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An investigation by the state’s Inspector General found that Pope’s Island Marina “was and is grossly mismanaged” by the New Bedford Port Authority and the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
Decades of rental payments and operating fees at the publicly owned-and-operated docks are unaccounted for, while the port authority and DCR also failed to provide a full accounting of $190,000 that was set aside for capital repairs between 1997 and 2003.
To this day, neither party has signed a lease agreement, which the Inspector General (IG) found was “not consistent with the law.” And since 2016, the rent paid by the New Bedford Port Authority (which operates the marina) to DCR (which leases the site) is less than what it paid in 2000, which “should have been DCR’s wake-up call,” according to a report released on Tuesday.
The IG concluded that the local port authority “has not demonstrated that it has the resources to properly maintain” the marina, while stating that “DCR has not demonstrated it is a good steward of public assets.”
Gordon Carr, executive director of the New Bedford Port Authority, said in an emailed statement that he was still reviewing the IG’s report. “What is immediately clear is that the findings concerning the NBPA are fundamentally flawed,” Carr said. “Remarkably, the OIG [Office of the Inspector General] failed to conduct any interviews with NBPA personnel at all. We look forward to providing a comprehensive response to the OIG report which we will make available to the public.”
Spokespeople for the DCR did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
The investigation was spurred by an initial 2023 complaint that the port authority was not making payments. The IG’s report states that “additional complaints” were filed later in 2023 and in 2024. One of these complaints suggested that “the Commonwealth would transfer the marina to the city of New Bedford” without following the necessary legislative procedures to transfer public assets.
The IG’s report largely substantiates these complaints, including that the port authority and state agency were writing “special use permits” and “memorandums of understanding” in place of a formal lease document — even though the law requires a signed lease for operating this site.
The lack of a lease or any controls for rental payments resulted in “no record” of any payment for seven years between 1994 and 2003; then “$0.00” of rent in 2004 and 2005; later followed by nine consecutive years of “Unknown” rental payments from 2007 through 2015.
And while the investigation did not find any written proposal to transfer the marina’s ownership, the IG said that it “stands in strong opposition to the [port authority’s] proposal that DCR transfer ownership of Pope’s Island Marina, either in whole or in part, to the [New Bedford Port Authority].”
For the continued operation of the marina, DCR is in the middle of seeking proposals through a public “RFP” process. This was triggered when the port authority failed to submit a lease by July of this year.
Overall, the scathing report is the latest blow to the management of New Bedford’s publicly-owned waterfront assets. Already, the State Pier adjacent to downtown has removed multiple tenants, owing to years of neglected renovations and repairs.
Pope’s Island, the largest of the small islands between New Bedford and Fairhaven, is also home to fishing vessels, marine repair shops, restaurants, and a playground. The report focuses only on the marina, which is operated by the port authority and used primarily by pleasure crafts. The marina faces south towards the harbor and hurricane barrier.
As for next steps, the IG recommends a course of action for several of the involved parties, including the New Bedford Port Authority, DCR, and the legislature. These include terminating the current “special use permit” and negotiating a lease document that includes controls on collecting rent; implementing regular financial recordkeeping and proper contract administration; and seeking an outside audit of revenues, write-offs, and accounts receivable at all state-owned property.
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
Worth noting that DCR also was responsible for the management of state pier before massdevelopment took it over…seems like there’s a common denominator here.
A gem of a marina like pope’s island should bring in millions of revenue every year. Would be curious to find out how much?
Why doesn’t this surprise me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL, The article does not say that the facility was mismanaged by whoever ran the day to day operations . Maybe you were fortunate that DCR and Port Authority were not involved?
Just more mismanagement by State and City departments, there should be no doubt that change is needed in both the Governor and Mayor’s Office.
The IG report would indicate at the minimum that this public resource is not being well managed and accounted for. Why is this the case? Who is the appropriate public official responsible to see that does not continue?
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The New Bedford Port Authority is saddled with running a marina that the DCR should have replaced nearly 15 years ago. The marina was built in 1992 and is well beyond its useful life. The Authority cannot raise money to replace it because the DCR owns it. Several Winter storm have also done extensive damage to the facility. Meanwhile, the Popes Island Marina has maintained full operation and wins national awards for excellence in Customer Experience year after year. Wow, what terrible management…
One day our streets are going to open up and swallow ups up. Unless you live near the mayor, I’m sure his neighborhood is well taken care of. Today was the first day on my street a street cleaner came by, wow, I’ve been here 32 years!