However, no decision has been made on that proposal, according to Tlapa and Lt. Cmdr. Mike Wilford of USCG District 17 Public Affairs in Juneau.
“I found out about it in February, before my orders to come here,” said Tlapa, who took command of the Hickory in June when the ship’s former commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. James “Jay” Boyer, was moved to Coast Guard district headquarters in Juneau to become chief of the Waterway Management Branch. Before moving to Homer with his wife, Kerry, and the couple’s two daughters, Tlapa served as chief of the Coast Guard’s Facilities Engineering, Design and Construction Branch in Kodiak.
Another story heard by Homer City Council member Matt Shadle is adding fuel to the rumor fire.
“I received a call three months ago, forewarning me that (the Coast Guard) is telling all new employees moving to Homer to work on the Hickory not to plan on being here for a long time,” Shadle said.
However, Tlapa and Wilford denied that message is being communicated to the ship’s 50-member crew. In Kodiak, Petty Officer Christopher McLaughlin, with Public Affairs, said he had received no formal orders that Hickory crew will be stationed in Kodiak.
While visiting Juneau in April, Homer City Council member Val McLay and Homer Mayor James Hornaday met with personnel from Coast Guard District 17 headquarters.
“I talked to the Coast Guard personally about this and they told me that they did not see any reason to move (the Hickory) from Homer,” McLay said. “Since I got back, I’ve had different individuals say they hear the Hickory is leaving, but that’s not what they told me in April. … But of course, there’s always people out there scared to death something’s going to happen and before long they swear up and down that it’s the truth.”
No official actions have been taken by the council to keep the Hickory moored in Homer at this point, but McLay said, “I know that we don’t want them to leave. The families here are a big benefit to the community. And, as they told us (in Juneau), the community’s been a big benefit to them. It’s a win/win situation. We want to keep it that way if we can.”
“They’re here and we want them here,” Hornaday said.
In 2003, construction of mooring pilings at Pioneer Dock was considered in order to provide a more secure mooring arrangement for the Hickory. Objections rose over the possible obstruction the pilings would create at the mouth of the harbor. Also of concern was the decrease in length of the dock that installation of the pilings would cause, making less maneuvering room for other ships, like the M/V Tustumena, trying to leave the dock in high winds.
The city council and the Port and Harbor Commission approved the project with the stipulation that the Coast Guard would remove the pilings after three years if the pilings posed too much of a problem. The Coast Guard chose not to pursue the project at that time.
The Hickory’s responsibilities include search and rescue, Homeland Security missions and servicing 123 aids to navigation. It has ice-breaking capabilities and is prepared to assist in the event of oil spills. Its coverage area includes Kachemak Bay, the entire Cook Inlet, Shelikof Straits, areas around and between Kodiak and Dutch Harbor and a small area in the Bering Sea.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
“It’s not entirely true,” said Lt. Cmdr. Greg Tlapa, commanding officer of the 225-foot ocean-going buoy tender, adding, “There is a proposal to consider relocating it to Kodiak.”
Hornaday agreed.
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