WELCOME TO THE BANQUET OF THE 8^TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONNECTICUT HARBOR MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. HOW MANY RED SOX FANS ? HOW MANY … WHAT IS THAT OTHER TEAM THAT’S PLAYING TONIGHT? I WONDER WHAT OUR ATTENDANCE WOULD BE WITHOUT GAME 7 OF THE ALS  BEING ON TONIGHT. WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED DURING THE MEETING

LAST YEAR IN MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS I COMMENTED ON WHAT A GREAT CRUISING YEAR WE  HAD HERE IN CONNECTICUT… THE WEATHER GODS DIDN’T DEAL US A GOOD  HAND THIS YEAR; BUT SOME OF US DID SQUEEZE IN SOME FINE WEATHER TRIPS.

AS I WILL DISCUSS LATER ON THE CHMA HAD A VERY BUSY YEAR REPRESENTING YOU IN A VARIETY OF AREAS … PROOF US LITTLE GUYS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

I WOULD LIKE TO PARTICULARLY WELCOME OUR ACQUACULTURE INTERESTED ATTENDEES TONIGHT… I HOPE YOU ENJOY AND FIND THE MEETING MEANINGFUL.

 

WE HAVE REPRESENTED TONIGHT:

¨      Member harbor management commissions

¨      Harbor masters

¨      Associate members many of whom have exhibits in the other room

¨      CT Bureau of Aquaculture

¨      Various shellfish commissions

¨      Honorable members of the legislature

¨      Mr. Connecticut Clean Water

¨      The DOT

¨      Two boat manufacturers

¨      The Army corps of Engineers

¨      DEP

¨      A large contingent from Fairfield

 

DURING OUR ANNUAL MEETING PRIOR TO DINNER TONIGHT WE  ELECTED THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOHN PINTO,  NORWALK HMC

Norm Hewett, Old Lyme HMC

WE APPROVED A NEW BYLAW EXPANDING THE BOARD BY TWO TO ALLOW TWO ASSOCIATE AND TWO HARBORMASTERS TO SIT ON THE BOARD.

WE VOTED TO RETAIN AN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY   DUE TO THE RETIREMENT OF Al Grunow 

So again……tonight I’ll review with you our accomplishments this year and where we are going next… we are open to requests for support.

 SO BEFORE WE ARE ESCORTED TO THE BUFFET TABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE HEAD TABLE, BOARD AND SOME PEOPLE WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE JOIN US TONIGHT. I DO THIS WITH THE RISK OF OVERLOOKING A VIP… IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE SO INCLINED FEEL FREE TO SPEAK-UP…

 

FIRST THE HEAD TABLE:

- BOB SAMMIS IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT AND CURRENT TREASURER

- Doc Gunther we think of as the Founding Father… though Doc says he was second..of our Coastal Management Programs… he is our seadaddy!!!  He provided a lot of support to us this year with our State Statute 15-154  challenge.

- Mike Griffen… Norwalk harbor Master… HM Representative

- Geoff Steadman, Steadman Associates, A Board Member representing the Associate Members and our Program Moderator for tonight.

- Louis Allyn … Mystic HMC

- Peter Holecz … Bridgeport HMC

 

OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD HERE TONIGHT ARE:

- Mary Von Contra … Fairfield HMC… unfortunately Mary will be leaving the Board this year due to a Term Limit restriction in Fairfield

- Ross Byrn … Old Saybrook HMC

- Al Grunow… recently retired Stratford HMC and our Executive Secretary

- Dave Donovan… Norwalk HMC is quite ill and unable to be here tonight

WE WILL INTRODUCE OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL AFTER DINNER