Lawsuit over Fish Pier platform forces Stonington to raise legal budget and weigh options

Stonington’s selectmen are confronting a costly legal dispute tied to a contested platform at the town’s Fish Pier that several fishermen and dealers say is vital to their operations while others say it blocks access and poses safety and navigation problems.

The disagreement escalated after the Harbor Committee and selectmen debated removal of personal property and a platform used for loading. Public comment at the March 1 meeting produced competing testimony: supporters of the platform, including dealers who said the platform enables truck loading and business activity, urged the board to keep it in place; other users and some selectmen argued the platform obstructs access and should be cleared to preserve shared pier use. TM Billings reported that Sunshine Seafood later filed suit related to the platform dispute, prompting a recommendation to increase the town’s legal budget.

“Sunshine Seafood has not engaged in why this is necessary to their business,” Selectman John Steed said during budget discussion, referring to outreach the town says it has made. The town manager and board discussed legal-cost estimates; the manager said she had budgeted roughly $25,000 for additional legal expenses, while Steed referenced an estimate of about $30,000. The exact total remains unknown and will depend on how the litigation proceeds.

The board made no immediate policy change at the meeting where the public comments were heard; subsequent budget work sessions included raising the legal line to account for litigation costs. The record shows selectmen considered offer-based remedies during budget deliberations, including a discussion that mentioned returning "$11,000" as part of a potential resolution, but no formal offer or settlement was recorded in the minutes.

The dispute touches on several procedural and operational points raised repeatedly at meetings: the Harbor Committee’s authority over daily pier operations, the presence of trailers and other personal property on town property, and the balance between commercial users and broader public access. TM Billings said the town will continue to coordinate with counsel as the case proceeds and incorporate estimated legal costs into the FY2021 budget.

Next steps: the town’s legal expenses will be reflected in the budget the board advances toward town meeting; any settlement offers, refunds, or court outcomes will be brought back to the selectmen for action.