Luna Preservation Society v. Metropolitan District Commission

11 Mass. L. Rptr. 452
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedFebruary 28, 2000
DocketNo. 950901T2
StatusPublished

This text of 11 Mass. L. Rptr. 452 (Luna Preservation Society v. Metropolitan District Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Luna Preservation Society v. Metropolitan District Commission, 11 Mass. L. Rptr. 452 (Mass. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

van Gestel, J.

By Order dated January 7, 2000, this Court bifurcated the trial of this case. The first phase to be litigated and resolved was thereby limited to those matters relating to the plaintiffs standing and title to sue in this action. Included were those facts and legal issues relating to: (1) the title to the tugboat Luna for the period from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 1995, Including any changes or transfers of such title; and (2) the predicates upon which the plaintiffs right to bring this action are based.

The Court makes the following findings of fact and rulings of law, culminating in its order for judgment.

FINDINGS OF'FACT

The tugboat Luna had a long and historic career, mostly in Boston Harbor. For purposes of this phase of this trial, that history need not be detailed. It was significant enough, however, to warrant the Luna's designation as a National Historic Landmark and a Boston Landmark, and as a property listed on the Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places.

In July of 1984, long after her retirement from active service, the Luna and her sister tugboat, the Venus, were permitted by the defendant Metropolitan District Commission (“MDC”) to occupy a location in the Charles River Basin on the Boston side of the river, just upriver from the Charles River Dam and the Museum of Science. In the latter part of the 1980s and the early 1990s, the condition of the two tugs deteriorated extensively.

[453]*453At some time not here material, but in any event well before January 1, 1992, an entity called Terra/Mare Research and Education Society, Inc. (“Terra/Mare”) became the record owner of the Luna.1 For a time, at least until the summer of 1991, Frances Gage (“Gage”), a principal of Terra/Mare, lived aboard the Luna and saw to its security and upkeep, at least within Terra/Mare’s somewhat meager resources.

On January 3, 1990, while under the control of Terra/Mare, the Luna sank in the Charles River. However, the sinking was not quite as catastrophic as it sounds. The Luna was located at the river’s edge and simply settled a few feet to the bottom, such that only the stern was below water. Nevertheless, on January 4, 1990, the MDC withdrew permission for the Luna to remain in the Charles River.

Gage, and others, embarked on a series of efforts to salvage the Luna and to protect the sister tug, Venus. Those efforts, for the most part, culminated in the summer of 1991. Gage was introduced by a representative of the MDC to a man named David Venditti (“Venditti”). Venditti supposedly had some knowledge and skill in the salvaging of vessels. On July 3, 1991, Gage essentially turned over the fate of the two vessels to Venditti when Gage gave him the right to “board and secure the vessels and begin salvage operations.” It was then that Gage permanently vacated the Luna, which had become uninhabitable and inoperable.

Venditti’s skills were not as advertised. Shortly after his assumption of control over the two tugs, he not only failed to salvage the Luna, but also his efforts in refloating the Venus resulted in the sinking of her again, this time in considerably deeper water. Venditti’s presence and involvement with both tugs ended in late July or early August of 1991, soon after they had begun.

Records of the Division of Public Charities of the Department of the Attorney General reveal that for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1984, Terra/Mare listed total assets of $71,347.96, and described a program of “restoration of historic tugboats to promote maritime knowledge of the general public.” By the fiscal yearendingMarch31, 1992, Terra/Mare’s total assets were listed as “$0.”

On August 29, 1991, the MDC notified and directed Gage to remove the Luna and the Venus from the Charles River Basin within 30 days. A nearly identical notice was sent to Venditti on September 4, 1991. Neither Gage nor Venditti responded to or complied with these notices.

On May 28, 1992, the MDC entered into an agreement with the defendant Boston Graving Dock Corp. (“BGD”) for the removal of the two tugs from the Charles River Basin.2 This agreement called for preparation for and removal from the Charles River Basin of the Luna and the Venus. The work was to get the vessels “prepared to be transited and towable for delivery to a designated third person or to sea for disposal and there to be scuttled pursuant to the OPTION selected by the [MDC].”

On July 10, 1992, again exercising its authority pursuant to G.L.c. 92, secs. 72 and 73, the MDC gave another written notification to Terra/Mare, through Gage, and to Venditti of its intention to remove the Luna and the Venus from the Charles River Basin. This notice advised “that pursuant to [the MDC’s] statutory authority under [G.L.c. 92, secs. 72 and 73] the MDC will remove and dispose of both vessels.” The notice further advised Gage of the rights of the owner of the vessels, at the owner’s expense, to arrange for removal of the vessels and warned that unless this was done, the MDC would “proceed with its plan for removal and sale or scuttling of the vessels as authorized by law.” Terra/Mare took no action in response to the MDC’s July 10, 1992 notice.

In early 1992, perhaps sooner, a group of individuals3 who named themselves “The Luna Preservation Society” began discussions with the MDC about the possibility of saving the Luna from scuttling at sea or other destruction. The Venus was apparently beyond rescue. The group later incorporated themselves as The Luna Preservation Society, Inc. (“LPS”), the plaintiff in this action.

On August 23, 1992, the MDC and the LPS entered into a written agreement relating to the Luna.4 Among other things, this agreement set forth the following: it noted the MDC’s conclusion “that the tugboats LUNA and VENUS constitute an obstruction to the safe and convenient navigation of the Charles River Basin and present an imminent danger of pollution to the natural environment”; it observed that “notice has been given to persons being the owners or having an interest therein, or as having or exercising control over [the] tugboats, to remove them from their location in the Charles River Basm[, ] but said persons have failed and refused to comply with the demands of [the] notice”; and it acknowledged that the MDC, “pursuant to the authority granted by MGL Chapter 92, sections 72 and 73, may take charge of such vessels, remove them from the Charles River Basin and dispose of them.”

The MDC/LPS agreement recited that it would award a contract for the removal of the Luna and the Venus. (This contract, of course, was the MDC agreement with BGD already executed on May 28, 1992.) The contractor (BGD) was to do the necessary work “to raise, float, mitigate hazardous materials, take off certain on board items to be retained by the MDC and transferred to LPS, and otherwise be prepared to [have the tugs] be transported for disposal at sea by scuttling.” The MDC, however, in its agreement with LPS, retained “the option of delivering the LUNA to a third party at a site located in Boston Harbor.”

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Bluebook (online)
11 Mass. L. Rptr. 452, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/luna-preservation-society-v-metropolitan-district-commission-masssuperct-2000.