursuant to the authority delegated to it by the state last year, when Connecticut legislature passed a law authorizing a special tax district for purpose of providing ferry service (it was signed into law June 2011 by Gov. Dannel Malloy).

"The express public purpose of the Thimble Island Ferry District is to provide a ferry service from Stony Creek to the Thimble Islands pursuant to the authority delegated to it by the state of Connecticut, and we're proceeding to fulfill this purpose," Goetsch told the BOS. "I just want to stress we are an entity created by State of Connecticut, not by the Town of Branford. We exercise authority under Connecticut state law…not under the town law…and we are using Thimble Island Ferry District tax dollars to accomplish this public purpose, not Branford tax dollars."

That public purpose is to provide safe and reliable public ferry service from the Stony Creek Town Dock to the islands and back.

"The crucial public importance of this [need] is confirmed by the fact that the taxpayers voted overwhelmingly to create this tax district," said Goetsch. "So we're funded with our own taxpayer dollars. The ferry's charges are only to minimize the public subsidy. We are a government non-profit entity; we are not a private commercial enterprise generating profits for anyone."

Goetsch also endorsed the idea of the public hearing on Feb. 1 to introduce the new district as well as to clarify its status.

"I think it's important that the status of the district be clarified and confirmed. It is something new, it's something different; it's never occurred before," he said.

Prior to it unanimous vote, the BOS heard from a handful of residents tax district taxpayers, all of whom endorsed the idea of the Thimble Island Ferry tax district and the public service ferry. The district tax is assessed on the Thimble Island's 70-plus property owners, who voted to create the district.