Expense of Mitchell Park Marina upgrades increases

The Village of Greenport will need to pay nearly $20,000 more than it originally planned to fund electric upgrades at Mitchell Park Marina, village administrator David Abatelli told the board Tuesday. 

Earlier this year, the Ronkonkoma-based engineering firm JR Holzmacher submitted a final invoice for $34,000 to cover their involvement in the two-year, $400,000 project, Mr. Abatelli said. That price is more than double the initial estimate of $14,550 the company provided to the board prior to the start of the work.

The increase resulted after the scope of the project grew to include additional upgrades to the east pier that were not in the original proposal in 2011, Mr. Abatelli said. Additionally, JR Holzmacher did not send annual bills to the village while the work was being conducted, he said.

“Essentially we went two years without a bill,” Mr. Abatelli said. “We knew the cost was going to increase. I didn’t realize it would be that much. I should have been asking for progress reports.”

The upgrades are an effort to lure mega yachts to Greenport Harbor. Previously, Sag Harbor was the only port on the East End with deep enough water and a power supply to support the extended stay of most such vessels.

The village paid for the work by floating bonds, with the expectation that some of the expense will be recovered through increased revenue from the rental of docks with upgraded electrical connections, Mayor David Nyce said.

The extra $20,000 charge will be paid using money leftover from the floating bonds, Mr. Nyce said Tuesday.

“We haven’t exceeded the budgeted amount,” he said. “The bottom line is we’re fine.”