New London— The superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the mayor met for the first time today to talk about how they could work together, but they did not reach an agreement on the topic that prompted the discussion — the academy’s need to expand.

It was the beginning of a conversation about strengthening the partnership between the city and the academy, both sides said. The in-depth talks about the expansion will be handled by their staffs.

“We’re going to leave that to our staffs because there are a lot of details involved in that kind of discussion,” said Rear Adm. Sandra L. Stosz, the superintendent.

City residents voted in November not to sell a portion of Riverside Park so the academy could expand. The academy has reached capacity at its current site.

“We talked in an overview of the various things that are going to be on the table as we move forward,” New London Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio said, “but I think at this point the dialogue was more about establishing where we go from here, how we can work together cooperatively.”

In a visit to the campus earlier this month Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., the commandant, said that if necessary the Coast Guard may consider moving some of its programs elsewhere.

Finizio wrote a letter to Papp the day after the Jan. 6 visit to say he was open to discussing the academy’s needs. Papp directed Finizio to meet with Stosz as his representative for matters pertaining to the academy.

The meeting at Stosz’s office, scheduled for 30 minutes, lasted an hour.

“This is a historic moment,” Stosz said after. “The Coast Guard Academy has been here for over 100 years and this is our very first meeting with New London’s first elected mayor. It’s a great opportunity for us to move forward during our terms, mine as superintendent and the mayor as mayor.”