By Investigative Reporter, Linda Sutter – June 25, 2025
Yesterday’s Harbor District meeting began on a promising note as a group of developers presented a compelling vision for revitalizing Crescent City Harbor. For a moment, it seemed the tides might finally turn. But that hope evaporated swiftly when Finance Director Sandy Moreno took the floor.
During her budget presentation, Moreno announced that the District would be dropping its commercial property insurance—a policy critical for covering fire and wave damage—due to its $187,000 annual price tag. Her justification? It was simply too expensive. This decision shocked many in attendance, including the very developers she had just impressed moments earlier.
The Harbor District owes roughly $5 million to the USDA for a prior tsunami relief loan. Eliminating insurance protection on property tied to that federal debt is not just fiscally irresponsible—it may even violate loan conditions.
Would you be allowed to drop fire insurance on your mortgaged home?
No.
Could you switch your full-coverage auto policy to liability if you still owe the bank?
No.
Yet somehow, the Harbor District believes it can gamble with public property and public debt without consequence.
Commissioner Annie Nehmer was the only board member prepared to challenge the recklessness. She brought the insurance agent’s phone number and urged the board to call for guidance. But Commissioner John Evans, a sworn peace officer from Pelican Bay State Prison, refused to allow any consultation. His dismissive attitude was echoed by Harbormaster Mike Rademaker, who downplayed the decision, saying it was “only fire and wave insurance” and “just for one year.”
Rademaker—who is reportedly houseless, lacks financial expertise, and now resides in the newly repurposed Coast Guard Station at taxpayer expense—somehow commands enough influence to justify cutting vital coverage while securing personal perks.
Is this leadership—or a financial dumpster fire?
If this weren’t alarming enough, the board then voted to award Rademaker a five-year contract with a $20,000 raise. That’s right: while pleading budgetary hardship and canceling crucial insurance, they handed a lucrative, long-term deal to a man living rent-free in a public building.
The meeting dragged on for nearly 4.5 hours, revealing layers of dysfunction. Accountability for this reckless course lies with three board members:
Gerhard Weber
Rick Shepherd
John Evans
These individuals have allowed the Harbor District to spiral into fiscal chaos and public distrust. If you’re concerned about the financial future of Crescent City Harbor and want to see real change, you can act. I am currently collecting 60 proponent signatures to launch a recall petition against these board members.
If you’re ready to take back control of our harbor, contact me today. 707-951-3048.
The harbor belongs to the people—not to the reckless few.
Uh they spent the money on other things instead of fixing the harbor. Most of the commissioners are seriously savant. They are ruining the harbor and there is no transparency. They need to fire the harbormaster.
Triplicate reported harbor received over million dollar settlement to fix faulty fire systems. Article says , “ In the near future the District will release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the repair or replacement of the fire suppression system on the docks,”. Harbor website indicates an RFP was not released, and one can assume fire suppression system still needs repair, replace. Is it a gamble to skip fire insurance when you know your fire suppression system is faulty?