Harbormaster previews Pratty Park bulkhead project and rising maritime revenues from cruise calls

Steve Land, harbormaster, told the council that the maritime enterprise must be self-sustaining through moorings, dockage and cruise-ship fees and that revenues are improving after recent busy summers. "This year, I believe it's 37," he said of expected cruise-ship calls.

Land walked the council through operating-line changes: the harbormaster added a second deputy and said adding the position has reduced seasonal staffing pressure and allowed the department to execute capital work more readily. He described a major ongoing project — the Pratty Park bulkhead and harbor master building — for which the bulkhead and docks have been purchased and installation is planned to begin this fall; the building contract remains to be executed and the final cost is therefore not yet known (Land estimated the building cost but emphasized the contract is pending).

Land described revenue variances linked to cruise calls and transient moorings, noted that increased fees and one big cruise call recently changed short-term projections, and said the new harbor center design will prioritize restroom capacity and public amenities to welcome visitors. He also flagged the harbor’s capital plan (patrol boat, tall-ship moorings, maritime center improvements) and ongoing work to rebuid portions of Bellevue Avenue concrete.

Councilors asked for detail about the maritime capital outlay figure and the additional $382,500 program income that appears in the proposed fiscal-27 capital total; the harbormaster and finance director said they would provide a breakdown of the component items.

No formal action was taken; the presentation will feed into the council’s budget deliberations and requests for more granular cost breakdowns.