Residents of North East are working with state, local, and federal officials to take over operations of the North East Marina from it's current owners, the state-run Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.

The Fish & Boat Commission had previously shut off electrical service off at the marina, due to an outdated electrical system that would have been expensive to fix; and even planned to shut it down entirely due to costs.

That is, unless the proposed community-based authority is able to negotiate it's purchase from the commission.

The proposed marina authority would be composed of five members from the borough of North East, and township of North East (two separate municipalities).

US Representative Mike Kelly and State Representative Jake Banta met with locals from North East to further discuss their plans for their involvement with the marina. 

The two representatives say they're trying to secure grants for the proposed local marina authority, to negotiate a purchase the marina from the Fish & Boat Commission, who, according to Banta, say the property is worth $15 million. 

Banta and Kelly say by operating the marina through the proposed local marina authority, it could improve North East in several ways - bringing dollars right back to the community. 

"The slips are going to bring in revenue, boat storage, Airbnb's, the wonderful restaurant, the million dollar view," said Banta, State Representative for District 4.

"And also, it is a real asset, in my personal thoughts, security wise, for our northern border. As far as the southern border goes, all the attention is there but there is a reason to pay attention to the northern border. The fentanyl drug problem, and just the lake overall for search and rescue boats to have maybe an eye in the sky in there to look out at the water and say there's somebody went in the drink."

"People stay overnight, they have to stay somewhere," said Kelly, US Representative for PA District 16.

"People buy gas, people buy food, people buy souvenirs, people spend money when they come into places like this. What can we do with that money, invest it back into the community, make it easier for the community living here to shoulder the burden that we have to do. Everything from keeping streets clean in the winter, making sure the sidewalks are navigable, different things that people take for granted. [They'll] say 'well it's always been there,' yeah but it wasn't there at one time, it was all created by people building these incredible communities."

Representatives and community members are meeting at North East High School in the auditorium at 6 p.m. to discuss the proposed marina authority.