It is important to clarify that Clay Township has no control over the operations of Champion Auto Ferry and does not allocate any tax dollars toward its functioning. Champion Auto Ferry, a critical lifeline connecting Harsens Island to the mainland since 1937, has been privately operated without government funding or oversight.

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Concerns about ferry operations led to the establishment of the Harsens Island Transportation Authority (HITA) in 1997. HITA was initially created to explore alternatives, including the potential construction of a bridge. However, the proposal faced significant opposition from the island’s community at that time, leading to HITA’s dormancy for many years.

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In 2020, the collapse of a ferry dock renewed interest in revisiting transportation options for the island. In 2021, HITA took significant steps forward by securing a $250,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Commission (MEDC) for a bridge study. This grant, issued on October 1, 2021, marked a potential turning point in the ongoing discussions regarding more permanent solutions for Harsens Island’s transportation needs.

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While this funding represents progress, the ferry remains an independently operated service, and the community's opinions regarding transportation solutions, such as the construction of a bridge, remain an essential consideration in any further developments.

The recent developments concerning the Harsens Island Transportation Authority (HITA) raise serious questions about its governance, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. Despite the fact that Clay Township has no control over the ferry operations or the allocation of public tax dollars toward Champion Auto Ferry, the actions of HITA suggest severe negligence and misuse of public funds.

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In February 2022, Paul Cassidy was appointed to the HITA Board, and by October 2022, Maureen Boury had signed a Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with HITA as a Board Member. However, by March 2023, HITA sought an amendment to their original Michigan Economic Development Commission (MEDC) grant, intending to shift the focus from a bridge study to an alternative ferry study. The MEDC had clearly stated that if the bridge study revealed the need for further alternative transportation research, the remaining funds could be used for those studies. Despite this, no bridge feasibility study has been completed, nor has any alternative transportation study been produced. This raises a critical question: Where did the money go?

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Instead of focusing on the intended purpose of the grant, HITA has mismanaged funds by paying $2,000 per month for a two-year purchase option on a piece of property, spending $5,000 per month on a grant writer, and paying Maureen Boury as an administrator. None of these expenditures were authorized under the terms of the MEDC grant.

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Adding to these concerns is the fact that HITA has not been audited since 2022, and that audit itself was alarming. Since February 2024, after a failed 4.5 mill tax proposal that would have given the board over $4 million in unrestricted funds from Harsens Island residents, there has been no public meeting. This tax proposal was placed on the ballot without a public hearing, violating standard procedures and further eroding public trust.

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How is HITA managing to pay its bills and make decisions? Behind closed doors. HITA has demonstrated negligence in administering the MEDC grant, withholding crucial public information, and operating without audits or transparency. They have violated the Open Meetings Act (OMA) and shown a blatant disregard for transparency by discussing deals, such as a supposed working agreement with Blue Water Transportation Authority, without presenting them to or receiving approval from the HITA Board. No official date or record of these agreements has been made public, calling into question whether HITA is making decisions in violation of the Open Meetings Act or simply failing to act altogether.​

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The lack of completed studies, misuse of grant money, and continued operation behind closed doors represent a breach of public trust and demand accountability.