By BRADEN LAMMERS
The defunct Star of Jeffersonville’s floating docking barge is sinking, and it may be because of the power being shut off, but no one seems to know who turned out the lights.
The local riverboat that hosted weddings, receptions and other special events closed its doors in early March, but now the landing barge that the boat was attached to is listing heavily to one side.
Although the Star cruise ship is no longer located near the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge along Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville — where the barge it was formerly moored against still rests — it is owned by the same individuals as when it closed. David W. Evanczyk, along with two others, owns the Star cruise ship and its mooring float.
Utica-based Marine Builders Inc. — where the Star is now docked — also is owned by David W. Evanczyk.
WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS?
The cause for the barge taking on water is unknown, and an investigation is ongoing, according to officials from Marine Builders. Something that is known is that the electricity running to the mooring vessel was cut.
“We know the power was shut off,” said David A. Evanczyk, co-owner and vice president of Marine Builders. “Whether it is a contributing factor [to the barge taking on water], we don’t know.”
With the power cut to the boat, the pumps inside the vessel would have been inoperable, but again it has not been determined that it was the cause for the barge to take on water and list.
David A. Evanczyk said no one from Marine Builders or the Star asked for the power to be shut off, and the company is investigating why that was done.
While the Star is not a part of Marine Builders operations, the company does retain a maintenance obligation to the Star and its mooring vessel, he said.
On Monday, a repair crew was attempting to secure the structure that is resting partially on the riverbank and is partly submerged.
“The landing sprung a leak and is sitting on the ground,” said a worker, who would not give his name or confirm the company he was working for when approached by The Evening News.
POWER STRUGGLE
Though an investigation is under way, the problems with the barge are believed to have started last week.
According to Larry Thomas, communications director for the city of Jeffersonville, a call was received by the Jeffersonville Fire Department on Dec. 20 reporting that the mooring float was pitched to one side.
Thomas said the fire department responded to the call and determined that there was no immediate action necessary, but it did notify the U.S. Coast Guard of the situation and that electricity was still running to the boat.
However, Thomas is unaware of anyone from the city requesting the power to be shut off to the barge.
“If there was a concern about utilities, they would either talk to the building commissioner or the fire marshal,” he said. “The two officials that would [cut off the power] did not.”
The Coast Guard also was not the entity that requested that the power be shut off to the floating barge, said Commander Doug Simpson.
While the Coast Guard is not conducting any official investigation, it has been in discussions with the owners of the Star to ensure the safety of the waterway, Simpson said.
The barge is secured properly and is not a certified vessel that requires normal inspection from the Coast Guard.
VESSEL TO GO?
Though Jeffersonville is unaware of any responsibility in the power being shut off, the spot along the Ohio River where the barge rests is a site that is owned by the city.
According to previous reports in The Evening News, the docking area had been leased to the Star from the city for $2,000 per month, but the lease agreement had become a source of dispute between the two entities.
In fall 2008, a new lease was produced in which the city signed the agreement, but the ownership of the Star never signed the contract, causing the lease to revert back to the former arrangement on a month-to-month basis, according to a previous article in the Evening News.
The rent for the property has been reportedly paid to Jeffersonville’s Redevelopment Commission, but the office was closed when The Evening News attempted to contact it late Tuesday afternoon and officials from the city were unsure if the rental agreement had been paid for the most recent month.
In March 2009, the Star, which has been on the Ohio River for about 20 years — originally as the Star of Louisville — and in 2003 was renamed the Star of Jeffersonville, went out of business and the boat has been up for sale since.
“It hasn’t been profitable since moving from Louisville,” said David W. Evanczyk, in a previous report. “You can only take a loss for so long.”
At the time of the closing, some people who had paid deposits to reserve the venue for events complained that their money had not been refunded.
But the losses incurred by the Star’s owners were not a factor in getting the power shut off.
“The only reason we would’ve cut the power off is for nonpayment [of a bill] and that is certainly not the case,” said Lew Middleton, a spokesman for Duke Energy Indiana.
If and when the crew is able to get the barge back afloat, it is not expected to stay at the site along Riverside Drive.
“Once they get that upright, it is going to be moved from its current location,” Thomas said.
