By Linda Sutter – July 20, 2026 Want to know what's happening at the Crescent City Harbor District? Apparently, we are increasingly left with two words: Rademaker said. CEO/Harbormaster Michael Rademaker recently issued an upbeat written report describing his trip to Sacramento for the September 9–11 California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference. According to Rademaker, the meetings were “highly successful,” Crescent City Harbor emerged with a $6 million federal funding advocacy request, and new possibilities exist for dredging assistance. But there is an important distinction between Rademaker said and independently verified results. The $6 million has not been awarded. Rademaker himself acknowledges that the figure is an advocacy objective—not money already secured. Meanwhile, the Harbor District's August 26 public agenda contained no specific item concerning Rademaker's CMANC trip, Sacramento lobbying, or authorization of a $6 million funding request. And where is the public discussion? The District's own meeting records show a longstanding pattern of regular meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Yet September's meetings have been moved and cancelled, with the September 23 meeting now cancelled because the District says it cannot establish a quorum. A special meeting is merely “anticipated” for September 30. That leaves taxpayers receiving written briefings rather than watching their elected commissioners publicly question staff and debate Harbor business. Questions also remain about the District's financial condition, including the status of its 2025 audit, while the public simultaneously hears about millions of dollars in proposed construction and dredging funding. None of this means the federal funding opportunities aren't real. They are. But an opportunity, an advocacy request and an actual funding award are three very different things. Independent records have now been requested from California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference (CMANC), and Freedom of Information Act requests are being directed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine who attended the Sacramento meetings and what was actually discussed concerning Crescent City Harbor. Perhaps those records will confirm Rademaker's account. Until then, taxpayers deserve something more substantial than: Rademaker said. Linda Sutter is running for Harbor Commissioner