State Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, said Sunday that if re-elected to a ninth term from the 43rd District this November, she will introduce legislation to repay the $2 million that the now defunct Amistad America owes a long list of small businesses, organizations, banks and individuals.

Urban, who is being challenged by Republican Nick Mullane, the former first selectman of North Stonington, said she will also challenge her fellow legislators to support the bill.

“Every small business, particularly Connecticut small businesses, would be at the top of this list (to get repaid),” said Urban who singled out a small Taftville t-shirt maker that is owed $7,000 by Amistad America.

As the owner of a small equestrian training business, Urban said she understands how much of a impact such unpaid bills have on business owners.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the head of the new nonprofit group that runs the schooner said extensive repairs are almost complete at Mystic Seaport and the boat will depart for New London on the morning on Aug. 29.

Len Miller of Discovering Amistad, said there will be a ceremony at the Seaport about 8 a.m. with the ship leaving about 9:15. It is scheduled to enter New London Harbor between noon and 1 p.m. and a welcoming ceremony will be held at 2 p.m.

The schooner is slated to stay in New London through the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival Sept. 9-11 and then depart for New Haven. It will return to New London later in the fall.

Urban said that with all the taxpayers’ money the state has and continues to spend on the Amistad, it should make those who are owed money whole.

Following stories by The Day about how Amistad America spent $9 million in state funding and calls for an investigation by Urban, the state finally conducted an audit, seized the ship in the summer of 2014 and sold it to Discovering Amistad for $315,000.

The state Bond Commission then authorized $620,000 in funding for Discovering Amistad so it could purchase and repair the ship. There was no money, however, to repay the creditors.

Repairs, which had been estimated at $300,000, actually cost $500,000, so the state recently appropriated an additional $287,000 in bonding to help Discovering Amistad cover the additional cost.

The state also continues to fund Discovering Amistad in the amount of more than $300,000 a year.

While Urban reiterated her support for the mission of the Amistad, she said the state should no longer fund the schooner because Discovering Amistad should be able to find donors to support its mission with the boat’s inspiring story of freedom.

“It’s time for the Amistad to sail by itself,” she said.

Miller has said his organization’s goal is to fund the ship’s operation by itself, but in order to attract private donors and overcome the negative feelings about Amistad America, it first needs to prove the schooner is back in operation and meeting its mission.

He has said private fundraising will begin this fall.

j.wojtas@theday.com