Harbor Management Commission

HARBOR MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 25, 2022 5:00 PM Hybrid In‐person/Zoom Virtual Meeting MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Tucker Braddock, Alderman Grant Neuendorf, Alderman Derell Wilson, Michael Gualtieri, Mark Sicuso, Sofia LeWitt and Michael Aliano OTHERS PRESENT: Consultant Geoff Steadman and Recording Secretary Melinda Wilson MEMBERS ABSENT: John Salomone CITIZENS PRESENT: None Alderman Derell Wilson read the rules of a hybrid meeting. He clearly stated that the meeting would be recorded and would be posted on the city’s website. 1. Call to Order: Chair Tucker Braddock called the meeting to order at 5:02 PM. 2. Determination of Quorum: It was determined a quorum was present. 3. Approval of Minutes: Alderman Wilson pointed out that Alderman Mark Bettencourt was not present at the December 28, 2021 meeting. It was noted that Alderman Bettencourt was in the attendance and making amotion to adjourn in those minutes. On a motion by Alderman Derell Wilson, seconded by Michael Aliano, the December 28, 2021, meeting minutes of the Harbor Management Commission (HMC) were unanimously approved with the necessary changes. 4. Community Policing Report: Norwich Police Department’s Community Policing was not represented at the meeting. 5. Harbor Master Report: Harbor Master Rich Thayer was not present. Chair Braddock reported that while the Harbor Master was not present, he had received a verbal report earlier in the day. Chair Braddock reported that Mr. Thayer said the owner will scrap the sunken boat in the harbor off Terminal Way. The boat’s owner had hired a crane to raise the boat but it was not large enough to do the job. Geoff Steadman reported that in theory DEEP has funding available for these types of situations. Mr. Aliano suggested Kennedy Marine could right the boat. He will provide contact information to Chair Braddock. 6. Correspondence: Financial Report: Michael Gualtieri reviewed the revenue, expenses and balances of the December 2021 report. On a motion by Sofia LeWitt, seconded by Mark Sicuso, the December 2021 Financial Report was unanimously accepted by roll call vote. 7. New Business: a) Vote on meeting calendar: Discussion was held on the 2022 meeting schedule which continues with the existing pattern of the 4th Tuesdays of each month except December when there is no meeting. On a motion by Michael Aliano, seconded by Alderman Derell Wilson, the HMC unanimously approved the 2022 Meeting Calendar as presented. b) Race Coastal Engineering: Chair Braddock reported that Docko gave estimates which were the basis of the original SHIPP grant proposal to the CT Port Authority (CPA). Bob Castronova, the city’s purchasing agent, did not have enough information to produce a Request for Proposals (RFP). Docko was too busy to create the detail of the condition of the docks which was needed to produce an accurate RFP. Race Coastal Engineering dove on the pilings. Most of the pilings are not in good shape and need to be replaced, including the pilings under the fixed deck. Docko gave an estimate of $5,000. This increases the cost of the grant project. Race would charge $500 to produce the estimates. So, $5,500 is needed for an opinion of probable cost. Geoff Steadman noted that this delays the project. There are 14 effected pilings. A quick estimate is $10,000 per piling for replacement. The replacement of the pilings was not included in the permitting process. Docko recently made application for permission to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) including the replacement of the pilings. He reported that Joe Salvatore of the CPA encouraged Norwich to review other necessary improvements at Howard T. Brown Park to be included in another grant proposal for the SHIPP grant program. Mike Gualtieri asked if Chair Braddock would like him to review the expenses of the grant to date. He reviewed the December Financial Report in detail as it related to the two SHIPP grants. Discussion ensued on the process necessary to facilitate the additional engineering work. On a motion by Mark Sicuso, seconded by Michael Aliano, the HMC unanimously voted to pay Race Engineering $20,495 for work on the SHIPP grant project at Howard T. Brown Park, of which $14,980 is existing work and $5,515 is additional work, subject to the approval of the City Manager for costs above the HMC unrestricted balance of $15,384.19. Mike Aliano left the meeting. On a motion by Michael Gualtieri, seconded by Alderman Derell Wilson, the HMC unanimously voted to authorize Chair Braddock to write a letter of support to DEEP for the certificate permission explaining the importance for the pilings for the Brown park project and encouraging the application. 8. Old Business: a) Rowing Shells: Chair Braddock reported that Ben Lathrop supports the idea of moving the rowing shells to the harbor. Rich Thayer is working on a site to house them. Chair Braddock will bring updates to the HMC. b) CT Port Authority: Mr. Steadman reported on a conversation with Joe Salvatore at the CPA. He invited him and the CPA executive director to visit Norwich. They would review a five‐year plan for harbor improvements on city‐owned property to add to the Harbor Management Plan. c) Harbor Management Plan Update: Discussion continued on potential improvements at the harbor. Mr. Steadman agreed to email the draft Harbor Management Plan to the new HMC members. He explained the controversy surrounding how the Harbor Management Plan interacts with state permitting. Chair Braddock spoke to the importance of the Thames River estuary. 9. Citizen Comment: None presented. 10. Other: None presented. 11. Adjournment: On a motion to adjourn by Mark Sicuso, seconded by Sofia LeWitt, the Harbor Management Commission meeting adjourned via at 6:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Melinda Wilson Recording Secretary