An all-Island public forum was announced this week amid a perceived growing disconnection between the Vineyard community and its elected leaders ov

Kathryn Roessel Begins First Term Amid Aggressive Selectmen's Campaign to Overthrow Her With Political Maneuvers

New Bedford SSA Maneuvers Fail

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

The Falmouth Steamship Authority governor checked the city of New Bedford in its own game of ferry chess yesterday, refusing to honor an 11th-hour request from the Whaling City to extend a trial high-speed ferry project, after the city solicitor abruptly pulled the plug on the project two weeks ago.

In a barrage of invective and noisy statements to the press, New Bedford city officials lashed out at the Steamship Authority governors from Falmouth and Nantucket this week for their vote to kill a pilot high-speed ferry project between New Bedford and the Vineyard.

From the very start it had all the markings of a political campaign - go heavy on the sales pitch, work the numbers to make them fit the pitch and filibuster to silence anyone who questioned the information.

Last week's report calling for high-speed ferry service between New Bedford and the Vineyard was submitted without any financial information, and the acting general manager of the Steamship Authority said yesterday that he will now have to step in to finish the crucial financial piece of the report.