Thumbnail photo by Gavin Van Alstine Among the items discussed at Wednesday’s Crescent City Harbor District meeting. Citizens Dock & Sea Wall: Harbor commissioners unanimously adopted the mitigated negative declaration the California Environmental Quality Act requires to move the two projects forward. Community System Solutions CEO Mike Bahr, who helped the Harbor District obtain the two US Maritime Administration grants needed to fund the projects, said the district could now focus on obtaining its construction permits. Commissioners also unanimously approved amending CCHD’s contract with Moffatt & Nichol, the architect spearheading the design and permitting for the project, to begin seeking those construction permits. According to Bahr, expanding the small boat ramp near Whaler Island to allow for habitat loss mitigation due to the two projects is also necessary. He said he’s pursuing a grant with the California Department of Boating and Waterways for that project. RV Park Negotiations: CCHD Board Chairman Rick Shepherd said the Harbor District is still negotiating with Sean McGraw, Scott Lawson and Daniel Dahan, Orange County-based developers seeking to lease Bayside and Redwood Harbor Village RV Parks. Reporting out from closed session, Shepherd said commissioners hope to conclude negotiations by mid-February. “We’re being very cautious and we’re trying to do the best deal we can,” he said. “It’s taken longer than I would like, but I feel confident we’ll make a good decision when we do.” Harbormaster’s Housing: Despite objections from their colleague Annie Nehmer, commissioners honored a stipulation in their harbormaster’s employment contract that reimburses him $1,154.37 per month if he changed his living arrangements. Two weeks after Mike Rademaker pointed out that he can’t continue to live at an apartment at Bayside RV Park once new potential developers lease it, three commissioners stated they will allow him to move off Harbor District property. Nehmer and her colleague Dan Schmidt dissented. Nehmer argued that Rademaker hadn’t been living at the Bayside RV Park apartment. Instead, she said, he’s been staying at the former U.S. Coast Guard building and the “abalone” building. When they approved Rademaker’s contract last spring, Nehmer said, the Harbor Board never established the need for him to be on site 24-7. “There is no other harbor that allows a harbormaster to live on site,” she said. There’s no other public agency in this county that allows their CEO or director to live on site. This is a waste of public funds (and) putting it into a contract doesn’t make it legally sound.” Harbor District Vice Chair John Evans accused Nehmer of trying to re-litigate Rademaker’s employment contract. Because Rademaker had already purchased his own health insurance, commissioners agreed that if he moved offsite, the district would reimburse him up to 75% of what they would have paid for his medical benefits. “During the discussion with your contract, the Board decided there was a need to have you on site for emergencies,” Evans told Rademaker. “Now, you brought your own health insurance and dental and vision and in lieu of paying your health, dental and vision, we decided we would give you the benefit of housing on site.” Speaking on behalf of the Harbor District’s attorney, Ryan Plotz, Rademaker said the district’s legal counsel didn’t have “any issues” with the housing clause when he reviewed his contract. Three attorneys with Best Best & Krieger, CCHD’s previous legal counsel, also reviewed the contract, Rademaker said.