EVERETT — It won’t bring back the hours of lost sleep, but there will be some punishment.
The city looked into the June case of the tugboat fog horn that sounded for hours at the Port of Everett.
A citation was issued in July for violating the city noise ordinance, which includes language about horns. On Thursday, the hearing examiner levied a $500 fine against Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, the tugboat’s owner. That was the maximum penalty allowed under the circumstances, city spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke said.
The company complied with the provisions of the violation notice before Thursday’s hearing. It did not challenge the findings and also supplied an apology letter.
The horn problem lasted from about 11:30 p.m. June 25 until 4 a.m. June 26. It generated 200 calls to 911, documents show.
At the time, the boat was on Port property along Federal Avenue. Nichols Brothers is based in Freeland.
The company replied to the violation notice with a July 27 letter. It had been asked by the city to explain what steps were taken to prevent additional occurrences.
Nichols Brothers leaders pride themselves on being considerate neighbors, wrote Daniel Lucci, the director of program management.
“We sincerely regret (the incident that) disturbed the residents of your community and hope you will accept our apology,” he wrote.
The boat is headed to Mexico under new ownership, he said.
Lucci also clarified what happened that night in Everett.
“A painter working in the pilot house accidentally activated the vessel’s fog horn,” he said. “The painter was not familiar with the bridge console controls and did not know how to deactivate the fog horn. Unfortunately, due to ferry schedules and roadwork in progress on Whidbey Island it took an inordinate amount of time for a person to arrive in Everett, with the operational knowledge to deactivate the fog horn.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @rikkiking.
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