Frustration at Wednesday night’s harbor commission meeting in the Town Hall Mazza room built following the Harbor Master’s report. A breakdown in communication resulted after repeated requests from various members of the harbor commission for Harbor Master Ian MacMillan’s lists of names.
The conversation that went in circles started after MacMillan delivered his report on mooring permits. He reported that there are 2,324 state registered vessels in Greenwich and a total of 791 moorings in Greenwich. He said there are 160 moorings without permits. After that, the conversation began its downward spiral.
Several commission members asked the same questions in multiple ways. “Ian, we’ve been asking you how many moorings have been permitted for quite some time.”
“Ian do you have a list of those people who have completed preliminary applications?”
“Ian, we want the list of names of the individuals with preliminary permits.”
“Ian, we want a list of individuals who have put in applications.”
“Ian, you go around and around in circles and come up with excuse after excuse. Have you approved any permits?”
“If you sent applicants a permit number, why not share that list with us?”
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MacMillan explained that applications were not complete, that fields are empty and that not all moorings are in place. He said he had been very busy out on the water determining what moorings are missing, chasing down information from applicants and attempting to reconcile permits with locations. He suggested the request was moot because the Town has record of payments as well as records of moorings.
Chairman Frank Mazza finally asked pointedly, “Have you approved any? Do you have a list of people who have completed the preliminary application?”
MacMillan’s response was that the process was painstaking and in progress, but that he could “compile” a list in about three weeks.
Harbor Management Commission member Bruce Angiolillo told MacMillan that he had exceeded his authority.
Commission chair Frank Mazza said, “Ian we have been asking you for months how many moorings have been permitted?”
Various commission members asked MacMillan essentially the same question, using their own turn of phrase, to provide his list connecting individuals to actual moorings, even if incomplete.
Finally, after being asked pointedly how long it would take to email his Excel spreadsheet with names of people associated with specific moorings, as well as a list of people on waiting list for moorings, MacMillan replied, “I don’t know if it’s safe. I don’t know what you’re going to do with the list.”
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