The owners of a ferry service to the Manitou Islands plan to sue Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The operators of Manitou Island Transit, which ferries visitors from Leland to the islands, say upcoming construction on the islands could put them out of business.
The Park Service is planning to relocate the docks on both North and South Manitou, which could close the current docks for up to two years on each island.
Jimmy and Megan Munoz, a couple that co-owns Manitou Island Transit with other business partners, worry that interruption would cut off their main source of revenue.
“To have essentially the next four years of our contract wiped out from us is, you know — we have to pivot and figure out what we’re going to do,” said Megan Munoz.
They plan to sue the park over breach of contract.
“That’s part of our contract, is they provide access to us for the islands,” said Jimmy Munoz.
Officials with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, meanwhile, said construction is needed in order for that access to continue.
Scott Tucker, the park’s superintendent, said the docks currently require costly, regular dredging to remove sand buildup that can block ferry access.
The upcoming construction will relocate the docks to their historic locations and remove the need for frequent dredging.
“This project is going to take the maintenance burden off the islands,” said Tucker, which would address recurring issues, like whether to dredge and how to get visitors to the islands.
The money for the project comes from the federal government through the Great American Outdoors Act.
Tucker said the $27 million slotted for the Manitou Islands will expire if it’s not used within the fiscal year.
“They’re one-time funds,” he said. “If the [construction] contract does not happen, those funds will go back to the Park Service to be used at another park.”
Still, the owners of Manitou Island Transit say the break for construction could mean the end of a multi-generational business.
“That would be a shame. There’s not a whole lot of 107-year-old businesses left in the country,” said Megan Munoz.
Munoz said the family business sells tickets for ferries and guides tours of the islands.
“That's what we wanted to provide and keep that part of the history alive. And without us running, I think there's a piece of that that ends,” she said.
She said the upcoming closures add to a multi-year streak of intermittent dock access on the islands.
Manitou Island Transit won a similar lawsuit against the Park Service in 2021.
Record-high water levels in 2019 disconnected the South Manitou dock from its pilings, and in 2020 huge amounts of sand rendered the North Manitou dock inaccessible.
According to court documents, the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the spring of 2020 prevented the park from addressing the problems at either dock until late August of that year.
Manitou Island Transit decided it wasn’t financially viable to operate with so little of the season remaining. They sued the park in early 2021 and sought $500,000 in damages.
Since then, access to the islands has remained unreliable. More sand build up rendered the North Manitou dock inaccessible, and in 2024 the Park Service put in a temporary dock.
But Jimmy and Megan Munoz say that the temporary dock isn’t safe, and that they haven’t been able to operate a full season of ferry service to North Manitou since 2022.
They see the Park Service’s actions as a mismanagement of public funds, and they’re hoping this lawsuit will help save their business.
“This is kind of a Hail Mary,” said Megan Munoz.
The Park Service plans to start work on North Manitou first in spring 2025, then South Manitou in 2026.
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