Five Mile River Commission Salutes Outgoing Harbor Superintendent

From Five Mile River Harbor:

Long-standing Five Mile River Harbor Superintendent Ray Meurer got a hearty sendoff at a retirement celebration on Thursday, October 27. The event at City Hall was attended by Mayor Harry Rilling, Connecticut State Senator and Majority Leader Bob Duff, members of the Five Mile River Commission, family and friends. David Snyder has been named the new harbor superintendent. He was assistant harbor superintendent for six years. The Five Mile River is located on the border of Rowayton and Darien.

Under Meurer’s 13-year tenure as Harbor Superintendent, a number of important initiatives have taken place on the river, including a winter storage system for docks and floats; implementation of a buoy trail outside the federal channel for the many paddle boarders and kayakers who traverse the river; an enhanced collection of harbor use fees; and the care and maintenance of the vitally important aids to navigation and the federal navigable channel. During Meurer’s professional career, he worked at IBM in Armonk and White Plains, N.Y., where he produced print and TV advertising and supervised executive presentations and public relations campaigns during its decades-long global expansion. He has been a lifelong boater and when he retired from IBM decided to join vocation with avocation.

“Over the years, I’ve learned how to work with boaters, business owners, commercial fishermen and many others,” said Meurer, a Rowayton resident. It is this interaction that I will miss the most, as well as the work to ensure that the river remains a safe and accessible public resource for us all.”

Five Mile River Commission Chairman Mathew Marion in announcing David Snyder as the newly appointed harbor superintendent said, “David is eminently qualified to carry out the responsibilities of harbor superintendent. He knows the river based on his years as assistant harbor superintendent and has kept a sailboat in the river for 23 years.” Snyder is president and owner of the Snyder Group, a marketing communications firm in Norwalk. He is a member of the United Church of Rowayton where he serves on the executive council.

The Five Mile River Commission is responsible for the navigation and conservation of the Five Mile River. It has four members, two from Darien and two from Norwalk, who are appointed by the governor based on recommendations from the legislators of the two towns.

Photo courtesy of Five Mile River Commission