Printer Friendly Version - CT Port Authority Votes for Saybrook HQ

The Connecticut Port Authority Board Meets in Old Saybrook Town Hall: The quasi-public CPA met for the first time last week in Old Saybrook’s Town Hall after board members completed a tour of the lower Connecticut River in the town’s police boat. CPA announced at its meeting that it has leased office space for its headquarters in Old Saybrook at Saybrook Junction. The CPA offices should be ready and open for business in late August. Photo by Becky Coffey/Harbor News

Last week marked the beginning of the residency of a new quasi-public state entity, the Connecticut Port Authority (CPA), in Old Saybrook. Nomadic since it was created in 2014, with monthly board meetings set in port and harbor towns throughout Connecticut,the CPA announced at its Old Saybrook Town Hall meeting last week that Old Saybrook would be its new headquarters.

“Old Saybrook is a logical home for the CPA. As the hub of the lower Connecticut River Valley, and having 9 marinas located within its borders, Old Saybrook welcomes the Port Authority mission advancing Connecticut’s maritime economy. From commercial shipping to the vast recreational opportunities, I look forward to partnering with the Port Authority and its chairman, Scott Bates, in assisting all of Connecticut to reach its maritime potential,” said First Selectman Carl Fortuna, Jr.

Three years ago, already facing a shrinking federal budget for harbor and port maintenance dredging and a spike in the state’s dredging needs, the state confronted a new dilemma. Two major storms—Irene and then Sandy—had left significant new material deposited on the bottoms of the state’s harbors. Clearance for ships and boats in most harbors was no longer adequate.

It was a critical moment—would the state step in to help or would harbors no longer be able to accommodate the commercial barges, ships, and recreational boats they once did?

That’s when the State Legislature turned to a solution relied upon by other nearby states: a quasi-public port authority. The role of the new body, authorized by legislation in 2014, is to oversee the state’s ports and harbors, assess and prioritize fixes to their facilities, plan for maintenance dredging, and to seek federal and state funding to address those needs and to keep the state’s marine economy viable. A second goal would be for the agency to market the state’s harbors and ports to strengthen and expand the state’s marine economy.

The CPA Board of 15 voting members includes state officials, port authority professionals, community leaders, and others with experience in the marine economy. The new entity oversees and markets the benefits of the state’s three deep-water ports (Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London) and the many small and medium-sized coastal and river harbors.

In 2016 and early 2017, CPA was getting organized. By-laws were written and adopted. A Board of Directors was appointed and started meeting. In September 2016, the CPA Board hired an executive director, Scott Matthews. Board committees were formed. An independent bank account was created. Port facility fixes and near-term maintenance dredging needs were assessed and quantified and funding requirements estimated.

Last week, at the board’s first meeting in Old Saybrook Town Hall, CPA announced it had leased office space at Saybrook Junction in Old Saybrook to use as its new headquarters.

“Old Saybrook is a perfect strategic location for the Port Authority. It’s centrally located [on the shoreline]. It makes so much sense for us. Old Saybrook has been a maritime community since it was created. And it has rail connections,” said CPA Chairman Scott Bates.

Bates said that CPA currently has projects in 18 communities across the state. Included is a $4.5 million project to update the State Pier in New London, a $7.5 million dredging project that starts in September in Old Saybrook’s North Cove, and dredging work in Westbrook’s Patchogue River. Also included on the list are CPA grants for smaller harbor maintenance from CPA’s Small Harbor Improvement Projects Program (SHIPP). Included in the current SHIPP list are projects in Essex, Chester, and Clinton.

CPA’s capital project and operations funding will come from a combination of state and federal grants augmented by usage fees.

“We get one half of our budget from rent and operations of the State Pier in New London. We hope to grow our revenue and services. Our goal is, in a few years, to be self-supporting” for operations, said Bates.

CPA’s funding source to pay for capital projects like port and harbor facility upgrades, for maintenance dredging, and for harbor management planning would be provided by a combination of federal grants and state bonding funds.

In 2017 alone, CPA authorized awarding $7.5 million in SHIPP grants to small towns to spur development and improvement of berthing areas, channels to berthing areas, docks, piers, and navigation aids.

Members of the Connecticut Port authority toured the lower Connecticut River aboard the Old Saybrook police boat on July 12. From left are Connecticut Port Authority Chairman Scott Bate, Old Lyme First Selectman Bonnie Reemsnyder, Old Saybrook First Selectman Carl Fortuna, Jr., State Representative Devin Carney (R-23), and State Senator Paul Formica (R-20). Photo courtesy of Scott Bates