HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-03
Beach Management Advisory Committee
Land Bank Conference Room
3 Septem ber 2009
4:00 PM
Members Present: Maureen Beck, Chair, Tom Dickson, Tom Quigley, Kathleen Van Ueu, Chris Magee
Guest: Roxanne Viera, Clerk of Courts
Mrs. Beck convened the meeting at 4:04 PM and welcomed Ms. Viera, remarking that the Committee
valued her observations on the beaches, the trouble spots, and the kinds of violations the Court dealt
with.
Ms. Viera stated that she felt beach behavior and conditions along the north shore, her favorite area,
were improving, that music from vehicles no longer was a loud as it used to be, that the ATV patrols
were not as frequent or necessary as before, that the public was more conscientious about displaying
beach driving stickers. In fact, she wondered if the sales of stickers were fewer.
Mrs. Beck said that the Beach Manager believed that the number of stickers purchased continued to be
about the same each year. Other than charging vehicles without stickers to purchase one, Ms. Viera
noted that she had had no hearings for beach violations so far this year. She did urge that more signs
be placed close to the dunes or frequently along the beaches to discourage anyone from climbing into
the dunes. Often children wandering away from their parents or adults, especially vacationers, unaware
of the fragility of the dunes, moved up into them. She also recommended that the beaches be cleaned
of eel grass more frequently.
Mr. Dickson remembered that the Coast Guard had cleaned the beaches of eel grass in the past.
Perhaps we could meet with Chief Malvesti and ask whether this job was still part of their work. Mrs.
Beck suggested we add this question to the list for the Town's end of summer review of the beach
operations. Mr. Quigley suggested that since the porta-potties at Nobadeer this summer had
diminished the use of the dunes as toilets, we should add that provision where "people were inclined to
poop about."
Ms. Viera mentioned the number of children who strayed a considerable distance from their parents
without notice. She and Mr. Dickson agreed that the Beach Driving brochures should be available on all
the ferries and at the airport because they contain much information about respect for the beaches and
the cautions tourists need to notice.
In a discussion of aggressive behavior at the beaches by both ATV patrols and beachgoers Ms. Viera and
the Committee agreed that the officers need to have daily meetings to be clear about the extent of their
enforcement when beaches are closed or beachgoers are rebellious. Who is the point person who alerts
the patrols and the lifeguards each day? Chief Pittman did apologize at the latest BOS meeting for the
aggressive behavior of an ATV officer during the hurricane closings.
The Committee thanked Ms. Viera for her recommendations.
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Mrs. Van Ueu noted from her own experience that closings are important when storms occur but that
individuals cannot be harassed. Mr. Quigley asked if the Beach Manager can close beaches to driving if
conditions warrant. He would have liked that decision during Hurricane Bill.
The next meeting will take place on September 17 with Sarah Oktay, Director of the UMass Field Station,
as guest.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:59 PM.
Respectfully submitted, with notes from Tom Quigley,
Maureen Beck, Chair