HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-03-22
Beach Management Advisory Committee
Land Bank Conference Room
Thursday, 22 March 2007
4:00 pm
Members present: Tom Dickson, Edie Ray, Colin Leddy; Beach Manager Jeff Carlson;
Maureen Beck in hospital
Mr. Dickson called the meeting to order with the explicit purpose of discussing each
member's list of the five most important priorities the Committee should address as the
summer season approaches. The Minutes of 8 March were postponed for approval until
Mrs. Beck returns. Mr. Dickson offered to post another meeting on 29 March to continue
the conversation on priorities so that by a meeting on 5 April Mrs. Beck could participate
in summing up the Committee's conclusions.
Mr. Carlson, following his suggestion from the 8 March meeting, that items to be
discussed be submitted in writing at the beginning of each meeting, offered his report of
activities and plans he is currently pursuing. These reports will be included with the
Minutes in the future. He felt the new concessionaire at Jetties was amenable to the
Beach Manager's protection of plovers there. Mr. Dickson was concerned about the new
signs at beach accesses not being obtrusive; information regarding tides as well as nesting
should be included in endangered species text.
The Committee requested that the Town Administrator and the BOS allow porta-potties
on skids for a test at some beaches, like Cisco, but not at Nobadeer.. In New Jersey
some beaches use a relief cabana for eliminating human waste. Members also asked
questions about the schedule ofDPW trash pick-ups at the beaches. Trash has become a
very big problem all over the island.
Mrs. Ray's and Mr. Leddy's lists (see attached) included education about beach
maintenance in the schools and the encouragement of the Nantucket High School Surf
Club in their offer to pick up trash on the beaches. Mr. Dickson offered to telephone the
club's advisor, Mr. Psaradelis, and invite him to a meeting to discuss some future pick-up
projects..
Mr. Dickson's top five priorities included the overloading of beaches with cars and the
general degradation of beaches as a result. He looks forwarding to limiting the number of
cars on beaches. Should private groups be paid to clean up the beaches? Reseeding and
replanting beach grasses should be an on-going process. He feels that the Nantucket
community must be educated that its economy is tourist-based and, therefore, must be an
attractive, well-functioning destination, not a deteriorating one. The beaches, especially
important in this tourist economy, need money spent on pristine maintenance and beauty.
Both Mr. Dickson and the Beach Manager want to know just how much advising the
BOS want from the Committee and suggest a letter to the Board outlining these priorities
and the BOS evaluation of them.
The meeting was adjourned until 29 March for further discussion.
Respectfully submitted with notes from Edie Ray by Maureen Beck, Chair.