Marine Advisory Board elects chair and vice chair; approves 301 Hendrick dock/lift waiver 10–1

The Marine Advisory Board on June 4 completed its annual officer elections and approved a dock-lift waiver requested for 301 Hendrick, actions taken during a meeting in Fort Lauderdale.

Board members nominated Captain Ted Moley for chair and Bob Franks for vice chair; with no opposing candidates the board elected both officers in the meeting’s election process and welcomed the incoming chair and vice chair.

Later in the agenda AP Marine Construction representative Andy Paul Hus asked the board to grant a two-foot waiver to allow an existing boat lift to extend 27 feet into the canal rather than the standard 25 feet. Hus told the board the lift had been in place previously, that neighboring properties show similar encroachments, and that keeping a vessel on a lift produces environmental benefits such as reducing anti-fouling paint in the water and increasing light to submerged habitat.

"Keeping your boat on the lift does benefit the environment underneath providing more sunlight to be able to hit the bottom," Hus said during his presentation.

After board members asked procedural and neighborhood-impact questions and staff reported no objections from property owners within the posted notice area, the board voted on the motion to approve the waiver. The roll-call vote recorded 10 in favor and 1 opposed (Sam Mitchell). The board approved the waiver and the applicant was thanked.

Other procedural items: members approved the prior month’s minutes after staff agreed to add missing awards and correspondence. The board set its next meeting for July 1 to consider a draft communication to the City Commission on navigation and cleanup priorities.

Vote details: dock/lift waiver for 301 Hendrick — motion approved in roll-call vote: yes 10, no 1 (Mitchell); abstain/recused: 0. Election of chair and vice chair — approved by acclamation/roll call as described on the record.