Black-Eyed Susan riverboat: Partial repairs OK'd to make it Snow Hill 'tourist attraction'
Snow Hill's Black-Eyed Susan riverboat will undergo partial repairs.
Town Council members voted 2-1 Tuesday night in favor of committing to repairs that would allow the stern-wheel paddleboat to stay in service at a reduced capacity while officials seek additional funding for a full restoration.
The move will preserve the boat's purpose "as a tourist attraction and economic driver for the Lower Eastern Shore," according to a Thursday news release from Town Manager Rick Pollitt.
The town purchased the riverboat in 2020 using a combination of grant money and loans from the county and state. The Black-Eyed Susan was then in year four of a five-year mandated U.S. Coast Guard inspection routine, the release explained.
Voyages started in August 2021 with Washington's Inc. as the operator responsible for catered cruises along the Pocomoke River.
The Black-Eyed Susan was then taken in February to Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk for an extensive inspection that revealed multiple issues with the hull, hydraulics system and paddlewheel frame, according to the release. Repairs were estimated at more than $600,000, a price tag outside the town budgetary means.
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At the town's request, the Coast Guard also provided an option for the riverboat to be a floating, docked venue without river cruises, the release showed, at a cost of over $300,000.
Consultation with legal counsel determined it would also be expensive for the town to try to sell the Black-Eyed Susan on the open market. The sale would involve varying degrees of loan and grant obligations and have lingering effects for future grant opportunities, according to the release.
As the town explored its options, Washington's Inc. was released from the lease agreement because the boat was not sea-worthy as the contract required.
The mayor and Town Council held a special session on the Back-Eyed Susan, the release stated, and provided other opportunities at regularly-scheduled meetings for community members to offer their input, with support mixed.
The limited repairs council members voted Tuesday to commit to are expected to take about a month to complete.
"As Proprietress of Chanceford Hall, we are excited to have the Black-Eyed Susan return to her home on the Pocomoke River in Snow Hill. Seeing this vessel docked in our little town evokes momentous emotion and provides hope that Snow Hill will continue to prosper. As a unique attraction, the Black-Eyed Susan increases visitors to our area on the Eastern Shore and we believe that as it grows in popularity and recognition, it will continue to help introduce new people to the charm that Snow Hill has to offer,” Mayor Jennifer Jewell said in a statement.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Snow Hill's Black-Eyed Susan riverboat to undergo partial repairs
