Politics & Government

Fireboat Moves to Railroad Dock -- For Now

Despite objections from the community, the fireboat is headed for the railroad dock.

Despite weeks of opposition from the public, the Greenport village board voted Monday night to move the fireboat currently moored at Mitchell Park Marina over to the railroad dock.

The board was divided on the vote -- with Mayor David Nyce, Trustee Julia Robins, and Trustee George Hubbard voting for the move, and Trustees Mary Bess Phillips and David Murray in opposition.

The resolution was amended before the vote to up the insurance necessary to $1 million.

The contentious Fireboat "Firefighter" museum has sparked fierce opposition in recent weeks.

On Monday, fisherman Sid Smith, who has spoken out with concerns about the fireboat for weeks, said the vessel will take up too much space at the Suffolk County railroad dock.

In addition, Smith said under the terms of the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, commercial waterfront property should be the highest priority; the area is not meant for "tourists or museums."

The boat, he said, could block passage of the ferries.

Mooring the boat at the dock will remove a third of the space for commercial fisherman, Smith said. "I will lose any opportunity to ever work on any net off my boat if all that space is taken up," he said. "You're taking a guy who's been here all his life and saying 'See ya.'"

Resident John Saladino said while he's indifferent about the fireboat, it doesn't belong in the marina where the village could collect fees from the potential rental space.

Former Trustee and oyster farmer Michael Osinski raised questions about a business plan for the fireboat and asked when it was last hauled and inspected; the last time it was hauled that anyone knows of was ten years ago.

"You don't have the report. The village is the landlord -- if you don't know the condition of the boat, you should. We should all know," he said.

While the boat is visually pleasing, Osinski said, "I need to know what's underneath the visuals.

Also, he said the boat should be required to pay for dockage. "You don't just give stuff away."

Osinksi also said the railroad dock needs attention and most likely could not hold the fireboat during a severe storm.

Overall, Osinksi said he supported fishermen at the railroad dock and not attractions. "We need more men and women working on the water - -not ice cream shops and snow cones."

His daughter, Susanna Oskinsk, urged the board to have the vessel removed immediately. "It has limited potential for educational value and pays no dockage, but has liability and pollution issues," she said.

A representative of the North Ferry company said the boat could pose safety concerns during high winds and present a "real threat to our navigation. We're imploring the board not to put it on that south face."

Steve Clarke, owner of the Greenport Yacht & Shipbuilding Company, welcomed any attraction that draws visitors but said the fireboat raised serious concerns.


No conditions and evaluation survey has been done in a decade, he said, leaving the state of the hull, sea valves, piping and other items unknown. No invoices are at hand, he said, to indicate work done on the boat.

And no crew is stationed to move the vessel in the event of a hurricane. "No dock in bulkhead anywhere in Greenport could hold a 600-ton boat without destruction of the boat and pier with it."

Isabel Osinski called for a review process before docking any vessel that could harm the local aquaculture, one of the village's best resources.

Former board member John Costello said the railroad dock structure was "weak and suspect" and suggested leaving the fireboat where it is currently at the marina, as long as a business plan could be provided and the boat brought for hauling.

Nyce said the village is "not a partner in this" and said Greenport did not want to take on any liability. "They need to prove to us beyond a shadow of a doubt, with hauling, that the boat is sound," Nyce said.

Also, a contract is being written that would require the boat be manned at all times; other stipulations would require the vessel be moved in the event of a hurricane and assure that the village is not liable.

The temporary agreement in place, Nyce said, will only remain during the process to determine "when and if they can stay here."

The village also upped the necessary insurance to $1 million Monday night during a vote.

The move to the railroad dock is temporary, Nyce said, "while we work on a long term lease that would require hauling, a boat that's maintained, and a presence there at all times, bc we do not it unmanned should something come up. We may not come to an agreement with the fireboat, but we don't want to kick them out of town as we work through the process."

Phillips asked why a full presentation was never given before the board and echoed the cry for a business plan.






Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here