HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-03-06
Beach Management Advisory Committee
Land Bank Conference Room
6 March 2008
4:00 pm
Members Present: Maureen Beck, Chair, Tom Dickson, Colin Leddy; Beach Manager Jeff Carlson
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Mrs. Beck convened the meeting at 4:10 pm. She noted that no Minutes needed~proval si!ge the
Committee had not met during the month of February. She asked that this meet~oepick up ~m the
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discussions in January about completing the interviews and information for the fiP;~1 report to the Town
Manager about beach management operations and outreach. :::. 31
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The Beach Manager's Report: ../:lo.
Mr. Carlson brought the members up to date on his activities and Committee requests since
January. The Beach Driving brochure is being printed now after some deliberation with Town Counsel
and the Town Manager about the way to distinguish the exclusion of the Collum property on the map.
The Poster Contest in the schools seems to be on hold. He will check again with his contacts
there.
He is developing a new Bird Monitor Plan in which he will hire fewer interns, who will be
interviewed for relevant experience in this work; those hired will be paid and possibly given academic
credit for their work. It has become clear to him that the previous plan, which he took over, was more
like a baby-sitting effort than a real beach monitoring operation.
Re-organizing the lifeguards under his direction is in process. He expects to hire 32-35 and to
use this year's operation as an evaluation of the further needs and strengths of the operation. He also
intends to train both the ATV police and the lifeguards together in CPR and communications training
before the summer season begins.
In his efforts to remove the broken public telephones at Surfside Public Beach, he and Verizon
have not had good conversations. He has told Verizon that if the broken phones are not removed by
mid-March, he will take them away himself. He is sure both the Police Chief and the Fire Chief will
establish some emergency phones there before the high season begins.
He will work with Kate Hamilton on improving the Beach Management Website.
As to the revenue stream's activity since the last report in October, the amounts remain about
the same. Expenses will start coming in for the brochure printing cost and equipment replacements, but
even for him searching all the account numbers the Town assigns to its revenues and expenses is a
confusing and time-consuming job. He keeps his own tally in a simpler way, which he can report to us
from time to time. The lifeguards' allotment is a separate account which has simply been transferred
from the Parks & Recreation Department to the Marine Department.
Mrs. Beck asked for prioritizing the remaining speakers and issues pertinent to the current project. Mr.
Dickson has already contacted Kate Brosnan from Channel 22. She will join BMAC Thursday, March 13,
to discuss what Plum can do to promote BMAC's concerns. The members suggested that Mrs. Beck ask
the DPW for March 20 and police representatives Chris Carnevale and Dean Belanger for whatever
meeting after that they could attend together.
Mrs. Beck reported that the DPW was finishing repairs at Fisherman's Beach and had set up a split rail
fence to prevent vehicles from parking up the slope of the bluff at the access.
Mr. Leddy reported that he found some of the 'Sconset Project's coir matting on the beach at
Fisherman's. Mr. Carlson stated that Mr. Leddy should report any future trash from the project directly
to the Conservation Commission, who are watching the Project closely. Mr. Leddy also reported that a
trash accumulation at the beach access on Woodbine was blown about before some pick-up was
accomplished. Also, recent bold graffiti on the fence there at Woodbine has appeared. Mrs. Beck will
call the Police, who have assured her they monitor that area regularly. In addition, Mr. Leddy noted
recent household trash dumped at Fisherman's and an ATV recklessly driving along Miacomet Beach,
which is now very narrow between the dunes and the water. Its speed threatened a pedestrian walking
a dog and evaded encountering Mr. Leddy. Mr. Leddy will continue to watch the progress of repairs at
Fisherman's.
The next meeting will be March 13. The Committee will meet each Thursday in March at the usual time
and place.
Respectfully submitted, with notes from Tom Dickson,
Maureen Beck, Chair