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Marina Commission urges dredging, security and customer‑experience upgrades as slip rates rise
Summary
Marina Commission Chair Josh Argentino told the council that dredging is urgently needed, recommended security gates and infrastructure repairs, and said 2026 slip rates will rise to $72/ft; the commission urged seeking grant funding for dredging and recommended no further rate increases.
Josh Argentino, chair of the Marina Commission, delivered the commission's annual report to the Havre de Grace City Council on Nov. 17, outlining capital needs and operational challenges at the city marina. Argentino said dredging remains the top priority—some channels are only 6–12 inches deep at low tide—and noted the city previously obtained a roughly $785,000 grant for dredging in 2022.
Argentino itemized capital needs including bulkhead repairs at the southeast corner, decking replacement for Pier 3, removal or replacement of aging dock boxes, and electric submeters that are not functioning. He said the commission recommends installing security entry gates (estimated at about $2,000 each) and improving customer amenities such as Wi‑Fi and parking to retain slip holders.
The marina's legislatively mandated slip rate will increase to $72 per foot for 2026 (up from $68 in 2024 and $70 in 2025). Argentino warned that because the marina lacks amenities—Wi‑Fi, guaranteed parking, security gates, floating docks—further rate increases could drive customers to competing marinas that provide those features.
Argentino also described practical constraints on dredging, including identifying where to place dredged material (the "DMP site") and required engineering studies. He said the Maryland Department of Natural Resources told the commission that no‑wake buoys would be enforceable only if the buoys are installed.
Council members asked about pilot parking pass programs and whether pay station revenues could support security gate costs; Argentino and staff said the marina and parking lot are separate city funds and that pay station revenue has helped cover operating expenses. The council expressed interest in reviewing the marina's detailed budget and work plan during the upcoming budget season.
