New London - Rear Adm. Sandra L. Stosz said she laughed when she first read a memo announcing that the city was on a "mission of love."

Stosz, the superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, said she thought it was endearing and kind of cute. But she wondered whether it would succeed or fall flat.

On Tuesday, the last day of the "New London (heart) USCG" campaign, Stosz said she thought the endeavor succeeded because everyone from school children to senior citizens rallied around the idea.

"Usually the bigger services get the attention," Stosz said. "It's nice for us, with all the missions we have and the constant presence we have in the community, to realize the community does recognize that and value that service.

"I would say the Coast Guard loves New London, too."

Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio said Tuesday he has met with Stosz three times so far and his staff is working on a series of proposals as to how the academy could expand in the city.

The Coast Guard was looking to buy a portion of Riverside Park, which is adjacent to the academy campus, to allow for expansion. City residents narrowly voted down that proposal in a November referendum.

Finizio would not discuss the proposals Tuesday, but he said he feels good about the progress.

The mayor, some residents and business owners involved in the "New London (heart) USCG" campaign visited the academy's training barque Eagle Tuesday to present Coast Guard members with Valentine's Day cards. They said the campaign, which was organized by the City Center District, accomplished what they hoped it would: getting the message out that the city truly values the Coast Guard's presence here.

The Coast Guard has yet to decide on a site for its National Coast Guard Museum. Local museum association treasurer, downtown businessman John Johnson, said Tuesday that a report commissioned by the association on the feasibility of Union Station as a location is due March 15.

Frank McLaughlin, a downtown landlord and developer, said later Tuesday that "New London (heart) USCG" was not launched to drum up support for putting the museum in the train station.

"We made it very clear at the beginning, at the very first meeting, that (the campaign) was not about the museum at Union Station or Riverside Park," said McLaughlin, who is also project manager for the New London Development Corp. "It was simply about letting the Coast Guard know that we were very pleased to be involved with them in New London. There was no other stated goal."

The Valentine's Day visit to the Eagle featured about 2,000 cards prepared by local school children and residents. One wrote, "New London without the Coast Guard is like a cone without ice cream."

Capt. Eric C. Jones, commanding officer of the Eagle, received red roses from the visitors. "Thank you for honoring us," he said. "We're definitely feeling the love."

The citywide campaign kicked off in late January. Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., the Coast Guard commandant, told The Day on Jan. 5 that he sensed during the Riverside Park deliberations that there is a constituency that views the Coast Guard, or the federal government, as intruding into city affairs and taking its property.

Certain programs could perhaps be moved elsewhere to free up space at the academy, Papp said. He also said he was looking at sites both in and outside of New London for the future museum.

Finizio wrote to Papp then to tell him the city would work with the Coast Guard to meet its needs in New London. He reiterated that sentiment Tuesday.

Neither Finizio nor Stosz would say when a decision about the academy's expansion would be made.

"There's no intent to drag it out," Stosz said, "but neither is there some deadline that someone has given me that is looming."

j.mcdermott@theday.com