Martinez Counting On Marina Renovation To Net Revenue

The marina in Martinez isn't underwater — financially speaking — but it could use a boost to help stay afloat.

The good news, according to city officials, is expenditures for the marina haven't really increased in recent years. The problem is that revenues have steadily declined.

Martinez City Manager Philip Vince said "We need to restructure our debt because revenue for the marina is going down. We're losing boats, which means we're losing revenue. We can barely afford to make the payments on our investment loan."

A major goal for the aging marina is simply to reel in business. The boaters and fishermen are going elsewhere, and taking their money with them, but a plan to renovate the marina could bring them back.

"(The boaters) are still out there and hopefully we can get them back," Contract Community Services Manager Mitch Austin told the Martinez City Council on Wednesday. He indicated that Martinez is competing with other harbors around the Bay Area to attract boaters.

City staff has been directed to revisit a joint partnership with the California State Department of Finance and the Department of Boating and Waterways to put together funding for a reconstruction project.

Infrastructure needs, according to a report to the city, include entry reconfiguration, eastern wall replacement, dock repair/replacement, dredge pond use and increase capacity and reconstructive dredging.

"Boats sit in mud at least twice a day," Austin said.