June Chekanowsky

Franklin

I am blessed to use the marina at Maurice K. Goddard State Park. This 1,860-acre Mercer County lake provides residents of surrounding counties a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors with their family members.

I learned recently that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania let us citizens down when it failed to reach an agreement with anyone to run the watercraft and concessions stand at the marina. Perhaps the hours were too long with too little pay offered during negotiations with the commonwealth.

Perhaps no one wanted to man the marina from sunup to sunset without a little bit of monetary incentive from the commonwealth like a small share of the thousands of dollars in dock fees.

Whatever the reasons, the bottom line is that this season there will be no one on-site at Goddard State Park to buy gas from for our boats or bait to fish with!  Also, if a boat breaks down on the lake, there will be no one to call at the watercraft and concessions stand for a tow.

Hence, this becomes a safety issue for the commonwealth. Now that the park manager is aware of this problem, how is he to disseminate the proper steps a dockholder (or anyone else who breaks down on the lake) is to follow in order to get towed back in to the docks? Plus, how much will this service cost the residents of Pennsylvania?