Chris Lisinski | State House News Service | South Coast Today | September 6, 2019
BOSTON — Control of the historic Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey would move from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, which will maintain the vessel and use it for training, under a bill the Senate passed Thursday.
The transfer comes as part of an effort to develop a long-term plan for preservation of the 125-year-old schooner, designated as the official vessel of Massachusetts.
Restoration has been underway since 2015 thanks to $3.8 million in combined funding from the state, the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association and philanthropists Robert Hildreth and H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, according to Sen. Mark Montigny, who was the bill’s lead author.
Under the legislation advanced Thursday (S 2328), the Massachusetts Maritime Academy will take over management of the vessel, though DCR will provide funding to help complete existing renovation contracts in fiscal year 2020. The academy must use it as a sail training ship for at least 15 years.
The vessel’s home port will be in New Bedford, where it must be berthed for a total of 90 days per year over a three-year average, and the city’s schoolchildren are guaranteed access to the schooner for educational events.
“For decades, the people of New Bedford cared for and maintained the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey,” Montigny said in a news release. “This meant we had to forgo public funding for other worthy projects in order to ensure we had the funding necessary to keep the Ernestina at sea. After many years and countless, dedicated volunteers, we are now poised to complete a fully restored vessel accompanied by a thoughtful long-term maintenance and operations plan.”
To read the full article, please click here.