Florida Keys News - Key West Citizen
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Ship held hostage
until bill is paid
A $1.6 million outstanding shipyard bill has forced crews to stop cleanup work on the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, intended as an artificial reef off Key West.
A federal judge ordered the seizure of the 523-foot ship on Tuesday, meaning it cannot leave the shipyard, and work on it must stop until the bill is paid or some other resolution is reached.
The bill from Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., is no surprise to project organizers who have been working to sink the Vandenberg for more than 10 years. The bill constitutes more than half of the remaining $2.3 million needed to continue the project.
City officials and project organizers have been scrambling to find the remaining funds for the past three weeks.
"It required more work in the yard than we thought," said Joe Weatherby, who started the Vandenberg project in 1997, and likened the unexpected additional costs to a home renovation.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge, who has taken the reins to find funding for the project, said the "arrest" of the ship was expected because the shipyard wants to be paid.
"We don't blame them. It's part of admiralty law," Verge said. "But the relationship is not an adversarial one at all."
Verge recently participated in a conference call with shipyard owners, project organizers and the city attorney to discuss a resolution.
Some relief may come this week, as a "ships for reefs" bill makes its way through the state Legislature today and could include $1 million for the Vandenberg, Verge said.
Other help could come from the Florida governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, which could pony up the remaining $1.3 million.
Relief must be swift, as next week is the final deadline to determine whether the former military ship will welcome fish and divers off Key West, or be sold as scrap and turned into razor blades.
mbolen@keysnews.com
A federal judge ordered the seizure of the 523-foot ship on Tuesday, meaning it cannot leave the shipyard, and work on it must stop until the bill is paid or some other resolution is reached.
The bill from Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va., is no surprise to project organizers who have been working to sink the Vandenberg for more than 10 years. The bill constitutes more than half of the remaining $2.3 million needed to continue the project.
City officials and project organizers have been scrambling to find the remaining funds for the past three weeks.
"It required more work in the yard than we thought," said Joe Weatherby, who started the Vandenberg project in 1997, and likened the unexpected additional costs to a home renovation.
Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge, who has taken the reins to find funding for the project, said the "arrest" of the ship was expected because the shipyard wants to be paid.
"We don't blame them. It's part of admiralty law," Verge said. "But the relationship is not an adversarial one at all."
Verge recently participated in a conference call with shipyard owners, project organizers and the city attorney to discuss a resolution.
Some relief may come this week, as a "ships for reefs" bill makes its way through the state Legislature today and could include $1 million for the Vandenberg, Verge said.
Other help could come from the Florida governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, which could pony up the remaining $1.3 million.
Relief must be swift, as next week is the final deadline to determine whether the former military ship will welcome fish and divers off Key West, or be sold as scrap and turned into razor blades.
mbolen@keysnews.com
More Florida Keys Headlines
Available Only in the Electronic Edition
Thursday, February 9, 2012 -
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 -
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 -
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 -
Monday, February 6, 2012 -
Sunday, February 5, 2012 -
William Horn, fifth grade, Gerald Adams Elementary School
