Saying it did not want to spend any more money on the People’s Pier, Washington’s City Council unanimously voted to leave the pier in its current configuration.

The pier was initially designed as a T-shape, however, once construction began, city planners approved an L-shaped configuration as a matter of boating safety. The change should allow boaters using the city’s free dock (I dock) to have better maneuverability around the pier as they leave the dock, according John Rodman, Washington’s director of planning and development.

The council rejected several options regarding the pier. One option, at a cost of $18,480, would have added 6 feet to the east side of the pier’s platform. Another option, at a cost of $25,080, would have added 12 feet to the east side of the platform. An additional $15,500 would have been added to either one of those options if the city decided to relocate the gazebo eastward so it was in the line of sight from the southern end of Market Street. An option to extend the platform 20 feet to the east was not considered by the council.

During a Nov. 2 meeting to discuss the matter, the Waterfront Docks Advisory Committee was unable to come up with a recommendation to send to the City Council concerning a possible eastward extension of the platform. A motion to extend the platform 11 feet to the east resulted in a 2-2 tie. That motion was supported by Fred Watkins, committee chairman, and Ray Midgett, with Mac Cox and Jeffrey Woolard opposing it. A motion to leave the pier in its present configuration resulted in a 2-2 tie, with Cox and Woolard supporting it, but with Watkins and Midgett voting against it. Cox questioned whether Watkins, as chairman, could second the motion made by Midgett.

At the Nov. 2 meeting, the committee learned that the Washington Harbor District Alliance was willing to provide a $20,000 “bridge” loan and donate $5,000 to help pay for the extension, and that Bill Sykes, a city resident and boater, was willing to provide $5,000 toward the extension project. The council also learned that PotashCorp Aurora was willing to provide money for the extension, but would not be able to do so until early next year. WHDA was willing to provide the “bridge” loan so the extension work could begin this year, Watkins said. PotashCorp Aurora would have reimbursed WHDA in early 2016.

The city budgeted $150,000 for the pier project. In October 2014, the City Council awarded an $83,124 contract to Sawyer’s Residential & Marine Construction to build the pier and erect the gazebo.

“Mr. Mayor, there’s been extensive discussion regarding the pier over the last several months. … We’ve spent $135,000 on that pier, and we’re obligated to finish that project by the end of this month. I would suggest, or I would move, that we adopt the pier in its current configuration and spend no additional money on this project and complete it by the Nov. 30 requirement,” Councilman Doug Mercer said.

Councilman Richard Brooks seconded the motion, which was quickly voted on and passed.