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Marina Commission urges deeper, grant-funded dredging and recommends lower transient slip fees
Summary
The Marina Commission presented its annual report to the Havre de Grace City Council on Feb. 3, recommending capital work, continued slip rates at $72 per foot next fiscal year, a cut in transient-slip fees and prioritizing dredging and engineering for disposal sites.
Havre de Grace, Md. — The Marina Commission presented its annual recommendations to the City Council on Feb. 3, saying the marina’s enterprise fund has a healthy balance and urging the city to prioritize capital repairs and dredging while lowering transient-slip fees to attract short-term visitors.
The commission’s report, delivered by Chair Josh Argentino, said the marina operating fund had a balance of $352,963 as of Jan. 28, 2025 and an ending fund balance including the prior year of $1,114,831. “Right now, current rates are $70 per foot and will be increasing to $72 per foot next fiscal year,” Argentino told the council and recommended no further permanent rate increases for permanent slips based on the fund balance.
Why it matters: the commission argued deeper and less-frequent dredging would reduce recurring maintenance and that lowering transient-slip fees would draw visiting boaters downtown, supporting local businesses.
Key recommendations and discussion - Rates: keep permanent slip rate at $72 per foot (next fiscal year); lower transient-slip fee from $20 per foot to $10 per foot and cap consecutive transient rentals at 30 days to discourage long-term use of transient slips.
- Capital projects: Argentino listed prioritized capital needs including bulkhead replacement, engineering for a dredge material placement site (DMP site), repairs to Pier 5 and Pier 6 (fire damage repair), fuel-dock improvements and parking-lot paving.
- Dredging: Commissioners said the last dredging set depth at 6 feet; the commission recommended deeper dredging (8 to 12 feet) to reduce how frequently dredging will be required. Chair Argentino said the DMP site engineering is necessary to confirm whether the proposed disposal area can accept dredged material.
- Small projects: the commission proposed a modest fish-cleaning station at Hutchins Park (Argentino described it as “something very small” such as a stainless-steel table and a push-off station for fish waste).
Council questions focused on project prioritization and financing. Council members noted dredging is costly but often grant-eligible; Argentino confirmed past dredging had been grant-funded and recommended the city pursue grants where available. Finance staff and the commission agreed capital costs should be included in next fiscal-year budgeting and that some items (dredging) will require engineering and coordination with state agencies.
No formal council action was taken; the Marina Commission transmitted its written recommendations for the mayor and council to consider during budget planning. The commission said it is scheduled to meet six times per year to monitor goals and objectives and to deliver written recommendations before the first regular council meeting in February each year.
Provenance (transcript excerpts): topicintro — “This is my first, February Marina Commission report… the purpose of this commission is to provide the mayor and city council recommendations…” (02/03/2025); topfinish — “Appreciate it. And thank you very much. And if you need anything, let us know.”
Ending: The commission’s recommendations will be considered by the administration during budget development and as grant opportunities arise; councilors urged staff to pursue dredging grants and to include prioritized capital items in the next budget.
