HOW DO YOU LOSE A BOAT? ASK CONNECTICUT DEEP

PROPERTY  OF STATE OF CONNECTICUT, BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW THAT?

ALL REGISTERED AND READY TO GO, FOR THREE YEARS SITTING HERE

I usually don't need to venture outside of Hartford for my blogposts. Hartford is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to blog content.

This posting is a gift from the State Of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) that I just couldn't pass up.

I recently received a call from a source advising me that a school in Groton, the Marine Science Magnet High School of South Eastern Connecticut at 130 Shennecossett Road in Groton had apparently had a 17 foot Boston Whaler boat in their parking lot for roughly 3 years.  The boat reportedly was registered and belonged to DEEP.

The interesting part is that, according to DEEP e-mails, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, no one at DEEP knew the boat was missing or why it was in Groton for the last three years.

Right about now you are probably shaking your head in disbelief as I was when I got the call. How do you "misplace" a 17 foot boat with engine and sitting on a trailer registered to the State of Connecticut, for over three years? Who is responsible for the asset inventory? With the size of the State of Connecticut government, what else is missing or unaccounted for and whose job is it to keep track?

Luckily this asset was recovered, but imagine if every State agency were as reckless at protecting State property and taxpayers dollars they invest in such equipment. The number is probably staggering.

FROM E-MAILS RECEIVED THROUGH AN FOIA REQUEST:

From: Gangi, Melanie
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 11:08 AM
To: Patterson, Douglas <Douglas.Patterson@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information
Importance: Low

Hi Doug,

I looked all the items below up and they are active on the Asset system. The boat and trailer are assigned to your Marine HQ unit, the motor is assigned to Hartford Law. The last time the trailer and boat were found was in 2016, the motor was last found in 2015. I am not aware of how these items are at this school as for the why they are there and who authorized it I have no knowledge. We need to remove them and transport them back to DEEP. Can we check with Bill Kohl maybe he was aware of this. Let me know if you need anything else.

Thank you,

Melanie

From: Ramos, Raul
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 4:05 PM
To: Brandon, Robert
Cc: Williams, Keith
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information

Scott,

This boat was located at Groton Magnet School. Can you provide us with more info?

Boat Asset # 08A0040F

or

17’ Boston Whaler Guardian Hull # BWCL7559C888, Asset # 006529

75 HP Mercury outboard engine Asset # 038435

Trailer make unknow. License plate # 50-3148

From: Williams, Keith
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 3:50 PM
To: Ramos, Raul <Raul.Ramos@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information

From: Delgado, Timothy
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 3:49 PM
To: Williams, Keith <Keith.Williams@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information

From: Patterson, Douglas
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 9:42 AM
To: Gangi, Melanie <Melanie.Gangi@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>
Subject: FW: DEEP Contact Information

Good morning Melanie,

Tim Delgado, from the Boating Division, contacted me this morning about a boat that a marine magnet high school has. Tim has included the pictures that were sent to him. If you look at the pictures you will see that the boat trailer has one of our plates on it. I’m not sure how the school wound up with this boat, however, I doubt we would have transferred a boat and left the plate on the trailer.

Could you check and see if the boat, motor or trailer are still on our inventory? Or, if you have a record that these items were in fact surplussed.

17’ Boston Whaler Guardian Hull # BWCL7559C888, Asset # 006529

75 HP Mercury outboard engine Asset # 038435

Trailer make unknow. License plate # 50-3148

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer.

Doug

Douglas M. Patterson

Maintenance Supervisor 2

Marine District Headquarters

From: Patterson, Douglas
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 12:33 PM
To: Gangi, Melanie <Melanie.Gangi@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information

Hi Melanie,

Can you tell me which division or who it is assigned to?

Thank you!!!! Doug

From: Gangi, Melanie
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2019 11:08 AM
To: Patterson, Douglas <Douglas.Patterson@ct.gov>
Cc: Delgado, Timothy <Timothy.Delgado@ct.gov>; Brandon, Robert <Robert.Brandon@ct.gov>; Wagner, Joseph <Joseph.Wagner@ct.gov>; Johnson, Dave <Dave.Johnson@ct.gov>
Subject: RE: DEEP Contact Information
Importance: Low

Hi Doug,

I looked all the items below up and they are active on the Asset system. The boat and trailer are assigned to your Marine HQ unit, the motor is assigned to Hartford Law. The last time the trailer and boat were found was in 2016, the motor was last found in 2015. I am not aware of how these items are at this school as for the why they are there and who authorized it I have no knowledge. We need to remove them and transport them back to DEEP. Can we check with Bill Kohl maybe he was aware of this. Let me know if you need anything else.

Thank you,

Melanie