[Bboa-members] Concerns with your tactics

Tue Mar 21 10:03:33 PST 2006

Helen:

I have not wanted to take sides in this matter, but I am frustrated with
your tactics. I want to ask you and the house boat community to  work
towards solutions that are good for the whole Marina community.

Over the last several months you and the other house boaters have been
directing your efforts towards attacking the other berthers in the Marina as
well as separating yourself from the rest of the community.

Examples are: The letter to the Waterfront Commission suggesting that the
house boaters should not have to pay dredging fees and Janet's email
suggesting that boaters are discharging waste into the Marina instead of
using the pump out stations.

As far as the slips between the houseboats, I have spoken with a number of
boat owners and no one was willing to place their boats between house boats,
even if they had upwind slips. The reasons given are blocked views and/or
sunlight, an increased danger of collisions when entering/exiting the slips
and incompatibility of use. In fairness, several boat owners said they would
berth in those slips if given a 25% discount in berth rates.

Obviously this is not a scientific survey, but it made me think and honestly
I wouldn't want to place my boat between houseboats either, for all of the
above reasons.

I also have concerns about spending as much as $700K on 13 houseboats, that
will do nothing more than increase the equity in your homes. This amounts to
the City subsidizing your houses. I refer to the Berkeley houseboat that was
recently up for sale on Criagslist for $800K and referred to being in the
Berkeley Marina as a selling point.

Another area of concern you have been advocating is calling for the Harbor
Master to enforce the Berkeley Municipal Code. Does throwing rocks inside
a glass house come to mind? This will cause more problems that it is worth
for the whole community. I point to such rules such as leash laws, boat
maintenance and parking regulations as examples.

As far as electric metering, since over 90% of the Marina is not living on
their boats, you will find that their electrical fees are artificially
inflated by the electrical surcharge. For example a 36' boat that berths in
Alameda with an electric meter pays about $5 per month (Non-live
aboard). For the same size boat in Berkeley they are surcharged over $10,
based on the same size vessel. Electric meters would be nice, but the
expenditure to install them would out weight the benefit.

I hope that you and the houseboat community will start looking at
alternative options, such as the proposed K Dock Plan. I have yet to see any
detailed plans, but I believe that this has to be cheaper than building new
and is a better use of the Marina as a whole.

So finally, I hope that in the future you will focus your efforts towards
the Marina as a whole, not just what is good for the houseboat community.

Tom Jeremiason

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeremiason, Thomas <TJeremiason at ci.berkeley.ca.us>
Date: Mar 21, 2006 8:42 AM
Subject: FW: berth vacancies and liveaboards..Marina Fund losing $$$
To: jeremiason at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Hardinger, Ann
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 10:34 AM
To: 'BandB at BrownShingle.com'; jscobb at californiaoaks.org;
phcanin at earthlink.net; mcsailing at yahoo.com; bluepearlnsf at yahoo.com;
Pat at thegardener.com; rogerboyvey at aol.com; hnhensley at hotmail.com;
janeannfontenot at earthlink.net; rick at fosterhicks.com; hgrcc at flash.net;
delta818 at aol.com
Cc: Marchetti, Clifford; 'b_leary1 at yahoo.com '; 'pk at well.com';
'georgebeier at htomail.com'; 'info at larryorman.net'; Smith, Brad;
Jeremiason, Thomas
Subject: RE: berth vacancies and liveaboards..Marina Fund losing $$$

I normally do not care to respond to e-mails of this manner, but I need to
make an exception since I will more than likely have to spend valuable time
writing a report in order to address these issues.

When my staff calls and/or contacts waitlist recipients for berths
available, it is not always indicated on a waitlist report what the
conversation consisted of. Some / most do not want a slip in between
houseboats. Some/ most do not want to moor up in a cross wind slip. Just
because they do not show a preference does not mean that options were not
offered. Some, may be having a boat built, some may be waiting for new
docks. Every boater has a preference, whether it is noted on a waitlist or
not.

While it is true there are people who are not permitted live aboard status
and yet abuse the privilege of being at the marina, many have been
identified that do not qualify. Some have been given notice, others in
transition, most are in lien process awaiting State authorization to proceed
with a sale in order to move vessels and boaters who do not comply out of
the marina. In the case of Mr. Panthers boat, the current recipient of the
boat is awaiting ownership transfer, and is trying to qualify for live
aboard status on another boat at M-dock. While this transition is taking
place, the recipient is paying for 2 berths.
My Live aboard current status list is 76 Marina active live aboard account
(permanent billing status); and 15 temporary live aboard accounts (they pay
10% above normal rates plus $140.00 live aboard fee) These accounts are also
in transition. Some are waiting for documentation, some for survey for
insurance purposes...the reasons are many.
That is 91. I have 9 "permits" available, and we constantly work to fill
them as long as qualifications are met. In 2001, we had no idea, or handle
on liveaboards status or proper information.

As for our occupancy report, let me give you a run down of what "appears"
vacant as opposed to what actually "is".
60 ft upwind- appears vacant- Waitlist recipient pays/faxed over all
qualifying information, boat currently underway from east coast to Berkeley
to assume berth. 60 ft Hatteras.

Some 1/2 rates, out for whatever reason, haul outs, transfers, others
waitlist accommodations. Paying, boat not ready yet.
Most 20ft berths on B- Dock will be full again with the opening of fishing
season.
Some berths are damaged and cannot be rented.

Occupancy reports are ever changing, and we do our very best to keep slips
rented and paid for.

As for allegations of lack of enforcement. It is true we are not diligent in
enforcing every single violation in the Marina. We do have a tendency to be
a bit more patient with some boaters problems and violations than harsh and
uncompromising. In a 1200 berth, 52 acre marina, I would spend most of my
time writing up violations and getting no where. We can always improve in
some areas of enforcement, and we do make mistakes. Everyone does.
As it is, we allow some customers time. In the end, it makes for a better
customer. I understand how difficult it is to see every detail of running
this marina. I also understand my job is to help answer difficult questions
and concerns.

According to the finance department, in 2001, the marina billing was at 39%
delinquency in unpaid fees. Recently, we received a "congratulations" that
we are now at 7.8% and getting better.

Ann

-----Original Message-----
From: Helen Christensen [mailto:helen at brownshingle.com]
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 9:01 AM
To: jscobb at californiaoaks.org; phcanin at earthlink.net;
mcsailing at yahoo.com; bluepearlnsf at yahoo.com ; Pat at thegardener.com;
rogerboyvey at aol.com; hnhensley at hotmail.com;
janeannfontenot at earthlink.net; rick at fosterhicks.com; hgrcc at flash.net;
delta818 at aol.com
Cc: Marchetti, Clifford; Hardinger, Ann
Subject: FW: berth vacancies and liveaboards..Marina Fund losing $$$

------- Original Message -------
Date: 3/20/2006 4:46 PM
From: Helen Christensen < helen at brownshingle.com>
To:B_Leary1 at yahoo.com, info at LarryOrman.net, pk at well.com,
circablue25001 at yahoo.com, GeorgeBeier at hotmail.com, BSmith at ci.berkeley.ca.us
Cc:Bboa-members at berkeleyboa.org
Subject: berth vacancies and liveaboards..Marina Fund losing $$$

here is what seems to be happening..
1)Paul, the commissioner, keeps saying that large berths are not popular,
but the wait lists for berths indicates that there are large boats on the
waiting list with no preference for upwind,downwind or away fromn
houseboats.
TOTALS;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;...46 REQUESTS !!!!!
7 requests for 60'
3 requests for 52'
10 requests for 50'
2 requests for 48'
24 requests for 45'
..
2) We are losing as much as $40,000 a year  by not identifying and requiring
liveaboards to pay.
The electronic gate system was installed at some expense to provide this
information but it is not being monitored or enforced.
Liveaboard records are not consistent with the billing
i.e. Robert Panther  H 14 -was listed as a liveaboard on the computer screen
last week but he took his name off and stopped paying about two years ago.
3) Brian Leary, commissioner is looking at these figures on vacancies,
berthing requests, and liveaboards.
...
WE NEED TO HAVE ACCURATE RECORDS IN THE OFFICE.
WE NEED TO HAVE LIVEABOARDS IDENTIFIED AND MADE TO PAY.
WE NEED TO HAVE reports made to the Waterfront Commission about vacancies,
liveaboards and numbers on wait lists
..EACH  month.
As Larry and George and others say,
let's run this like a business.

..helen christensen,  I-9

www.BrownShingle.com <http://www.brownshingle.com/>
for exact location, try mapquest.com
and  1514 La Loma Ave.  Berkeley CA

www.BrownShingle.com <http://www.brownshingle.com/>
for exact location, try mapquest.com
and  1514 La Loma Ave.  Berkeley CA
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://colo1.sunsolver.com/pipermail/bboa-members/attachments/20060321/ecb4df8d/attachment-0001.htm