HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-06-14
~
-1
o
"'''~,,,..
ooL"';'"
'--
Z
Beach Management Advisory Committee
Land Bank Conference Room
14 June 2007 ;
4:00 pm r"
N
-.l
:l::::J
'-0
.r.:;.
~
Members Present: Maureen Beck, Chair, Tom Dickson, Edie Ray, Colin Leddy,
John Johnson; Beach Manager Jeff Carlson
The meeting was convened at 4:00 pm, and the Minutes of7 June 2007 were approved
after Mr. Leddy's request that BMAC check with the BOS that the recommendation
against commercial use on private beach easements to the Town has been accepted and
recorded as an ordinance.
Mrs. Beck read aloud the beach regulations regarding dogs on life-guarded beaches so
that everyone could understand their specific requirements, i.e., that the dogs must be
leashed and their droppings picked up by the owner. Should we have an open meeting
inviting public input on dogs? Mrs. Ray said that since the current public reaction against
signs requesting no dogs on the beach stemmed from the Parks & Recreation
Commission's decision, BMAC should not become involved. She proposed that we wait
and see if dog owners respond more responsibly to the regulations during the summer.
Everyone agreed and asked Mrs. Beck to check with the Assistant Town Manager about
having an open meeting, not a public hearing, toward the end of the summer.
The Beach Manager's Report:
All the fencing is up. Frank Powers has access to cleaning the beaches. The
windy cool weather has discouraged beach activity. The Smith Point access for cars is
open and passable. The lifeguards and A TV patrols will finish their training by the end of
this month. Everyone is gearing up for the big events, like the Wachovia Party on June
27 and the Fourth of July crowds.
Mr. Leddy mentioned the debris on the South Shore beaches; at Fisherman's
beach the steps remain unrepaired, as does the fence in the parking lot even though he has
called the DPW. There is a lot of poison ivy there, too.
Mrs. Ray reported on the ConCom meeting on 13 June, at which the
Commissioners tried to establish how much of the terracing had been lost from the
Sconset Beach Project and whether the project was effective so far. The permit enabling
the project to continue is still valid, and the crew expect to re-build the works.
Mr. Carlson reported that the Harbormaster had ordered individuals renting
kayaks at Children's Beach without a permit to stop. Mrs. Beck added that she and Mr.
Manchester had contacted the Town Manager, who gave a letter to Mr. Manchester to
order the business stopped.
The meetings will continue as planned for this month on the 21 st and the 28th since only
one member will be absent each time.
Mrs. Beck introduced a list of items to consider for the Annual Report. Mrs. Ray hoped
that the first two sentences ofthe report would define BMAC's function as a Town
Committee. Mrs. Beck requested that the meeting in her absence on the 21 st select five or
fewer accomplishments which the Report could cite for the past year. The Report should
be brief. Mr. Johnson will distribute the meeting notes for that meeting to the members.
Mr. Johnson asked Mr. Carlson about the number of permits sold so far. Mr. Carlson will
find out by the end ofthe month, which is also the end of the fiscal year. Mrs. Beck hopes
we can have a figure on the number of rental cars with permits also. Maybe those should
have higher fees, like the Trustees' charge for them? Mrs. Ray said that she had heard
that the Permit income was a cash resort for Town agencies needing funds. Mrs. Beck
hopes that the meeting with the Town Manager in August will clarifY that rumor.
Mrs. Beck hopes we can meet with the new Coast Guard Chief after the summer is over.
She also requests that BMAC members stop by Mrs. Burns's new office just to say hello.
She added that Surfside beachfront property owners are beginning to ask about
retractable steps because their access to their beaches has been eroded. Below the bluff
line there is a steep drop-off They must go to the Conservation Commission for permits
to install these steps or for any other arrangement for access on the coastal bank or face a
heavy fine.
The next meeting will be 21 June with Tom Dickson as Chair.
Respectfully submitted, with notes from John Johnson,
Maureen Beck, Chair