HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-09-13
Beach Management Advisory Committee
BOS Conference Room, Town Building
13 September 2007
4:00 pm
Members Present: Maureen Beck, Chair, Edie Ray, Colin Leddy, John Johnson;
Beach Manager Jeff Carlson; Guest: ChiefT.J. Malvesti, Brant Point
Coast Guard Executive
Mrs. Beck convened the meeting at 4:05 pm after moving the meeting from the Land
Bank where the doors were locked. The members approved the Minutes of 6 September
2007 unanimously. They also confirmed approval of the Minutes of9 August
unanimously for delivery to the BOS and interested parties.
Mrs. Beck welcomed Chief Malvesti to the meeting and invited him to comment on his
operations and any ways BMAC could help him. He in turn was interested in BMAC's
operation. The Beach Manager replied that BMAC was the conduit for public concerns
and for relaying them to the BOS. He referred to the Beach Management Plan, which
governed supervision of beach regulations and use. Mr. Johnson offered a copy of the
Beach Driving Map, which ChiefMalvesti said was already recorded into the GPS points
ofthe Coast Guard map of the island.
Mr. Johnson asked if the Coast Guard was still dealing with any debris washing up on
beaches from the April storms and the Sconset Project's collapse. The Chief responded
that none were problems, that when debris came up on the north shore from other
circumstances, it was captured and destroyed. In relation to earlier problems with trash on
Brant Point, the Chief reported no difficulties this year.
The Chief stated that his priorities were similar to those of retired Chief Lucey, to enforce
the laws, to follow Homeland Security policies, to keep data from incidents. The big
project this year is training the new recruits, who outnumber the veterans and range in
age from eighteen to twenty-two years. They are all qualified for boat rescues, but not
for law enforcement, especially of commercial boats, which are sometimes careless about
emptying their bilge water into the harbor.
He pointed out that commercial boats prefer to use Hyannis or Provincetown or Woods
Hole to Nantucket because there are cheaper and more services there for them. He hopes
to launch with the Marine Department a boating safety field day sometime in Mayor
June so that the public can be more aware of safe boating procedures. BMAC will make
sure the Chief gets a good number of 2008 Beach Driving Maps for the field day.
The major command control for Nantucket is located in Boston with helicopter service
for medical emergencies based at Otis Air Force Base on the Cape, a very important
station for the Coast Guard in its work throughout New England.
SEP 24 '07 9:40
Does the Smith Point cut create any issues for the Coast Guard? Usually the Madaket
Harbor Master takes care of that area as he does for Esther Island and Tuckernuck.
In general, the Coast Guard has enjoyed a good summer here with no major issues except
for some boats coming too close to the Pops fireworks. The Chief commends Nantucket
for its excellent cooperation among the Police, Fire, and Harbor Departments and for the
friendliness of the community to the Coast Guarders stationed here. He pointed out how
valuable the GPS signs and numbered locations for beach access were for rescue
mISSIons.
When he asked how the rangers worked on Coatue and Great Point, Mrs. Ray gave him
the names of the rangers, their cell phones, and their stations for any beach problems in
which the Chief needed their help. The Chief thanked BMAC and left the meeting at
4:45 pm.
The Beach Manager discussed the end of summer conditions in his purview. It is
decompression time as the tourists leave. In answer to Mrs. Beck's query as to dealing
with a smaller work force and inability to handle misbehavior, he replied that from
August 15 on there is less misbehavior, that the early patrols and enforcement during the
high season of the summer have acclimated beachgoers to conform to most regulations
and that they are more mindful of picking up trash.
For the Beach Manager himself the summer has been a good learning period in which he
could deal with where he needs full-time, solid help for important responsibilities like the
bird counts demanded by the state and federal agencies.
As to the Sconset Bluff Project, he is requiring daily and weekly surveys of certain
aspects of the undertaking from the crews and is monitoring the entire operation himself
So far much of the required information and data collection has not reached his desk. He
can understand why the Project wants to hurry the permits so that all the comments will
come due at the same time rather than piecemeal, a schedule which would slow up the
engineering work of the project.
In regard to the house in jeopardy at Smith's Point, the Beach Manager believes that the
various agencies are discussing how to remove it in the most efficient way rather than
allow it to fall into the water. He observed that because the beaches allover the island
did not build back well this summer as expected, the collapse of houses along that
Madaket area is more probable.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 :05 pm. The next meeting will be 20 September 2007 at
the Land Bank.
Respectfully submitted, with notes from John Johnson,
Maureen Beck, Chair