Council Candidates Discuss City Yacht Basin

Patch asked the candidates for the May 3 election to share their opinions on more than a dozen topics relating to the city.

In this installment, City Council candidates—incumbents John Correri and Randy Craig, and challengers James Lauer, Diane Lawder, Lori Maslin and Barbara Wagner—address the city yacht basin in Havre de Grace:

John Correri

Correri recalls the old days of the yacht basin.

“I can remember as a kid growing up here, and there were only a few piers there, and the park went almost to the edge of the bulkhead,” Correri said.

Since then, $1 million has been put into the island for shoreline protection, he said. New piers have been put in place.

“Positive things are happening,” he said. “There might be some pains here and there, but a lot of good things are happening.”

While the yacht basin has a way to go to reach its full potential, Correri thinks it is truly one of the gems in Havre de Grace.

“There are a lot of issues there with the yacht basin, but I really think it's truly one of the assets of the city,” he said. “I think the dynamics of this new commission has been outstanding. Chairman Fred Cullum, I’m the council liaison, and the different members that have been on this board so far, we’ve had several meetings, and they’ve all been very well done, and they’ve already gotten recommendations into the mayor, and they’re moving.” 

Randy Craig

Craig thinks the work that already has been done at the marina has put it in a good place to thrive.

“We’ve done a lot of capital improvements down there the last few years,” he said. “The piers are upgraded. We’ve got some dredging work going on down there. The ramp has been improved. I think we’ve done a lot, capital improvement-wise.”

Craig also thinks there is a good group of people involved at the marina—including the recently appointed marina commission.

“We have a good management team down there, a good staff. I think the council took the right approach by appointing the commission, which is really made up of users,” Craig said. “Those are the folks that know best what they need there. They have some work to do. They have to come up with a long-term capital funding plan.”

Craig sees the marina as part of Havre de Grace’s traditions.

“One of the best ways to get somebody to appreciate improving the environment, the regulations, laws and expense of doing that, is to allow them access to it,” Craig said. “Everybody talks about the Chesapeake Bay, but very few have the opportunity or the means to get out and enjoy it. But for $10, you can get out and enjoy it, and I think that’s a big part of it. It’s a really neat opportunity and a different perspective to look at Havre de Grace from the water, rather than the sidewalk.”

He said no tax dollars support it, and the fund doesn’t have to be a money-maker—it only has to break even.

Havre de Grace benefits from the marina, too, Craig said, for reasons beyond simply boating.

“I met a couple recently that had their boat there for years and years. They lived in Pennsylvania. Well, when they retired, they lived in Pennsylvania because of work, when they retired they moved to Havre de Grace to be closer to their boat. It does benefit the city.”

James Lauer

Lauer did not respond to repeated interview requests from Patch.

Diane Lawder

Lawder thinks locals can be cut a slight break while the marina fees can be raised for the out-of-towners.

“If you’re going to look at keeping it functioning, the local Havre de Grace residents could be cut a break,” she said. “You’re a city resident, you get a break. If you’re an out-of-towner, and you hate to do this, but it’s how all cities function. If you’re from out of town—sorry, you’re going to pay a little bit more.”

Lawder said the city can take advantage of two positives—the desirability of the marina’s slips, and a lengthy list of interested would-be slip owners.

“It’s easy access. It’s a good launching ramp. It can take you to different points; it’s a nice straight shot,” she said. “It’s very popular during the summer.”

Lori Maslin

Maslin isn’t quite sure the city needs to get completely out of the marina business—but she is certain that it needs to run the marina like a business.

“My feeling is, if we need to raise certain rates to run it like a business so that it’s breaking even, or allow it to be kept up the way it needs to be kept up, then we may need to do that,” she said.

Maslin thinks the city can take advantage of its desire to supply and also to tap into the demand for the marina.

“We’re in a town that draws boaters. We’re in a town where we want to draw boaters. We want those people here,” she said. “All I can say is, we need to charge a fair going rate for the slips, to be able to drop your boat in here. We may be able to find ways to offset that.”

Her suggestion is to get creative with new funding ideas, such as a bass tournament.

“Maybe there are ways to encourage events that include the yacht basin that may bring in more business for the yacht basin,” she said. “I will tell you in that running the Seafood Festival, I get probably every year, I get 100 requests, ‘Can we come by boat? And if we can, can we dock?’ So, more transient slips may be an option. People pay for those and are willing to pay for those.”

Barbara Wagner

Wagner doesn’t hide the truth when it comes to the City Yacht Basin.

“I’m really not well-versed on the yacht basin and marina,” she said.

But she thinks it serves a vital role in the community.

“I love having it,” she said. “I don’t own a boat. We’re kayakers. It brings a lot of people into town. There are a lot of people who travel here. It’s good for tourism. It’s good for residents. It should be self-supporting, that’s for sure.”

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Other issues the candidates for City Council have addressed:

—April 20

—April 21

—April 22

—April 23

—April 25

—April 26

—April 27

—April 28