Well not allowing them to cut the ship up for scrap may just kill the artificial reef program too. Why start a project where you may not be allowed to recover your costs. Key West is a pretty backwards little burg.
Vandenberg In Political Trouble?
- Thread starter polarguard
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
It's a federal judge that issued the ruling.
mike_s
Contributor
I'm wondering why the Reefmakers group didn't pay the bill. Were they mismanaged or was it simply that Key West hasn't paid them yet and therefore they were unable to pay?
Ship hostage until bill paid
[FONT=Arial, Times New Roman]
[FONT=Arial, Times New Roman]
BY MANDY BOLEN
Citizen Staff
A $1.6 million outstanding shipyard bill has forced crews to stop cleanup work on the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, intended as an artificial reef off Key West.
A federal judge ordered the seizure of the 523-foot ship on Tuesday, meaning it cannot leave the shipyard, and work on it must stop until the bill is paid or some other resolution is reached.
The bill from Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., is no surprise to project organizers who have been working to sink the Vandenberg for more than 10 years. The bill constitutes more than half of the remaining $2.3 million needed to continue the project.
City officials and project organizers have been scrambling to find the remaining funds for the past three weeks.
"It required more work in the yard than we thought," said Joe Weatherby, who started the Vandenberg project in 1997, and likened the unexpected additional costs to a home renovation.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge, who has taken the reins to find funding for the project, said the "arrest" of the ship was expected because the shipyard wants to be paid.
"We don't blame them. It's part of admiralty law," Verge said. "But the relationship is not an adversarial one at all."
Verge recently participated in a conference call with shipyard owners, project organizers and the city attorney to discuss a resolution.
Some relief may come this week, as a "ships for reefs" bill makes its way through the state Legislature today and could include $1 million for the Vandenberg, Verge said.
Other help could come from the Florida governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, which could pony up the remaining $1.3 million.
Relief must be swift, as next week is the final deadline to determine whether the former military ship will welcome fish and divers off Key West, or be sold as scrap and turned into razor blades.
mbolen@keysnews.com
Citizen Staff
A $1.6 million outstanding shipyard bill has forced crews to stop cleanup work on the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, intended as an artificial reef off Key West.
A federal judge ordered the seizure of the 523-foot ship on Tuesday, meaning it cannot leave the shipyard, and work on it must stop until the bill is paid or some other resolution is reached.
The bill from Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., is no surprise to project organizers who have been working to sink the Vandenberg for more than 10 years. The bill constitutes more than half of the remaining $2.3 million needed to continue the project.
City officials and project organizers have been scrambling to find the remaining funds for the past three weeks.
"It required more work in the yard than we thought," said Joe Weatherby, who started the Vandenberg project in 1997, and likened the unexpected additional costs to a home renovation.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge, who has taken the reins to find funding for the project, said the "arrest" of the ship was expected because the shipyard wants to be paid.
"We don't blame them. It's part of admiralty law," Verge said. "But the relationship is not an adversarial one at all."
Verge recently participated in a conference call with shipyard owners, project organizers and the city attorney to discuss a resolution.
Some relief may come this week, as a "ships for reefs" bill makes its way through the state Legislature today and could include $1 million for the Vandenberg, Verge said.
Other help could come from the Florida governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, which could pony up the remaining $1.3 million.
Relief must be swift, as next week is the final deadline to determine whether the former military ship will welcome fish and divers off Key West, or be sold as scrap and turned into razor blades.
mbolen@keysnews.com
[/FONT]
If that happens I will never be able to shave without shedding a tear.
safe dives
trtldvr
www.divealive.org
If that happens I will never be able to shave without shedding a tear.
safe dives
trtldvr
www.divealive.org
truck1
Contributor
I am go to hazzard a guess and say that the 2.4 million dollar difference, I believe they are looking for is to pay for the ship yard bill and to cover the remeaining fuelcosts. trtldvr, does this sound about right, initially reefmakers estimated it would take say 3 milion dollars to reef the ship from start to finish. Now fuel prices go up and also the yard labor goes up so now the account is 2.4 million down. Now they have a donation for about a million and they now need 1.4 to finish paying her off and bring here down here. In the mean time the banks are all on edge for different reasons and think they own the world and what they say goes so the bank (whose head apparently is not diver friendly) starts to question something and everyone automatically goes to panic mode. Hopefully a deal can be worked out with the judge saying that we now have a million they can have and will pay the rest on the next donation/grant etc. Even better would be if they can find the whole amount.
OP
polarguard
Guest
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 0
This project really is like one of those old movies with the evil banker
, the damsel in distress :moonerJoe Weatherby?)
and the train coming down the track. 
Where is the mountie coming to the rescue?
MY only question is if they can not get it done before hurricance season why not do it after hurricane season?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Vandy' targeted in federal lawsuit
By Sam Nissen snissen@keynoter.com
Posted-Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:48 AM EDT
Norfolk company wants $1.64 million to release liens
The U.S.S. Hoyt Vandenberg is under arrest this week after the shipyard working on the ship filed a lien against it and Reefmakers, one of the companies coordinating the project.
Eastern Virginia Federal District Court Judge Walter D. Kelley, Jr. issued a warrant for arrest of the vessel at the behest of Colonna's Shipyard, Inc. The Norfolk, Va.-based company requested a lien for $1.64 million in unpaid repair and cleaning bills.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge said this was just business as usual, as the shipyard owners look to ensure payment by holding the only asset involved. The city holds the ship's title, with Verge as their liaison to the project.
It sounds like big news, but it's not, he said. That's what we've been working on for a month now.
A representative from Colonna's said the company had no comment. A lawyer for Colonna's did not return calls seeking comment. Joe Weatherby, marketing director for Reefmakers, also did not return calls for comment by press time.
Verge said he tired of criticism of the project, including some in a Keynoter editorial, that he said stymies support and is not factual.
The whole thing has such negativity, he said. I try to tell everyone upfront what's going on, but nobody is listening.
He also said the various local agencies involved - including the county, city and Tourist Development Council - are not at any risk, as they cannot release funding for the Vandenberg until it is sunk.
He worries that the summer will be tough on businesses without the added tourism dollars the ship would bring in. TDC director Harold Wheeler has said the project will drive curious divers to the site, but the long term tourism effects could be negligible. The TDC has pledged $1 million to the project.
The city is lobbying the state legislature and Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development to pay for cost overruns totaling $2.4 million.
The legislature is expected to vote today on a bill that would provide $1 million in funding. The bill might prove to be the lynchpin of the financing, as other state funds might go as it goes, Verge said. He was less than optimistic about the project's future.
Even if we get the money, it may not be soon enough, he said. It'd be a shame to see it not happen, but if it doesn't work, we'll move on.
The 520-foot long ship was built in 1943 as a navy troop transport. The ship saw limited action as World War II wound down. It was renamed after Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg upon being recommissioned as a missile tracking ship in 1963. It served as such for 20 years. The ship was later used for filming the 1999 movie Virus.
, the damsel in distress :moonerJoe Weatherby?) and the train coming down the track. Where is the mountie coming to the rescue?MY only question is if they can not get it done before hurricance season why not do it after hurricane season?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Vandy' targeted in federal lawsuit
By Sam Nissen snissen@keynoter.com
Posted-Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:48 AM EDT
Norfolk company wants $1.64 million to release liens
The U.S.S. Hoyt Vandenberg is under arrest this week after the shipyard working on the ship filed a lien against it and Reefmakers, one of the companies coordinating the project.
Eastern Virginia Federal District Court Judge Walter D. Kelley, Jr. issued a warrant for arrest of the vessel at the behest of Colonna's Shipyard, Inc. The Norfolk, Va.-based company requested a lien for $1.64 million in unpaid repair and cleaning bills.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge said this was just business as usual, as the shipyard owners look to ensure payment by holding the only asset involved. The city holds the ship's title, with Verge as their liaison to the project.
It sounds like big news, but it's not, he said. That's what we've been working on for a month now.
A representative from Colonna's said the company had no comment. A lawyer for Colonna's did not return calls seeking comment. Joe Weatherby, marketing director for Reefmakers, also did not return calls for comment by press time.
Verge said he tired of criticism of the project, including some in a Keynoter editorial, that he said stymies support and is not factual.
The whole thing has such negativity, he said. I try to tell everyone upfront what's going on, but nobody is listening.
He also said the various local agencies involved - including the county, city and Tourist Development Council - are not at any risk, as they cannot release funding for the Vandenberg until it is sunk.
He worries that the summer will be tough on businesses without the added tourism dollars the ship would bring in. TDC director Harold Wheeler has said the project will drive curious divers to the site, but the long term tourism effects could be negligible. The TDC has pledged $1 million to the project.
The city is lobbying the state legislature and Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development to pay for cost overruns totaling $2.4 million.
The legislature is expected to vote today on a bill that would provide $1 million in funding. The bill might prove to be the lynchpin of the financing, as other state funds might go as it goes, Verge said. He was less than optimistic about the project's future.
Even if we get the money, it may not be soon enough, he said. It'd be a shame to see it not happen, but if it doesn't work, we'll move on.
The 520-foot long ship was built in 1943 as a navy troop transport. The ship saw limited action as World War II wound down. It was renamed after Gen. Hoyt Vandenberg upon being recommissioned as a missile tracking ship in 1963. It served as such for 20 years. The ship was later used for filming the 1999 movie Virus.
SCUBAgator
Registered
as someone who lived in key west for over a year and a half, i can attest to the fact that most, "conchs," are essentially stupid rednecks with money due to land value. they are quite arrogant about their status, which leads to the key point that they hardly give a damn about the opinions of people not born on the island.
part of the problem also stems from wealthy people who come to the island purchase a second or third home, but rarely live in them. these people couldn't care less about tourists, because they don't make their money on the island.
mike_s
Contributor
so... lets say that key West (or the reef company) doesn't pay the bill.
Then with an official lien on the ship, and it being unpaid, the shipyard will have rights to obtain title to the ship or having it sold as surplus, (at auction or other), which means scrapping. i.e.... razor blades.
Then with an official lien on the ship, and it being unpaid, the shipyard will have rights to obtain title to the ship or having it sold as surplus, (at auction or other), which means scrapping. i.e.... razor blades.
Or some closer state grabs it, or arranges for a tax write-off donation...
Article showed up in Google today about NJ reefing projects using a supply of NYC subway cars...., which NYC is going to start using on their own...
If NJ can realize the economic benefit of reefing projects, how is it the loonies in Key West can't...?
Similar threads
