The Greenwich Harbor Management Commission page on the town website announced that Paul Cappiali was appointed Harbor Master for Greenwich. The announcement was posted Friday.
The statement said Cappiali, a Greenwich resident, succeeds Sean Jordan, and will serve a term ending on June 30, 2023, or until a successor is appointed and is qualified.
The Harbor Master position is State appointed by the Governor, and the remuneration is $525 a year, but candidates are nominated locally.
Mr. Jordan was appointed in July 2020. After he resigned citing personal reasons, Harbor Commission Chair Bernard Armstrong announced on July 1, 2022 that the Commission was accepting applications. The application deadline was July 18, 2022.
“Greenwich Harbor has 28 miles of shoreline and 805 mooring locations,” said Mr. Armstrong said in the statement in the statement on Friday. “The Harbor Master is responsible for maintaining a sense of order for all of this in our local waters. This is a big responsibility and Greenwich is fortunate to have an individual like Paul who is qualified to do that for us.”
The statement said Mr. Cappiali was a third generation Greenwich resident with more than 40 years of boating experience on Long Island Sound.
The statement also described Cappiali as a dedicated community advocate and volunteer whose works have been recognized with an official citation from the Connecticut General Assembly and a certificate of special recognition from the Town of Greenwich.
Reached by email this week, Mr. Cappiali said he was looking forward to being a very involved Harbor Master.
Between the time Mr. Jordan resigned and the appointment of Mr. Cappiali, he said the HMC members and staff member Laura Estevez had done an excellent job.
He said his plan was to “maintain the principles set forth in the Harbor Management Plan and serving our residents and being accessible to the boaters and clubs that are at the heart of our harbors.”
Cappiali said the previous Harbor Master boat was decommissioned, and the current vessel is a custom built 2003 Rosborough RF-246 with a fiberglass hull, which he is currently sharing with the Harbor Management Commission.
Of Cappiali, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo said, “Paul knows this town, and he knows the wter, so I am looking forward to a very successful and long tenure for him as the Harbor Master for Greenwich. With everything he does, he puts in 110%. This will be no different.”
“I look forward to seeing him patrolling the waters next summer, but only from my kakak,” Camillo added.
The Harbor Master job description includes:
Oversees the mooring process including the administration of mooring permits, inspection, fines, and compliance.
Prepares a mooring gridplan in conjunction with the Harbor Commission.
Maintains and prepares accurate records of collected permit fees, mooring locations, vessels and permits.
Monitors navigation fairways and channels for hazards or obstructions and works with the Greenwich Marine Police, Coast Guard, Harbor Management Commission and other agencies to resolve.
Participates in the Harbor Management Commission Standing Mooring Committee.Tracks and reports the unauthorized/unpermitted structures
See also:
Do You Have What it Takes to Be Greenwich’s Next Harbor Master? July 1, 2022
MacMillan is Out as Greenwich Harbormaster; Governor Appoints Replacement July 22, 2020
