Dan Costa may get an earful when he appears before the Tiverton Harbor Commission Monday to update members on the state's progress in redeveloping the former Chase Marina.

Costa, who is heading up the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM)'s effort to transform the blighted waterfront property into a commercial and recreational fishing and maritime facility, said in an article published in last week's Sakonnet Times that the project is well along, moving ahead and is in good hands. Designs have been created, the state is working with stakeholders on how best to build the facility, and the DEM is preparing for the construction phase, he said.

"This marina development is going to be something that Tiverton can be proud of, and it will create significant economic opportunities for the town’s commercial fishermen and supporting businesses,” he was quoted as saying.

But after reading the story, commission member David Stewart reached out to the Times, saying Costa's update came as news to him and other commission members. To date, he said, the commission has had next to no communication with the state, and it is not for a lack of trying on Tiverton's part.

“I don’t know where these ideas are coming from,” he said, emphasizing that the project’s success depends on town input and transparency. “If you’re not talking to the town, how are you getting the input that’s necessary for this project to be something we all want to see?"

Costa said that is not the case. He said he has been "in lockstep" with Tiverton Town Administrator Chris Cotta on the project, and has spoken to other stakeholders about it. As far as other town boards or officials are concerned, he was quoted in the story as saying, "no one up until this conversation here, from the town, has ever asked” about the redevelopment of Chase Marina.

“I have spoken with townspeople who are interested in seeing progress on the marina," he added late last week. "But I haven’t been contacted in any formal way by anyone requesting specific input on the project.”

Costa went on to describe the current plan for the reconstruction, stating, "We're looking to make this a full-service marina that will serve ... as many recreational and commercial vessels as we can."

There are still many unknowns, and Costa is scheduled to appear before the commission this coming Monday to give a full update on the status of the redevelopment project, expected to cost several million dollars of state and possibly federal funds.

— With reports by Shaunna Watson