Passero: State 'receptive' to providing $300,000 for tall ships event
New London — An aide to Gov. Ned Lamont was receptive to the city’s request for state help in funding a 2020 tall ships event, Mayor Michael Passero told OpSail Connecticut board members Tuesday.
Passero said he met last week in Hartford with Lamont’s senior adviser, Jonathan Harris, and requested $300,000 in state assistance. Passero said Harris asked about other sources of funding that would have to be tapped and the “economic multiplier” effect of the event, which is seen as a potential boon to statewide tourism.
“I got the feeling they could scrape together $300,000,” Passero said. “We’d have to come up with the rest.”
OpSail, the private nonprofit that organizes the annual Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival in New London, is studying the feasibility of a collaboration with Newport, R.I.-based Tall Ships America, which wants New London to host tall ships for several days in June. Tall Ships America is planning a series of East Coast events in connection with Maine’s bicentennial.
Estimates of the total cost of a New London event range as high as $700,000 to $800,000. In addition to state funding, the money would come from corporate sponsorships and private donations.
“I think it’s feasible,” said Barbara Neff, organizer of the city’s annual Sailfest, who’s been asked to prepare a budget for a tall ships event.
Pending more information, Marian Galbraith, the OpSail board's secretary, said, "I don't want to raise expectations too high."
OpSail’s board, meeting for the second time since the late-October resignation of its longtime chairman, John Johnson, moved to add members, some of whom previously served on the board. Voted onto the board Tuesday were Joe Geraci, Marie Gravell, Bruce MacDonald, Dick Bruno, Eleanor Mariani and Susan Bergeron.
Mariani, the sister of board member Linda Mariani, worked for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for 32 years, retiring as director of the department’s boating division.
Bergeron, whom Galbraith said has extensive experience in finance, was named treasurer.
The board’s executive committee comprises the four officers — Galbraith, Bergeron, interim Vice President David Crocker and a yet-to-be named president — and an at-large member, Peter Hary, as well as Chris Zendan, the Naval Submarine Base public affairs officer, who will serve as an ex-officio member.
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