Association Launches Boater Liaison Program in DP

Byline: Ambrosia Brody

Association Launches Boater Liaison Program in DP

DANA POINT — The Dana Point Boaters Association (DPBA) has launched a Boater Liaison Program — a new initiative that provides Dana Point Harbor boaters a forum to ask questions of public officials and agencies, make suggestions and share their views.

Aimed at improving boater satisfaction and advocacy in the harbor, the DPBA’s new program is designed to give boaters a single outlet where they can get their opinions and concerns heard by the various entities that manage and oversee operations of the harbor.

“There are so many moving parts in our harbor — with multiple agencies and companies responsible for different parts of our harbor — that sometimes it’s difficult to know who to raise a particular issue with,” explained James Lenthall, vice president of the DPBA. “What we are doing with this program is giving Dana Point boaters a single safe forum to raise any issue on their mind, and we do the work to come up with an answer or solution from the appropriate agency.”

Boaters can submit a question, suggestion or issue of concern via the association’s website, and then DBPA board members will take those concerns and ideas to the appropriate agencies for their consideration and response. The board will then communicate that response to the submitter.

If a specific issue is raised by several boaters or if it is of relevance to the boating community at large, the responses will be posted on the association’s web page, Lenthall said.

Questions can run the gamut from issues pertaining to individual slips to the entire Harbor Revitalization Project, or boaters can make suggestions to marina operators. OC Dana Point Harbor and marina operators have expressed their commitment to making this a successful program, the DPBA said in a statement.

According to the DPBA announcement, routine “boater liaison meetings” will include DPBA leadership, representatives of OC Dana Point Harbor, the marina operators (Dana Point Marina Co., TBW, Vintage/Embarcadero) and the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol in Dana Point. Meetings may also include additional stakeholders, as appropriate, based on the issues submitted.

“It’s really about improving communication,” Lenthall said.

At those meetings, DBPA board members will press the agencies to provide meaningful responses to the issues raised by submitters, he said.

Boaters can also submit their suggestions or concerns anonymously, if they prefer.

“You tell us what is on your mind, and we will take it to the right agency — and we will get you an answer,” Lenthall said.

To submit a request, visit danapointboaters.org and click on the Boater Liaison Submission Form. Boaters will then be required to provide their contact information, which agency they want the board to raise the issue with, and a description of the issue.

If the submitter requests to remain anonymous, their identifying information will not provided when presenting boater issues to the harbor agencies.

For inclusion in DPBA’s inaugural report to the harbor agencies, submissions must be made by no later than Friday, May 17. Submissions received that date will be presented at subsequent boater liaison meetings.

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