Mayor Greg Verga has picked Gloucester native Christopher Lucido, a long-time anchor in the Harbormaster’s Office on Harbor Loop, as the new harbormaster of America’s oldest seaport.
The 54-year-old Lucido has served as senior assistant harbormaster since June 2010, helping to manage more than 1,000 private moorings and enforce boating laws and regulators, the city said Friday in announcing his promotion.
Lucido has nearly 15 years’ experience in maritime operations and municipal management. He has collaborated extensively with local, state and federal agencies to ensure boating safety and law enforcement, the city said.
A carpenter and housebuilder by trade, Lucido said he has worked as a mechanic for 15 years at Gorton’s of Gloucester on Rogers Street.
Officially, he will take over the helm July 29. The city said his salary will be nearly $103,500. The appointment is being forwarded to the City Council, which is expected to vote on the position in the coming weeks.
“I’m thankful for this chance to step into such an important role in Gloucester,” said Lucido, a 1988 graduate of Gloucester High where he attended the vocational program. He has also pursued further education at trade programs and in law enforcement trainings.
“My time at the Harbormaster’s Office over the past 14 years has truly prepared me with the tools and skills I need for this leadership position,” said Lucido, who has worked as a commercial lobsterman.
“I’m excited to continue working with the amazing team at the Harbormaster’s Office and collaborating with the administration to make our harbor and waterfront a place we can all take pride in.”
“We are America’s oldest seaport and a major seaside destination for residents and visitors alike, so the Harbormaster plays a crucial role in our community,” Verga said in a prepared statement. “Chris has been a fixture in our harbor for years and possesses the skills and knowledge needed to excel in this position.”
The city said Lucido’s extensive training, certifications, and licenses provide a wide range of maritime, law enforcement, and environmental protection knowledge and expertise. He holds a 100 Ton Coast Guard Masters License, and both Massachusetts Harbormaster Certification and Massachusetts Shellfish Constable Certification.
“The Waterways Board is very happy that Mayor Verga and the selection committee have hired Chris Lucido as Harbormaster,” Chair Donna Crocker said in a news release. “We look forward to working with Chris to continue elevating Gloucester as the fishing and boating destination of choice. Congratulations.”
Troubled waters
Lucido steps into a department that has come through some choppy waters in the run-up to the 2024 boating season.
In March and April, the office witnessed the departure of its long-time harbormaster, deputy harbormaster and shellfish warden.
Lucido will be taking over from retired Gloucester Police Chief and former City Councilor John McCarthy, who came out of retirement on April 10 to guide the office on an interim basis.
McCarthy’s temporary appointment ran through July 8, and Pam Tobey, the mayor’s director of communications and constituent services, said the mayor has reappointed McCarthy for another 60 days in advance of Lucido taking over at the end of this month.
The office has 23 seasonal employees, assistant harbormasters, dock masters, and launch operators, and that number can fluctuate depending on the need. The department also has a deputy harbormaster position and an administrative assistant.
McCarthy’s temporary appointment as harbormaster came after Verga disclosed in April the state Division of Marine Fisheries had informed him of wrongdoing by the office. In March, the state agency contacted the city’s general counsel to say contracts for the Clean Vessel Act and green crab trapping grant programs contained falsified signatures of a DMF official.
At the time, Verga wrote to the City Council he had held personnel in the office accountable, but did not provide names.
However, the city confirmed in the spring the harbormaster, deputy harbormaster and shellfish warden were no longer employees.
The harbormaster for the past seven years, who was credited with a number of accomplishments within the office, including earning the Marinas.com Elite Fleet designation, Thomas “T.J.” Ciarametaro, said in April he was “wrongfully terminated,” and had no idea the forgery occurred.
A message was left Friday for Ciarametaro, who operates his own marine consulting business, seeking comment.
Also caught up in the controversy was former Deputy Harbormaster Chad Johnson, whose last day was April 12, the city said previously. Former Shellfish Warden Peter Seminara was also let go. Assistant Shellfish Warden Rebecca Visnick has since been appointed as shellfish warden.
Ciarametaro had written about uncovering evidence of an employee stealing cash from a locked drawer, through the use of security cameras in February. There was also a police report detailing this incident.
He then said he alerted city management and law enforcement. He named Seminara in a report to the human resources director.
Ciarametaro wrote at the time “despite my dedication and effort to uphold integrity and transparency within the department, I then became the target of a plethora of retaliatory accusations from the disgruntled employee who engaged in the theft.”
Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714, or at eforman@northofboston.com.