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The Westport Beach Committee met on September 24, 2026, to review end-of-season operations, budget projections, infrastructure needs, and upcoming policy initiatives. The committee reviewed a report from head lifeguard Michael confirming that beach equipment, trailers, and vehicles had been secured for the winter. Discussion centered extensively on a projected $30,000 operating deficit resulting from declining beach pass sales and shifting demographics toward lower-cost senior passes. Members weighed strategies to close the shortfall for the 2027 season, including restructuring lifeguard scheduling and shifts or recommending fee adjustments to the Select Board prior to the December public hearing deadline. The committee also evaluated procurement and maintenance projects, including the purchase of a concrete picnic table, acquiring up to 300 feet of Mobi-Mats for beach accessibility, and coordinating with the Highway Department for off-season storage and sand fortification at Beach Avenue. In addition, members discussed adopting an employee beach vehicle policy based on Massachusetts DCR templates, revising lifeguard timekeeping procedures, prohibiting e-bikes on beach paths, and planning gate closures for an incoming weekend coastal storm. The committee officially welcomed new member Blair and appointed Perry Long to serve as committee clerk.
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Okay.
2:40Okay. Open the meeting with the pledge of allegiance.
2:43I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
2:58Okay.
3:00This is the September 24th meeting 20 2026 beach committee.
3:08Uh first thing uh lifeguard report. Do we have a lifeguard report?
3:12I do.
3:13Okay.
3:13So Michael couldn't be here today but he sent me these notes. He said the equipment is put away for the year. The trailer is gone. The lifeguard stands were taken back to town hall and the truck was returned along with the gator.
3:28Equipment needed for the beach so far for summer 2027 is a torp uh bag valve masks for adult child and infant radio communications that the Westport Fire Department will be getting and um I know we've talked in the past about a chain across the path with a with a possible sign saying no guards on duty or beach closed. So we can look into that for next year.
3:53Okay.
3:54But that's it. That's all he had. Yeah, I saw them the last day they were there when we're putting everything away. I went down there and stuff like that. So, uh okay that's good. Everything looks good down there.
4:06We'll get uh So, that takes care part of the closure. Lifeguard chairs are gone.
4:12Did you move?
4:12Yeah.
4:13Want to thank Long Moving and Storage for moving them from the beach to the uh the town hall.
4:18Took all of about 10 minutes. We put them in the back of a truck and brought them over.
4:23Uh, okay.
4:25uh closure discussion budget report. I did not get a budget print out. I think in the next meeting we'll get I'll get a bunch because I I don't think she had all of September in yet and they were a week of September. So I want to see where we are on that. Something to think about uh is we're we're hit the paper of course running out of deficit but it's
4:45not like we need the money. Uh we're going to think have to think about a way either way is to increase revenue and there's only one way to do that for us basically or cut costs cuz we're running about 30 grand in the hole.
4:58Um the town clerk said she tried to reach out to you to see if um you were planning on raising the bridge passes or not. She did have to order them already because she starts um doing the passes for the new year in December. So she had to put in the order.
5:13Don't say that online.
5:14Oh, okay. Okay. Sorry. Uh so yeah, but I think it's just a matter of changing the price though because we're not it's not we have to in the past we have to go to the selectman before January 1st at one of their meetings have a public hearing to raise if we are planning to do that.
5:32Mhm.
5:32And I'll be in Brazil so you won't find because that that's not going to go over big uh if we have to do that. And the other question is, is there ways to cut revenue? And I'm not sure there's enough to get $30,000 cut, but uh now the 30,000 is for the remainder of Well, so we take in it's a tricky situation with us because we sell most of our beach pass between January and July.
6:00Mhm.
6:01Which is the previous fiscal year.
6:04So we have to kind of look at, you know, our enterprise fund, how much gets put into it. Yeah.
6:09Yearly. So we were running at about 167 I think right now.
6:14Uh and our budget was like 193.
6:17Okay.
6:19Uh our budget for last year LA this fiscal or this fiscal year.
6:24So next year so we're running about 30 grand in the hole is what I'm saying.
6:28We're take we're spending to we have a pretty good nest egg to draw on our enterprise fund. Yeah.
6:34And we've been drawing it down for the gator, for the truck, for various things. that we need. Uh now, can we take the money from that we set aside for the truck?
6:45We set aside 40,000.
6:48Oh, no. That's a See, that's a that's a capital expense. I don't think we can cuz that's a warrant article.
6:58So, what what happens if you don't spend it?
7:01It goes back or we ask we have to go to town meeting to do something with it.
7:06Mhm.
7:07I don't know how that works with the capital improvement committee. I'm going to have to ask because it's coming out of the beach expenditure anyway. So, no, the capital we got that out the capital improvement. No, it came out of the beach expenditure.
7:17Yeah.
7:18I thought we went to capital improvement got the 40,000 for the truck.
7:21We did and they approved it, but I believe Jim Hartnet on the budget put beach expenditure.
7:27So, it would go back it would go back into our our pool because that's the only thing that money could be used for is for the beach.
7:32Oh, good.
7:34And could we use that to fill the hole?
7:37Yeah, but it doesn't take care of it doesn't it doesn't change anything because the the 192 did not include those line items. The 40,000, the 15,000 for the mats and the 10,000 for the camera. That was all like outside our operating budget kind of so to speak.
7:54Okay.
7:55Uh so the 192 is the 192 that was uh for this fiscal year. Um what I just passed around is the beach expenses for the fiscal year 27 as of beginning of this July according to my records. Um I had a I was going to try and print reports um off MIP which is the new accounting software but I ran into an issue with the password and I couldn't get a hold of accounting today.
8:23So um I just basically looked at all everything that was spent since July and these are the figures I came up with.
8:31Yeah, it's kind of deceiving though because the city hall systems runs about three grand and that's going to hit us in the spring when she orders the new stickers and whenever we have to pay for it in December or whatever.
8:42And the same thing with uh the Lloyd Center.
8:46So that's the $4,000 doesn't count the monies from last year from April to June. Yeah. April to July.
8:54Right. So this fiscal year, April to July of 27, we'll probably have another four or $5,000 on top of that because it was I think it was in $9,000 put in the contract. N around that. Yeah.
9:06Yeah. Something like that. Uh Porter Johnny is what it is. Uh you can call to take those out.
9:15We're at the end of the month here. Um, I I'm not sure if I did yet or not, but I can. I know the trailer is gone.
9:28Yeah. And the dumpster I told them to lock it and we got our because we can still call for a pickup if we need to cuz I want to wait till after col day because that's the last big weekend where everybody's at the beach.
9:41Have them empty it and then lock it because last year we left it half full and it kind of sat there half full kind of stinking. They've already emptied it in September um after Labor Day and so they were going to lock it and then you were going to I thought open I've been unlocking I've been unlocking it. So Okay. Okay. So if you see it full we can always call in a a pickup
10:02cuz I just don't Last year was sitting half full for a long time with garbage in it and that wasn't a good idea.
10:09All you have to do is let me know and I'll make the call.
10:11All right. Because because like I said, Columbus Day has become the new Labor Day. That's when everybody's gone.
10:16So, uh, okay.
10:18But I'll follow up with the porta, John, Ace Hardware, various things. And I'm sure we'll have various things next year. I don't think any of those items are uh big deal. I mean, obviously the big ticket items are the portagon, the dumpster.
10:32And is it still down there? You saw the port johns were down.
10:35No, definitely were down there last night. Yeah.
10:38And you want them picked up like ASAP or just at the end of this month?
10:42Yeah, we I don't know how they charge us. They charge us for months monthly.
10:45So, I'll just You can have them to pick it up next.
10:47Sorry, I'm forgetting it because I had to call them to pick up. They're going to pick up the one at the playground.
10:52I'm forgetting if I mentioned the beach because I wasn't also sure if Leon was still doing it. So, they happen to pick as long as they don't charge us for October.
10:58Yeah, they leave us in October, then leave it there all October, too. But we don't need to I think they don't need to be cleaned. I mean, there were quite a few people there over the weekend. Even though it was a little cool, there's a lot of people that still go down there and stuff like that. there actually quite a few people there last night looking for waves that didn't exist. Uh
11:18I don't know, you know, and that'll come up to a discussion a little later on about what to do about this weekend. But I think I mean this isn't a lot of expense.
11:27I think our biggest problem is we have you know the lifeguards y obviously we'll have some money left over there because there's a lot of lifeguards not getting bonuses and then we're just going to have to figure out what we do next year.
11:42Are we um going to be in a position where we need to hire new lifeguards? So, I think a lot of the uniforms and items that they have, as long as they're coming back, won't they won't need new shorts or new I can't talk about personal matters is what I've been told.
12:02All right.
12:03We don't know what's going to happen next year. That's the answer to the question. Okay.
12:06We don't know. We're not sure what's going to happen next year. And if we were gonna um But that that's minor items though.
12:14You're talking 400 bucks, you know.
12:16Yeah.
12:16I guess if we're But aren't we're running a a deficit for 2026 for this year.
12:24Unless there's a huge influx of beach passes for next year. It just goes into the enterprise fund. But I try to get keep track of the revenue from January 1st to December 30th.
12:34Yep.
12:34But realistically, I talked to Eileen the other day and she you know, she's selling one or two beach passes here and there. Maybe people who just moved into town or, you know, whatever the case may be. But basically, we're done with the 3755 that we had at the last meeting.
12:51Uh that was the end of it, and that was $155,000 in revenue, give or take, you know, whatever gets sold between now and January 1st, and we're at 192. So, we need to find a way to to fill that hole and make sure it doesn't happen again next.
13:09Well, we don't want to We have a nest egg that we can have the money to spend from our enterprise fund.
13:14Yeah.
13:14But we're we'll chew through it pretty quickly if we at this rate because it's only going to get more expensive. And eventually, I know we're going to have to raise beach pass fees again, but I just don't know we can keep up.
13:26And this year, I think, wasn't it an extended season? Did we have extra weeks this?
13:31We had Well, Labor Day was late.
13:33So, Labor Day was late and I think we started a little bit early.
13:38No, we usually started normally, but we have to pay Michael and some of the other guards for their prep work.
13:44Yeah. But even that's not a lot of money. It's It was a It was an extra long year this year, but that's not $30,000 extra long.
13:52Yeah. you know, uh, can may I suggest maybe next meeting we have the budget reports and kind of go That's what I want to do because I want to see what's because she'll have everything from September and then we'll have a number to work with.
14:04Um, so if if the committee decides to raise the passes, do they still have time in November to get permission?
14:11We have to have a we have to have a public hearing in December with the Sleman.
14:16What I guess where are we running a deficit? Is it the lifeguard line item?
14:22It It's just that we were selling 4,500 beach passes.
14:26We're selling less during the pandemic.
14:28Okay.
14:29And we're 6700 750 down from that.
14:33Yeah. So, it would seem we either need Prior to the pandemic, we sold 2,700.
14:38Yeah.
14:38So, I don't, you know, we're a,000 over that. So, we're selling we're pretty even what we did last year. Maybe a hundred less, but pretty much in line with what we did the year before. Do you think the last time we raised the fee pass the price of the beach pass did you do you think that had any impact on the numbers?
14:58I I think it does on multiple pass households.
15:01Yeah.
15:01I think where you know cuz my wife and I both get a beach pass. She rarely goes to the beach and she said why am I getting a beach pass? you know uh well how much I mean is that significant or 50 bucks you know but I mean but some people for in in the whole well I don't we don't know that because number you know the biggest problem I think I
15:23shouldn't say it's a problem the biggest change has been the number of senior passes versus the number of regular passes we keep we increase on the senior passes every year we seem to increase on senior passes and regular passes decrease So because I think people are becoming seniors, so so you lose you lose 15 $20 a beach pass for every senior one that gets or every one regular one that turns to a senior.
15:49So we need to determine how we're going to fill the hole that we have for 2026 and then make sure it doesn't happen again for 2027 either by raising the rates on the beach pass or is there a way for us to maybe reduce some of the hours for the lifeguards? Well, that would be my suggestion is is I can maybe the beginning of the season or the end.
16:12I can talk with Michael about like well our minimum number of guards um on a beach ideally it is six six but I mean like if they're very short four like you want at least two guards on each stand but then guards if they're working 8 hour shift they need lunch breaks and and etc. Um, so we had 12 guards this season. So, but a lot of those guards were part-time.
16:41Yeah.
16:41Or or and part-time also because of their schedules. They might have had another job or um had limited availability due to their you know that or um they were newer. So, you know, more senior guards have more hours because they are more knowledgeable where the newer guards had less hours because they're still kind of learning and training.
17:03Yeah. Um, so I do think that we could possibly look at tightening up the number of guards we have or the amount of hours that are worked in terms of prep or even the beginning of the season.
17:16You remember Evan, right? When we used to have Evan because we we couldn't get enough lifeguards for a couple years there. So what we were doing was we having a lifeguard come in at 10:00.
17:25Like we'd have four go down there regular time and then during the peak hours, you know, 11 to 3 or something, we'd have two more come down just for those four hours and then they would leave at three to save, you know, half a days of two people and then still have coverage technique we could look at for sure.
17:44But I mean on the weekends we definitely have the six, but on weekdays have a like a staggered format where during peak hours that 11 to three, right? you know, we have six, but we don't have six all day long because at nine o'clock in the morning, I don't think it peaks out unless it's, you know, 4th of July.
18:03Well, let's plot that out.
18:05Yeah, we need to do a now because realistically $30,000 short of 3,700 beach passes is $10 beach pass.
18:12Yeah, I don't think that would be uh received well. Probably I got a bunch of grief for senior passes going up for $10. It was like the world was coming to an end or something.
18:23You had no trouble getting lifeguards that would only work four, five hours.
18:28Well, that was the other thing. Michael has a concern that it's hard to attract somebody.
18:32Yeah. Why would if you're only going to have a part-time job for the summer when you need a full-time job because you need money for college or school or whatever you're doing. You know, that's a that's a Yet, if a guard goes on vacation for a week, you're in a bind because you need to have a sub or someone to fill in, too. So yeah, that that was the problem we had
18:50with Evan. You like people would have weddings or a family get together on a Saturday and it's like I can't work this Saturday. Oh no.
18:58You know the other issue or thought of like if some of the more senior guards are working over 40 hours a week then you're paying them overtime as well and that's time and a half. So, I think we're going to have to just probably hire less guards and stagger the hours and at least during the week or even on some of like August isn't a real busy month. July is the biggest biggest month, you know, maybe
19:23couple months stagger them or do some do some kind of analysis to see how we can save $30,000. I think, you know, let's work on that.
19:29Yeah, because I think that's the only way we're going to I think you're right. It's difficult to hire somebody if they're just going to get 10 hours a week. I was curious if you get people. But yeah.
19:39Yeah. But I mean that's what I mean if you hire less lifeguards and you know they're still getting 20 30 hours a week but there's kind of a weird schedule.
19:46They only get four hours on certain days.
19:48Yeah.
19:49Uh I don't know if that's okay with them. I think yet to bring that up. I mean something's got to give.
19:55Yeah.
19:56Because the life god salary is going to go up 3% I'm assuming next year.
20:00Yeah.
20:01Yeah.
20:02So that's more deficit.
20:04Yeah. Well, I I will say the guards that work more hours were pretty uh um dedicated. Like, you know, you could really rely on them, right?
20:14So, if those guards plan on coming back um and there's a certain expectation of how many hours they're working again, I think that could be okay. It's just a matter of like filling in some holes um or determining like Yeah. some of the more part-time needs. I don't know. I I can chat with Michael.
20:32Yeah. I because I don't you know I I hate to always you always hate to cut services but you also have to look at realistically what you have to spend right uh well as long as we have coverage but we we don't have as many guards then we're not pulling from right all these different individuals I I agree on all that it's just something yeah think about because we have to raise the passes
20:57September we have October and November and November is always tough because it's right up against Thanksgiving. Uh and then there's December. So we by November, two months, two meetings away, we have to know if we're going to raise the beach passes.
21:12Is the attendance on the beach greater on the weekends? You know, I've never noticed.
21:16Yeah. Oh, absolutely.
21:17There is, you know, another scenario you can get someone who uh needs more money and will come in on weekends, right?
21:26Yeah.
21:28The issue is, you know, if if I'm me and I'm going to a job, I always like regular hours. I always like to know when I'm working, when I'm going home.
21:35Even though that's I never worked like that, it seems. But at least I know on Monday through Friday, I'm supposed to be here here and there. And if it's whatever, I think it's just something maybe have to bring Michael in to to go over and say, "Hey, we have to make a schedule that does this."
21:48Yeah. And I'm just realizing on this spreadsheet I gave you guys, I didn't do the lifeguard payroll, and that's a huge chunk of the budget. So I apologize.
21:56Well, no, that's the biggest chunk.
21:57I know. I can look at that too for now, you know, but then you know there's and there's all the So what we need is the actual from Nicole next month because that'll take care of the September payroll and all the expenses through September, whatever they may be. And then we'll know kind of where we stand.
22:12Well, yeah. Well, well, let's next time or yeah, before we have to decide go over the hours you all for the for a week typical week and then see if there are any areas where we can go from four lifeguards or where we can reduce hours or during the day the length of the day something would would it be possible to do it in advance like could I receive maybe like
22:37something from you in terms of the hours and then I can put together a couple of scenarios at least so yeah Sure.
22:42We go into the meeting, we are, you know, we're not just looking at a number and saying, "Okay, we got to come up with a solution."
22:49Of course, if you could send me something, I could, you know, you email it. Just send it to Yeah.
22:57If you if if you save 30,000 If you're trying to save $30,000, you're trying to cut down about $1,500 a week.
23:03Yeah.
23:04Well, let's see where where where we're at.
23:07Where where right. But but that's just giving, you know, which is $1,500 times 20, let's say, is 75 hours. Lifeguard hours.
23:18Mhm.
23:19A week.
23:20Well, that's that's two guards.
23:24Yeah. Yeah. So, we'll see. I mean if it's if it's a combination of reducing and reducing hours as far as we're pretty good on the budget with the what I'll call the incidental expenses, professional expenses. Uh we're I would expect that the Lloyd Center will be about the same amount next year. Uh maybe a little bit more. Uh the other things gas is going to be more expensive but you know but we're
23:56basically I think we're in the ballpark all over there. We'll have to ask actually that's Kristen down clerk to see if the websites raising the money for the printing of the beach passes because that's another one we don't have any handle. We have to pay it. We don't have any choice there. If they go up $500, you know, but they run like four grand a year for that. uh and if they need new
24:20software or whatever the case may be.
24:22I'm not sure.
24:24Yeah, I think looking at the numbers and regards to ours, possibly we can save some money there.
24:29Yeah.
24:29I mean, our budget has to be able to pay for like I said, we do have a nice little nest egg, but we don't want to chew through it in a couple of years and then Yeah.
24:37you know, without taking some kind of action.
24:39Sure.
24:40You know, and and although everybody hates raising beach pass, I don't see how Mhm. We went so long without raising beach passes.
24:48Yeah.
24:49But nobody around knew that. But we could take a look at what our surrounding communities are charging.
24:55We're still way below everybody.
24:56Yeah. So way below everybody, but you also get to a point of diminishing return where you sell leap, you know, increasing you sell, you know, you lose a couple hundred beach passes every year because you're raising a $10, then you're fighting against, you know.
25:13Okay.
25:14Okay. Uh, where are we? What's the budget? Picnic table.
25:20So, um, so the picnic table you're interested in weighs 160 lbs. The shipping cost estimate is between 650 to 700.
25:35He's going to email me an exact or exact price on that fuel later. Yeah. Yeah. I might include all that. Um, I had to look into I have to talk with the high highway department because do they have a dock?
25:52You does highway have a dock?
25:54Yeah.
25:54No.
25:55So, they need a place that has a dock and a forklift to deliver this.
26:01They did it last time. They dropped it right in the parking lot last time with the three that are down there.
26:05Okay. I'll chat with the highway department.
26:08Yeah, because they've got a hydraulic lift on the back of the truck. I'm sure I think they can put it right on the ground.
26:14Yeah.
26:14If they can't if it's a if it's a big truck I they can't put it right on the ground.
26:18But then but if the highway department can coordinate and reach speed down there with the front end loader because what happens the front end loader picked it right up.
26:23They said they drop it off to an actual address location where there's a dock and a lift and then it's the town's responsibility to get it where they want it.
26:32I'll ask Chris if he has a there must be a dock or something close to a dock down there and he can drop.
26:37Well, I can I can talk.
26:38Yeah, just because The last time they dropped it right in the parking lot.
26:44They uncrdated them in the highway.
26:45Beach parking lot.
26:46Yeah. And they they uncrdated them and they picked them up tobacco and put them where they are now.
26:51Who met them out there?
26:52I would department.
26:54How' they know they were coming? Because a lot of times they don't tell you.
26:57They were Well, they gave a delivery date and then they were told to call a certain number when they deliver and they called I think might have been Jim and Okay.
27:07the highway department ran down and said, "We'll meet you down there." And bang. Okay. Um and then um so the the total cost of of is $2,65.
27:20Um and that's without the shipping. Um obviously no tax.
27:26So are we getting pebble color?
27:30Um hold on. So So the total would be under 3,000. So 2765 would be an estimate of what it will be.
27:37Um, so that's the other thing I wasn't sure I want to ask you all. So the the colors are sand, gray, and charcoal.
27:46I think sand is what we have.
27:49Okay. So, um, this is You want to look?
27:55Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure sand is what we have.
27:58Okay.
27:58Yeah.
28:00Sand and gray look very similar to me, but Yeah. Oh, maybe it's gray.
28:05What's the material? I think it's it's concrete.
28:07Concrete.
28:08Concrete. Yeah.
28:09And would there be records of what we ordered last time? Do you know what year we ordered it?
28:15Got to be 10 plus years ago.
28:16Cuz they had no at this company. They had no record of town of Westport.
28:20Which company is this?
28:21Um, it's the one in Florida.
28:24I I'm sorry. It's uh uh it doesn't say Bronco. Bronco.
28:33No, no, that's definitely not them. It would the other company was uh Park Circle.
28:39Oh, the park park. Yeah, that's okay. Um that's I'm pretty sure that's where we got it from last time.
28:48Okay. All right. So, I'll have to look into this one too then. Um they might they might remember. I It was a while ago. It was 10 years ago.
28:56Okay. All right. So, I'm estimating 10 years ago. I'll see if they have on record what we purchased before and then that would make it a lot easier.
29:05They the gray looks like the color. It's a light tan like that. That's for sure.
29:10Okay. Okay.
29:11And they've held up pretty well.
29:14Yeah. It's a nice They haven't floated away. They haven't They can't burn them. So uh yeah, it's probably going to be about the same price. I don't think any of these people manufacture them. I think they just deliver them. They just like suppliers.
29:35Uh um Oh, and the MOI mat. I could um the selectman were asking me about the Moby Mats.
29:41Yeah. So, I have a call a message into them because I need to talk to someone on the phone. Um, but on their website it's $2,399 for a 50 foot mat that's 5 ft wide.
29:59And I'm remember last meeting we were trying to see if they have any kind of offseason discount. So that was my message and I I still have to hear back.
30:08Um, and then also the questions about delivery and storage of that has to be go highway. Yeah. So, I got time. There's nowhere else to There's really nowhere else to go.
30:20Yeah, they store the the ones that are down there now, don't they? So, I'm assuming Yeah, they take them in.
30:26They can't take up much room though. The mobile map, right?
30:28I do know they roll up. Yeah. So, hopefully not.
30:31Yeah. They're heavy as heck though.
30:35Okay.
30:37So, that's where I'm at. So, I just got to talk to Highway. I got to figure out delivery. Like, I didn't want to order anything before I knew all these questions. And we have how much set aside for the molding mat? 10,000.
30:4715 or 10?
30:49I forget. But I think we'll be fine if we just We went for 25 and I thought it was 10.
30:54I thought it was 10 for the camera and 15 for the movie mats. I think Well, that gives us But the other thing is if it's over 5,000, I believe I have to in order to get purchase order have to get three quotes from three different companies and go through all that.
31:11You could ask three people for three quote. Three quotes. Yeah.
31:14So, um, so I I guess it depends on the price like and if like I thought we just wanted 50 ft.
31:22Yeah, we want more than 50 feet. We want 300 feet.
31:25Oh, we want 300. Sorry.
31:27I I think I measured 300 feet from the portage down to the actual opening at the beach.
31:32Okay.
31:32Yeah.
31:33Okay. So, yeah. So, we'll have to contact three different companies.
31:41Okay.
31:43That would be 300 ft would be that'd be like 14,000.
31:50I think that's what we b I think I thought we budgeted 15, but now I don't remember.
31:54I'm going to have to look back on that and everything. That's probably about the 15 cuz there's a real the section that was accident there was the hard pan section of 50 ft was accidentally removed last winter when they plowed after the big storm.
32:09Yeah. They dug down into the so and it's really soft.
32:12I'm surprised we haven't had a lot of complaints. In fact, I think the lifeguards got stuck twice with the truck there.
32:18It was right after the porter johns.
32:19They were really soft cuz they took it accidentally took out the gravel clearing the path.
32:24I did look at horsen their moi mats and it seems like their moi mats just go from the pavement to about the lifeguard stand and they stop there, you know, and then they're in deep sand. So I think what we're doing just providing easier access.
32:41One of the things I I noticed and I pointed out was you know the nice bench that was put on by the Sunderlands put that little bench you know and it was a bench and then it became a foot stool and then it disappeared for a while and somebody dug it out uh you know and the sand just blows up that path.
32:58Yeah.
32:58So anything going down it would just be covered in no time. And at this time of year, you know, there's no life guard to clean it off. So, it would be we'd have to roll it up and this weekend it'll really be buried because wouldn't we take it away when the beach season's over?
33:13Not the not the the the actual bench that No, no, the mat. Okay. Okay.
33:20I don't know if that would be go over big because like I said, there's a lot of people uh of interest who have the moy mats who are walking the beach right now. I think, you know, the beach gets walked all year, so we can't have them there all year.
33:33But I think, yeah, when the lifeguards leave, we're just going to have to roll them up.
33:37Yeah.
33:37Because there's nobody to clean them off, right?
33:39Yeah.
33:40So, okay.
33:43Won't find them in the spring.
33:46They'll be gone.
33:47Yeah. Uh so item six, policy discussion.
33:53Uh, so using AI, I had the AI do a synopsis of the mass DCR employee vehicle uh policy to as a template or Oh, there's two pages. Oh, there's two pages. All right.
34:17Yeah.
34:18So uh there's two pages.
34:26Easy first.
34:27It's two pages as probably an outline or an overview or something of what on the vehicle. Uh, and we can look at this and come back in October and discuss it if that's the pleasure of the committee.
34:43I think that makes sense. Uh yeah, because if there's not a policy in place, then they're really not breaking a policy up and down the beach. Um I think that would be good.
34:59Yeah. So, you know, Yeah. It's like, you know, if they if 30 m hour is too fast or 20 miles an hour too fast, you know, it's one of those what is the answer to the question? You know, what's the I also think very simple um simple is better. Yeah. instructions you can paste on to the dashboard or on to the front of the vehicle. I do that with my trucks. Um things that are common
35:20sense, but um you can just put them on there.
35:24You know, a lot of these things, you know, may not pertain to us. Obviously, we don't have a fleet of vehicles unless you call two vehicles a fleet.
35:31It's a small fleet.
35:33Uh you know, but do you know who's driving it, who's when, you know, because I don't know if Michael coordinates that, too. If there's a rescue down the beach, does it like everybody just jump like a Three Stooges get? Does everybody jump into the driver's seat and like, okay, who's driving, you know, or does there is there a designated driver of the day that says I definitely jump, you know,
35:53incorporating a vehicle training and safety would be good thing before the season.
35:58Yeah.
35:59Um, and we can add that onto the pre-ervice training, but that would be another hour or so we'd have to probably add and pay the guards, but I think it's worth it. Mhm.
36:08Um I think so I think we talked about last meeting about if Andy the maintenance or highway department is using the beach vehicle off season and are they I don't know. wasn't sure and if so um then you know who's in who's doing those costs you know it well I'm wondering because I as I when I printed this out I was thinking is there any town because we have town vehicles obviously are there any town policies
36:42it's a great question anywhere in for any of the vehicles you know there's electrical vehicles there's pickup trucks is it like is it just you know everybody has their own policy or you know obviously there should be a and COA has a fleet of vehicles.
36:56Yeah.
36:56Yeah. So it's I think now COA I don't know if they're officially I would think with the Gator you know we always have a head lifeguard or an assistant lifeguard that they would be the ones who man the the vehicle and the the truck you know I know that there'd have to be some back and forth obviously right at the end of the day. Well, somebody should be in charge of, like I said, you don't
37:18want to make it look like, you know, Three Stooges. They jump in the front seat.
37:22Got to They got to have coverage wherever they take, you know, there should be some kind of outline or overview of something of how we do something.
37:32Yeah. Vehicles.
37:34Yes. Yes.
37:37So, who do we follow up with on that? I meet monthly with um the town administrator. Um so I can mention that in my meeting and ask him or I can just email him and ask him and see if they have anything in place, you know, but we definitely have to have some kind of because my opinion is they they're using that gator.
38:04the number of tire tracks I see on the beach, it seems like they're using it an awful lot unless they're doing that many rescues. I know, you know, I just see, you know, seven or eight sets of tracks and it's just and I know they probably go from to the parking lot to eat lunch or whatever the case would be. But if they're in the parking lot eating lunch with the gator, then why isn't the gator
38:24on the beach where in case there's a rescue needed or Yeah, I wouldn't think they would bring it back for lunch. I mean, because there's always guards. I just see so many tire tracks going back and forth that it's I don't know, you know, if if they helping people or what they're doing.
38:38I think it's important to tighten it up and have a policy in place in a training before something happens.
38:43Yeah.
38:45Before the bomb goes off, diffuse it.
38:48Uh timekeeping policy.
38:51I think that we're going to hold off on that until we see, you know, personnel issues.
38:55So, I can just share. Okay.
38:57Personnel issues are resolved. So there's nothing left to to manage there.
39:02Um the the idea for a time a change of time clock um procedure for this next season would be that and um to preface it myself um the head guard met with the town administrator and we discussed possibly giving permission to the head guard and assistant headguard because one of them is always on duty. Yeah.
39:26Right. um for them to be clocking in all the guards in and out by their phone every time they're at the beach. So, we would just have to make sure that um those two guards would have permission through um the town and accounting to do that through their phone and then the ability to do that at the beach. M um that's my only concern is I don't know if there's spotty reception and if
39:49it won't work but the backup would be that they would keep a written log and could adjust it later, you know, and add those times in. Um I myself would also have permissions so they could always call me and I can do it for them. But yeah, I do something similar at at my business. We have time docks and I can go in and adjust it.
40:12Yep. I think the Wi-Fi is spotty down there, even though it's got better, but it'd be difficult to um change probably at the beach, but if they wrote it down and then you have two records, yes, everything, which is nice.
40:26So, we implemented it the writing down and then they would send me a picture of that log and I'd compare it to what is in the time clock. But I think what we would be then eliminating or simplifying is the guards each individual guard would not have to go to the um the fire department to clock in and clock out every time before they go down to the beach cuz some guards forget or some guards,
40:52you know, they they go to lunch and you what? So this way and we need to have a policy in place too about lunch and breaks and if that is on the time clock or not.
41:04So, so I think this is um also going to be tightened up for the next season and um that was the solution we were thinking would work well.
41:14I was thinking about that as well. If there isn't a policy in place now, then let's just say somebody says I got to go to my job I have in the evening, can you clock me out? Yeah.
41:25Um at the end of the day, is that a violation of a policy? So other people, unless they have permission to do so, should not be clocking you in and out.
41:33Um, for example, if it I I clock in and out myself, but if I forget to, I contact someone else and they adjust my time sheet. I can't adjust my own time sheet.
41:45Makes sense.
41:45Yeah.
41:49Okay.
41:50Okay. Uh, moving right along. Uh, I'll introduce a new member to the world.
41:59Blair is our new member. Hopefully won't quit after a year and run away uh and stuff and we welcome him uh and his input at this time. Uh I think you'll find out there's a lot to catch up on, but once you figure it out and you figure out how screwed up everything is, you'll you'll get used to it and realize what's going on. So, I don't know if you have any input or anything
42:24to say officially or um well, you know, I've just been catching up and going through a lot of the the documents. Uh my own really going to age me here, but you know, was in the Barnesville County Beach Department for 9 years, starting everything from bath house boy up to superintendent stuff, but that was obviously a long time ago. So a lot of my comments at least initially here are
42:49based on that frame of reference from back then and things we focused on which were twofold. The policies and procedures for safety of the people on the beach and the policies and procedures to protect the town in the event of lawsuits which uh I don't know how it is here but certainly was not uncommon back then in on Cape. So that's sort of where I come from. But uh I great look forward to sort of learning
43:18and if I ask questions that you've gone over a hundred times, just bear with me.
43:22Oh, no. By all means, because it's it's uh I've been doing this since year 25.
43:28Thank you.
43:30Awesome.
43:31Since the punic.
43:36Uh it's been a while and everything there's something new every year that you never thought of or never saw before. Believe me, I've seen if I've seen so many things I've never thought I'd see going on at the beach and things that come up and things that happen that it's just it gets more complicated every year and of course it's all about you know eventually it's all about the
43:56money. You know if we had all the money in the world i.e. horse thing beach state we could do a lot of things. uh we are limited by our enterprise fund or you know we could we could raise beach passes to a million sell one pass then we'd have plenty of money and nobody would be at the beach so you know I sorry I understand that I did have one
44:16quick question if I could you know and going through like you know the action plans and all that great great documents is there a charter for this group what do you mean for us that says here's our responsibilities yeah so it's in the if you look under the town bylaws in the beach committee section what we're supposed to do and what we're I won't I won't quote word for word but
44:39basically we're an advisory committee to the selectman who basically we advise them as to policy changes fee changes that type of thing we kind of watch over our own budget and everything like that uh but again that's we still have to present that to the town and it goes to the finance committee and whatnot so we advise and we you make recommendations And typically they follow those such things.
45:04So if I go online I can find that and yes the town bylaws are online there's a whole beach committee section.
45:10Okay.
45:10Selecting direct.
45:12Yeah. So we advise if we say we have which we we're going to come up with something that we'll advise a selectman to do and hopefully or the town administrator because there's a protocol of what to do when there's an emergency at the beach who gets notified at what time because selectman are full-time. So you try to hunt down the chairman of the select board whoever it may be it could be in Mexico or somewhere and
45:36by the time you do that the emergency become a crisis. So there's like the protocol on that but other than that it's yeah we we advise make recommendations I guess are okay you know uh so far it's been pretty good.
45:54Everybody's been cooperative. We get a lot of support from the public. Uh, one of the things that I think everybody can agree on is the beach. When it comes to maintaining the beach and keeping it clean and safe and all that other stuff pretty much when you go to town meeting, everybody's behind you.
46:11Uh, great.
46:12That's what we found. There's no arguments about budgets or anything like that because if you'll see, you know that this is important. It's the biggest probably the best resource in the whole town. You know, everybody recognizes that. That's why we saw 3,700 beach passes.
46:28So, very good.
46:29Uh, I'll check you out.
46:31So, okay. Uh, member input. I'll start with Woody.
46:38Um, yeah. Well, I'm going to be going down to Beach Avenue. Everything is, you know, there've been no I haven't I haven't been down there in months and so I don't know what's going on. And I haven't had to pick up any garbage this summer, which is important, but uh No. And people use it. I've seen I haven't seen it as crowded in years past. Like I look over at the noble set
47:00up on the land trust property.
47:02Oh, do they? Okay.
47:03By the end of the road, I don't know how many people actually use that cut through the town beach, which is And the town beach at the harbor is 100 ft. Yeah, it's 100 town be but it's but the only problem that I see with that is is that they they made an opening do for the moving mass, right?
47:26And I wondered if if there would be any way to get the highway department to close it up stand in there for the winter.
47:34I'm sure there's plenty. Yeah, they can do that.
47:36Yeah, after they pick up the mats. Just close try close it up.
47:40Close it up. So because if if there is a storm, that's where the sand is going to fill fill the road up, right? Going to blow through there the opening and you got to blow it out and and that is not anywhere near the end of the road, which is usual problem, right? Well, the end of the road is not really a problem if it washes over because it that just common and that's
48:03we know that happens. But if it blows if it blows to where people park, then it's going to be a different Well, that's where that's where usually you have to shovel that. Yeah.
48:11After a storm, but the but the weak spot is now where the mobile to the town beach is. And if there's some way they could we could do I'm sure they could do it.
48:22Put a pile of sand in there for the winter.
48:24I'm sure there's plenty of sand on the road that they could just dump right there to fill in. So, okay.
48:31Who was following up with that then?
48:33Okay. I'll ask Chris because he's he he's got to go down and we'll wait until later in this year uh when there's less people.
48:40Okay.
48:43Yeah. And because he's got to repair the access road at Chering Web Beach and there's two pilings that have washed up on the beach that we want to utilize for possible cover.
48:53Great. They're almost like telephone poles.
48:56Yeah.
48:56Really?
48:57Yeah. So, the thought my thought process was to put the two pilings which have got to be 25 30 feet long. Yeah, with nice caps on them too to keep the seagulls off and stick them right behind where the main lifeguard chair is as you get down the path. Possibly utilize a sail or something like to the lifeguard chair to these pilings for for cover.
49:17That'd be great because they aren't going to go anywhere. Those pilings, you got to dig a hole and bury them. Yeah. You know, but so that was part of the plan when he repairs the uh the road itself. He puts the gravel back down and puts the That's a hope anyway, I should say. Uh yeah.
49:34Okay.
49:35Okay. Uh um just a couple of things. I I think both of those are great items and Dana said that you meet monthly with the town administrator. I wonder if it makes sense after every meeting because we've gone over so many um different issues or things that we want to do. Um but it seems like uh the followup we don't get a response in terms of what we're going to do like with the permit uh
50:05application for the use of the beach um or different little items whether it's pushing sand um down on Beach Avenue. So if we could bring that up on a monthly basis, I think it helps for our next meeting to be able to see what we've accomplished and you know where we're at.
50:20Yes.
50:21So I don't know if that is something that the committee provides to Dana um or if during the meeting Dana you just jot down what we're going to go over or she's going to go over with the town administrator just so there's not Well, some things are both. Yeah. So some things we're going to say we need to talk to the town administrator.
50:39Yeah.
50:39On certain items. So that would be Dana.
50:42Yeah, obviously, you know, I can coordinate with I think if you sent me the minutes or action items that you want me to follow up with, I can always do that with the town administrator.
50:52Yeah, because it would be nice on a monthly basis if you're meeting with them to say, "Okay, these are the items that were that on the beach."
51:00Yeah. Um, yeah, I think looking at the lifeguards obviously and their hours, uh, like Woody said, you know, we we may be able to come up with a savings there for next year. Um, I guess we still have to fill the hole for this year. Um, so that's something we need to look at.
51:21And it would I think we raised the fees $10 for seniors and $5 for the regular pass uh, this last year. Is that correct?
51:30That's correct.
51:31So, um I don't mind looking at the other towns and seeing where they're at in terms of their um what it costs to pass there.
51:40Way below.
51:41Yeah, it'll be interesting just to see and then it'll justify whether we raise them or keep them the same.
51:46I think it's difficult. It seems like we got a lot of push back with the seniors uh raising it. Um and I know we haven't done it in such a long time that it had to be done. Um and we are offering quite a bit at the beach now. I mean, we have services, we have lifeguards, we have, you know, equipment that wasn't there in the past and that costs money. So,
52:05no, I mean, if you want to keep it safe, clean.
52:08Yeah.
52:09And I think they've done a great job.
52:10You know, you know, the parking lot's been improved, you know, lighting's improved, access been improved, lifeguards. I think we just need to make sure we can afford it, you know, and uh that's that's the concern is, you know, and I know that the head lifeguard does a great job of advocating for safety. Um but there has to be some kind of balance if we're spending too much on uh that line item.
52:36Well, most of the time when I when somebody complains to me, and I get a lot of them, uh it's an explanation they need. Mhm.
52:43Like every year I have to explain why there isn't a barrel there after 5:00.
52:48I try to explain to him if we leave it there, it's going to be all over the beach, you know, or you know, that type of thing.
52:53Uh, you know, why why isn't the gate Well, you know, why aren't we open till 9:00?
52:58Yeah, that's the one that's the one in the summer.
53:01Mhm.
53:02That's I hear all the time when I go to because I'm the one closing it at 8. I I do have to say there's a gentleman that helped me a lot this year just closing the gates at 8:00. Yeah. uh when he saw them empty, which made it easier to close. We had very few problems this year after 8:00.
53:18Yeah.
53:19Uh you know, people stay hanging around trying to figure out why they're coming out at 9.
53:23So that's improved dramatically. But you know, those are things when you explain to them what's going on and why we do these things. You know, uh they get it. People get it. You know, they understand.
53:33I think we talked about a sign there.
53:35You know, if there's a sign, you don't even have to explain it. If it says 8:00, the gates close. We have signs all over the place and it it doesn't even it doesn't matter.
53:43Yeah.
53:43I think the signs could be bigger personally. Like when I see it, it's like I just don't think people see it.
53:50It's kind of like Well, they see it, but you know, cuz there was some gentleman who was parked right under the other day and it was 5 minutes of 8. It was pitch black. I mean, it's dark at quarter 7.
54:00Yeah.
54:00And I would I go down there at 7:00 cuz usually most people are gone unless there's something going on. And I waited and waited and then he came out five minutes late and I was just sitting there. He's like, "What time is the beach closed?" He was parked right underneath the sign that said, "No parking 8:00 p.m."
54:16Yes.
54:16And and I don't think people either it registers them. I don't know how you don't see it going down the road. The big sign that flashes gates closed today.
54:26You know, I know people get distracted and they're not thinking about that.
54:30That's another one I we brought up the QR code. I think that would make sense if we could put that down there on a sign or anywhere.
54:39Then they can just go to a question and answer on our page and a lot of that is answered just by, you know, clicking it on the phone now. I know everybody doesn't use an iPhone, but most people do nowadays, but everybody has a code reader nowaday.
54:53But it's also like I didn't realize what time it is. You have a phone in your pocket.
54:57Yeah. Yeah.
54:59You know, I that's wasn't a big problem this year. So, I'm kind of happy that maybe everybody's catching on. Uh, and it's nice that we have you. I mean, because you're the one who goes down there every night and and locks it up and deals with the, you know, and most people are very nice, you know.
55:16Uh, we did have a group the other night also. I got down there a little later after a meeting 7:30ish.
55:24There were five cars in the lot. Not one of them had a sticker.
55:27So, I walked out on the beach and they're all sitting there on the blanket. It's like, oh, after Labor Day it doesn't close. That was the That was the excuse like I said it closes all the time and you need a sticker.
55:36Yeah.
55:36You know, and I and I pretty sure they were UMass Dartmouth students.
55:40Yeah.
55:41And uh the truck I think it would be it would be good to find out if we can use the remainder of that 40,000 uh for to fill the hole for the lifeguard expense.
55:55Um, I know we'd have to change line items, but that would take care of the problem from 2026 and then we just need to solve the problem for 2027.
56:05Um, and we could do that by looking at their hours.
56:07Well, we're definitely going to probably need some work on the truck. I don't know what need much this year, next year, I should say, which is part of this fiscal year.
56:14Yeah.
56:15Um, probably maybe a couple thousand, but we'll still have money left over.
56:19Yeah.
56:19Uh, but it has to you have to go to a town meeting and put it back in.
56:23Okay. But otherwise, it sits on the Warren article until we're all dead.
56:28Yeah.
56:29Yeah. I I would think that makes sense if that's a way for us to fill that hole. Uh the Portage John, we had talked about uh contacting the insurance company because of the damage done.
56:40Yeah. Did we have any July? Did we get a Did we get a bills?
56:44We never got bills on it. So, just just so everyone's aware, I'm not sure. I thought we brought it up, but maybe I didn't. Uh July 4th weekend, the Porter Johns were blown up. And I do mean blown up. People put fireworks in them and they exploded.
57:00And then you went down and there was the tanks had leaked all over the ground. There would blue liquid and various other things all over the ground.
57:07So I actually reached out to the board of health to make sure we didn't have to do any like emergency respon health response.
57:13Uh but also, yeah, I don't know. You know, I guess that's going to happen. But yeah, if we didn't get charged for it, then that's great cuz they were very responsive cuz on a Saturday when this all came down, Mike called, I called them, I tracked them down and finally got in touch with them and they Monday morning they had a unfortunately Fourth of July weekend, we had to close border Johns, which is
57:37one other solution is around Fourth of July weekend, we lock it.
57:41Yeah.
57:42When the guards leave.
57:43Yeah. That makes it worse.
57:45Mhm.
57:45Because then they break then they break into it to do it, you know. And that's what I told it. Either way, it might be a deterrent.
57:51It's just an idea.
57:52They'll flip it over.
57:54They want to do something. They lock it.
57:55They will do it. Locking it. Locking it.
57:58They lock it at Baby Beach.
58:01And people broke it. Because I got I got an email from somebody. Why are we locking the No, but they didn't blow it up.
58:08Well, because they didn't blow it up because it's under a light and it's in a parking lot. Nobody can see it. The ones that's down on the path is Well, this is the first time someone's done that. We did talk about moving um you know and I don't know if it makes sense but I guess are the cameras up that we are I am in touch with Lieutenant Vertent about you know getting that all
58:30organized for this year.
58:32I think we should wait till spring because no sense putting them up in the middle of winter.
58:35Yeah. And if we had cameras, does it make sense to move? And and I know people probably like having the portagons there, but if we put them in the parking lot, um then the cameras are on them and if somebody destroyed them, it would be on camera, right? But I think if they were in the parking lot, they're under again, they'd be under lights and then you wouldn't have any problem because there's
58:55activity out on the road. that they're down in the path. I think more of a walk, but I think it saves us the hassle of I know people with kids who want to go to the bathroom. It's convenient and that's our whole goal is to make it convenient.
59:08Yeah, you're Yeah, you're right.
59:10Um but I think we talked about getting another portage on maybe for the park that Yeah. At the last meeting.
59:16Do we have the minutes from last meeting?
59:18Yes, we do.
59:19Yeah.
59:20Oh, we did. We mentioned it, but we never did anything about it.
59:23Yeah.
59:23So, last meeting was August 25th. We can't vote on the June 25th because only Woody and I were that were at that one.
59:30We're are here. Uh and wasn't much done, but it's something to think about. I I don't know if again that would be an extra cost of we're already running a deficit now. We're spending Yeah.
59:51We're acting like the federal government.
59:52We're run a deficit so we keep spending more money. Yeah, it is definitely I've got to meet Charlotte. She's so I'm gonna be excused.
1:00:00Okay. Oh, wait a minute wait. Let's do I think a vote on these. Okay. Uh I'll enterain a motion on August 25th 26.
1:00:08Um um so move to accept.
1:00:12I'll second.
1:00:13All in favor?
1:00:14I I had to say that because Blair wasn't here and we wouldn't have a quorum to vote on it. So Okay. So you're good. Okay. Sure.
1:00:21Um before you leave, um the uh I think Paul or Carla on behalf of the town administrator emailed these I think to all the chairs of the committees. This is the new 2026 first edition select boardapp appointed boards, commissions and committees guide policy handbooks and you all have to sign off on the acknowledgement form.
1:00:43So before you want me to take one if well if you do it right now I can turn it in for you and I can give you a copy to read.
1:00:51at home. Oh, great.
1:00:52So, um you sign a date. That's it.
1:00:55I can find out your expiration. We had too much. We'll just But I think if if we are meeting monthly, it'll be good.
1:01:02Yeah.
1:01:04We can resolve some of the outstanding Yes.
1:01:06things that we discuss.
1:01:07Or wait, is today the 24th? 24th I think. So, tomorrow is 925, right?
1:01:14Yeah. Today's the 24th, right?
1:01:16I remember.
1:01:19Okay.
1:01:19Okay. Thank you.
1:01:20All right. Sorry, guys.
1:01:22No problem. I just That's As long as you get As long as you got the vote in cuz you're the only otherwise.
1:01:26Charlotte had an operation and she can't drive.
1:01:28Oh. Oh, no. No. That's Believe me.
1:01:30I'm going to Thank you.
1:01:33There's a lot of good information in here.
1:01:35I read it.
1:01:37Including a new template for the minutes and agendas. Um I've asked um them to digitally for forward those to me so that we can have those too.
1:01:53I believe the purpose of these is so that all the towns, boards and committees and commissions are all doing, you know, aware of all the policies in place and doing things similar and do we put our what our um I can find that out if you don't know it. I'll just ask Carla.
1:02:162029 hotel.
1:02:27Yeah. And I I think the last thing would just be I I think it would be uh great improvement if uh Dana, when you met with the town administrator, we were able to go over those items that we discuss um just so we're not um sort of in limbo with a lot of them. At least we're moving them forward, you know.
1:02:47Yeah. So um one other suggestion, since Sean is the chair and runs the meetings, can someone else in the committee be the clerk and take the minutes so that he doesn't have to do both?
1:02:57Yeah. I'd be I could take if you want to do that. That'd be that'd be great. It' make my life easier.
1:03:01Sure.
1:03:01Because then you can send them to me and I could submit them.
1:03:04I will send Well, this one's been approved. I I was waiting to approve have them approved and then send them to in case they were correct. So you record them. Yeah.
1:03:12So this one I can send the June 25th one which has been lingering cuz only me, Woody, and Leon were at that meeting.
1:03:18Sure.
1:03:18It's been lingering.
1:03:20Uh I was hoping Leon was going to be here tonight, but she called me. She had an operation.
1:03:24Oh.
1:03:24On her hand, so she could not drive. So yeah.
1:03:28So so I can put together the minutes, send them to everybody in the committee and Dana and then maybe the action items to discuss.
1:03:37Yeah. Like if at the bottom you have a action item list, I can address those with the town administrator.
1:03:42That'd be super.
1:03:44That's all I have.
1:03:45Okay. So I have a bunch of things.
1:03:48Uh so we have a storm coming in this week. It's tomorrow.
1:03:54The question is question will be do we leave the beach open? Do we open the beach Saturday and Sunday?
1:04:03I think tomorrow will be okay.
1:04:05I think Saturday and Sunday is the Yeah. Now the police normally if we lock it up there's normally if I remember correctly there's normally like a police officer at the bridge sort of saying hey well only if it only if it's like really bad. Yeah. And but I don't know if it's really bad because it's Saturday and Sunday. You can't we can't all get together on Saturday afternoon and
1:04:26decide that it's really bad and do it.
1:04:28You know what I mean?
1:04:29The question is do I open her up on Saturday morning?
1:04:31Mhm.
1:04:32Historically, haven't we always done what Horsene Neck is doing?
1:04:36So Horseneck I talked to the assistant harbor master this morning. They're waiting and seeing.
1:04:43Yeah.
1:04:44Because it could end up being a great storm or it could be.
1:04:48Yeah. You know, because how many times we we had the hurricane warning and then we didn't have the hurricane.
1:04:52This one I think is going to be there a little bit more on. It doesn't really affect Westport as much because it's an offshore wind. It's more of a concern about people going to the beach and doing stupid things going into the water surface and stuff and we have no lifeguards and we have no way of controlling it. Now, I know if we close the beach, someone will complain no matter what. Even if it's
1:05:14supposed to be a driving rain all day Saturday, it's supposed to be driving rain and wind.
1:05:18I think even if we close it, we're going to get folks down there just because that's the nature of Yeah.
1:05:24storms. They wait all year for them. Um Well, they were down there last night.
1:05:28We were very disappointed because like I said, the wind's off the wind's offshore and it knocks down.
1:05:31Today, I said, "Oh, it looks pretty calm out there."
1:05:33Yeah, those winds the wind's offshore.
1:05:36So it doesn't really affect, but you also just want people just hanging around, you know, with surfboards in the parking lot, you know, sitting around waiting for something to happen either.
1:05:44And is it a liability if we leave it open? You know, I think you wait and see what Horses neck does and then, you know, follow their lead.
1:05:52Yeah. Well, I'm thinking from a liability standpoint, and we probably maybe I guess we don't have as a sign we put up storm warnings. Yeah. do not and even though people people go on the beach no matter what. But if you Oh, no. They'll park they'll park outside the gates. But yeah, but if you can say, look, the the verbiage in the lawsuit from many many years ago was the town did not
1:06:13do enough to discourage people from going to the beach. The parking lots were open and somebody drowned. It was after hours and there were no lifeguards and they weren't supposed to be there and and they were everything they could do they could do wrong.
1:06:25But believe it or not, it was the town still the town's fault. I can tell you a lot of stories along that line.
1:06:30Yeah. Yeah. We did not do enough to discourage people from doing something stupid.
1:06:36So that's the question. If you lock the gates, you know, I think that's discouraging people, you know.
1:06:43I think if you open sort of like an attractive nuisance. Yeah, they all people cuz anybody cuz there were people driving around last night cuz I was down there and I was out of there early at sunset cuz people got off looking for something and most of the people that were there last night at the beach didn't even have a sticker.
1:07:01So, what's the downside if you don't open the parking lot?
1:07:04I just get a lot of people moaning and groaning about it.
1:07:07That's not going to take you to court.
1:07:09having a a son that surfs and uh grown up surfing, people wait all year for uh storms like this to go surfing and it's difficult to keep them out of the water, but we can keep them out of the parking lot which sort of limits our liability, I think.
1:07:25Yeah. If they want to if they want to find a way to get out there and everything, have at it, you know, they're going to they're going to go out there. They were all this morning at 5:00 at Gooseberry when I go down there.
1:07:34Yeah. There were two cars with surfboards on them staring out at the water. It was calm as could be, but it's they waiting for, you know, I told him, I said, "You're on the wrong side of the cape. You got to get in the other side." But I think if you didn't open the parking lot and Yeah.
1:07:48The additional benefit is we were lucky enough to have a sign that says, you know, storm warning. Stay off.
1:07:54We have the dig force anymore. I know that.
1:07:56Yeah. The digital sign's down there. It just says no uh sticker required and beach gates locked today.
1:08:03Yeah.
1:08:04It can be changed. I don't know. It could be changed to other things.
1:08:09But I don't know if there, you know, the police usually push something out the bridge if there's a problem.
1:08:13Yeah.
1:08:14Because I would see them there, you know, if there's But I don't know if, you know, we wait for that to happen or we wait for Horseneck. My understanding horses neck was not going to open.
1:08:23The DCRs were going to close all their beaches, you know.
1:08:27Yeah.
1:08:27But that's a state policy mainly because the, you know, obviously the Cape Cod seashore and all the other parks in Boston, everything would get hammered.
1:08:36Yeah.
1:08:36With a noraster. And I I can remember as a kid paddling through the harbor and running up the road to go surfing. So if there's waves and there Oh, there'll be people at war. There'll be people on Brighton's Point and there'll be Oh, you know, there's going to Yeah.
1:08:50Yeah.
1:08:51But you're right, the wind direction is going to have a lot to do with that.
1:08:54That's northeast. Yeah. So, you know, it blows a lot of sand around.
1:08:58You get sand blasted. But I don't think but I think in my opinion if that closes we should close.
1:09:03Yeah. Close our gates and whatever you know we've done our job in terms of okay limiting our liability.
1:09:14Uh I think that's the only thing.
1:09:25Yeah I think that's it. I think we went we covered everything else I was going to cover.
1:09:29I have a couple.
1:09:30Go ahead.
1:09:31Um, so we got an email from someone who was concerned about ebikes on the beach paths.
1:09:36I I called her up. Okay. I did call her up and contact her and I I I know exactly what she's talking about cuz I see it every night.
1:09:44Yep. And it's all around town. And the school actually just enacted a policy that the school can control because it's on school grounds. Um, but I don't know, you know, if that's something that the beaches want to think about.
1:09:58I called the woman cuz I I was almost the victim of a runover coming up the hill and they were coming up from the beach at about 20 miles an hour or so.
1:10:09And you know, if there were a group of people across the path, they would have been ugly quick. And I told him, you know, can't be doing and the particular person on the bike is a well-known Westport resident who I will not name.
1:10:24Sure.
1:10:24And they said, you should know better, but it it happens. And I think I don't know if we put a sign that's because it says no motorized vehicles, but people think ebikes are not motorized vehicles. In their head, it's not, you know.
1:10:37Yeah. Because I think they can operate them both as a a bicycle and a motorized bike right?
1:10:45And would allow a bike, like if somebody had a mountain bike, they could take it down to the the beach and ride it along.
1:10:51Well, I think it's worth looking into what the actual um law is and the policies that we have with the beaches. With those, it it the law doesn't matter the law doesn't matter. We can make out our own policy and my policy is no ebikes.
1:11:06Yeah, that would be my policy. Bang. There's no reason to have an ebike on that beach. Mhm.
1:11:12So, that's another action item we can add um that I can discuss like how in general like I know we have the small sign off the path that we listed some rules. I really don't think people read that. So, like whether we want to create a bigger one or maybe like a general cherry and web beach with rules right there sign like at near the entrance like I just feel like we need I like that. Yeah.
1:11:36We need you more to like bring attention to what is allowed.
1:11:40Yeah. the QR code.
1:11:41Go like we have everything time to do that.
1:11:45No, no. See if somebody's going down there with the ebike and I can tell you they're probably gonna break the rules even if we have a sign.
1:11:51You know, I can I watch where they coup and come from. A lot of them come out at trips. They're staying on boats at trips and that's how they get around over the backy and they go up, you know, they're buzzing around campground.
1:12:01Mhm.
1:12:01And they're locals. It's not like somebody's from Yeah.
1:12:04Davis Road is taking an ebike down to the beach.
1:12:07You know what I mean? So, yeah. Okay.
1:12:09Uh that's what I found. And they they all had the fat tires or the ones that look like Sure.
1:12:15You know, dirt bikes and they're all flying down the beach.
1:12:18Mhm.
1:12:18And these particular people were chasing each other and zigzagging back and forth and it was rid and people are walking, you know, and there's kids and you know it's Yeah. I mean it's it's common sense.
1:12:31You got to have the the policy to say no. and you get no ebikes and you've got to have it on a a sign so they see it, but you people may ignore it, but correct.
1:12:42Short of being out there 24 hours a day enforcing it, right?
1:12:46That's I don't know what else you can do.
1:12:48We need to get Sean a gun.
1:12:49You know, maybe somebody shoot the tires out where they put a cable across.
1:12:54Yeah. No, but I think it's no ebikes.
1:12:57Yeah.
1:12:58You know, should specifically should mention that. Yeah. People know because they can't you can't drive your car on there.
1:13:03Yeah.
1:13:03Obviously, you can't no way you're getting car on the beach.
1:13:06Yeah.
1:13:06We had a couple years ago we had people with four-wheelers that snuck to the rocks, you know, but I've had Chris position rocks now so you have to walk through. You can't.
1:13:14Yeah.
1:13:15But bikes can get through.
1:13:17Yeah.
1:13:18And the question is, do you you know, I don't see a lot of people riding their bikes on the beach cuz that's really hard to do.
1:13:25Yeah. It have to be low tide and Yeah. So, it's the ebikes is the way they do it. So, I think you just have a sign that says no ebikes period.
1:13:33Yeah.
1:13:34Yeah. And I think you're right. A lot of them do come from the horse campground because I run there in the morning and when you run through the campground they're at every site.
1:13:43Yeah.
1:13:44They I know they they're doing a buzz around. They come down. They go down the beach and then they go right down the beach back to the campground.
1:13:50So, they're probably going down the access road at Horsene Neck and then going over right in front of Bakers.
1:13:56They Well, no. They do is they they come down the beach and they go up the access road and then they go back on the road.
1:14:02I got you. And then head down to our I follow them. I followed them. I was following a group. I was like, "Okay, where the heck are these guys coming from?" And they went right into the campground.
1:14:11Yeah. And I've seen them go across from the backy, you know, straight down there straight onto the beach.
1:14:16Cuz they're cuz, you know, if they're at the horse neck uh campground, they go to the backy to eat or they go to the bayside to eat. So they jump on the little ebike because when I go down there at night coming down East Beach Road there's ebikes like thing it's like a motocross.
1:14:30Yeah.
1:14:31It's like Anyway, okay.
1:14:34Um I I think the only other thing about Perry being the clerk, I think you as a committee might have to officially vote on it because it's a title of one of the members. So you might have Well, that was last meeting. I had it on the agenda that, you know, a reorganization. We should have that.
1:14:52You might need to just officially vote next meeting. I I'll make a motion to have Perry Long appoint as the clerk at the beach committee.
1:14:59Oh, yeah. You got three. You majority.
1:15:01Sorry.
1:15:02Yeah. Yeah. I'm You can second.
1:15:04What's the issue? But he volunteers, so that's that's all we need.
1:15:09Yeah. Okay.
1:15:09Okay. All right. Yep.
1:15:11Okay. Second.
1:15:12All in favor?
1:15:13I I You can always vote no. Yeah.
1:15:16Okay. And then um just quickly two other ideas I have. One is the Creative Preservation Commission accepts application uh applications for um funding and projects in November I think and December. They usually prefer to get it by the end of November or early December for the consideration. Um the beach is recreation. It's open space and recreation. So, if there's something significant we need money for in terms
1:15:44of a project or or um something, it's just something to another avenue to possibly ask for funds.
1:15:53Um I've been through the process with recreation and if you have a solid idea and um you know, the application and and quotes and so I'm just I'm not saying we'll do it this year, but like it's something to consider I would think. or like the picnic table. Would that be something or is it something different?
1:16:11I mean, you can get funding anything from uh I I mean it depends on what it's for obviously, but they've we were going to go funding to purchase that that we but it was such a short time frame we just had to Right. Right. So, you'd want to do it for a project you've been thinking about for a while, right?
1:16:30Um but you know, they could give 100,000, 250,000. It just depends. But it's like a oneoff. It's been correct. Right. But there is no like it can roll over year to year if you're still working on the project.
1:16:45Um those funds are allocated for that project through town meeting like through the committee but then through town meeting they approve it and then you basically will turn in the receipts from the project to the CPC committee and they process them.
1:16:59I was just trying to understand the scope of it. So would it be like the moi mats or or know what? No, I'm thinking more long term about like parking lot improvement.
1:17:11It's a facility thing as opposed to an operational thing. So operational expenses, no, but a facility thing like purchasing and land. I think we either open space andor recreation could cover that particular item.
1:17:26Uh if we Okay. Not suggesting we like fancier portaotties or whatever. A couple years ago, we had a guy we had a guy who owned 100 ft of beach on a cherry web who came to us and approached us say, "You want to buy this for $10,000 and we just scrambled to do it because you can't buy beaches anywhere for 10."
1:17:43And that was short time frame. We couldn't go to CBC and go drag that out.
1:17:47So uh that Yeah, I just want to remind you that there's that option. I think there's something that we're thinking about that we want to do. Um like now for next year we can apply, you know, and it's subject to whoever else is applying under the same category. You know, Dana applies for the same category and she torpedoes us because she wants the open space money.
1:18:10One of the things plenty to go around. I'm sure we had talked about a gate, you know, and that would eliminate a lot of right, you know, coming and going. I don't know if that falls in the falls.
1:18:21It might because um you know with the playground it's included fencing and and the equipment. So that that could be a possibility.
1:18:29Yeah. Or the handicap spots that you spoke about at East Beach.
1:18:34Yeah, that would be Yeah, I would like to see I would like to see that whole road moved at East Beach to tell you the truth.
1:18:41There we go.
1:18:42Uh so maybe something to just ponder. Um that's why we were saving our nest egg because we knew it was going to be a couple hundred,000 to do. All right.
1:18:51Movie speech road.
1:18:52Yeah.
1:18:53Uh but we're cutting into that as we speak.
1:18:57So, but I mean the application isn't really due until early December. So, you you have a month to think about it or at least till next meeting.
1:19:05Um okay. And the other one was um the other idea I had was business sponsors for possible cleanups. Um, I I think there are a lot of local businesses out there that maybe might either one coordinate volunteers for annual cleanups or monthly cleanups or some or even quarterly cleanups um or um possibly donate money for cleanup purposes. I I just think it's worth considering because I think it's a
1:19:39good cause. It's local and businesses I think are always looking for different ways to give back. So just an idea.
1:19:46I I think that's a good idea. The problem we have is usually you have to have some kind of sign. They want some kind of sign because they have to write it off.
1:19:53Well, we can always post it on the website under the beach page um with the logo. We can post it out on social media. Um you know, there's other ways to advertise their their contribution.
1:20:05Placards up at the beach. That would be against everything I would I hate the signs down at Beach Avenue so much because there's so many signs even if it's ridiculous. Uh just something to think about.
1:20:17Yeah.
1:20:19Yeah. I don't have a problem with that.
1:20:21Or you know how like with highways they say this highway is sponsored by or clean up by this.
1:20:26There's a sign that you Yeah. But it's one sign. So like what if we had one like yearly commitment from a company? Then you only have to do the one sign. You could change it out depending on the company. So again, just a creative idea to think about.
1:20:42That's all I have.
1:20:45All right.
1:20:45Which reminds me, speaking of signs, the Girl Scouts had contacted me, two Girl Scouts I should say, not the Girl Scouts, bad way of putting it, about putting signs up regarding trash at the beach, plastic at the beach. I said, "That's a good idea." Well, Saturday they put them up.
1:21:01Oh, doubt. Yeah.
1:21:02Uh, and they're at the beach. Uh, I have they sent I said send me pictures.
1:21:16One of them is actually uh a relative of the Coopers as I found out.
1:21:22I would think. Is it a small sign but it's removable? You know, they're nice signs. They're not real true. So, one's near the Port of John and one's right near the right other signs.
1:21:34They're various size. Please, you know, don't discard your plastic and everything. PL 14 million tons or whatever the number is. Go into uh I can't find it now. You did send me a picture.
1:21:50I send it later.
1:21:56I'll send it to everybody once I find it. I wonder if I can search it by sign.
1:22:01Harry, do you want to give me your form and I'll turn them all in for you guys?
1:22:04Yeah. Okay, absolutely.
1:22:05And he already turned his in.
1:22:08So Blair's all set. All right. Thank you.
1:22:11Thank you.
1:22:13So here we go. Here's what the sign looks like.
1:22:20Oh, yeah. That's cool.
1:22:21And they got it tucked in like Oh, wow. They really put it in. Yeah.
1:22:25Yeah. Oh, no. They put concrete around them. Wow. But anyway, uh all right.
1:22:37Uh I forgot about that. So they do it as part of their Girl Scout version of a merit badge. I don't know what that is.
1:22:48That's cool.
1:22:49Yeah. It's a worthy cause. Yep.
1:22:51Yeah.
1:22:5214y olds.
1:22:53Yeah.
1:22:54So Okay. I think that's unless you have anything particularly in No you but well you might have ideas. I mean I don't know you know it's uh usual things I guess. Oh I have this electronic. I was reading it and there were some things that I don't know who put this together. the town administrator and the select board.
1:23:28Cuz some of the things didn't make a lot of sense, but we've all Did you take the conflict of interest?
1:23:35Yes.
1:23:35Okay.
1:23:37I supposed to I know I was supposed to ask about that. I'm the chairman. I'm supposed to ask that before you start.
1:23:41And you and you are sworn in, right?
1:23:43Yep.
1:23:44Didn't ask that at the beginning of the meeting.
1:23:46I know. Okay. Uh other than that, if we don't have anything else, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn.
1:23:53Second. Make a motion.
1:23:54Uh, it's 5:55.
1:24:00Second.
1:24:02I do you want me to refer to you in minutes as player?
1:24:06Yes. Fine.
1:24:11I never know cuz when I put Woody in there, it's like I got to put Mr. Underwood or William because you can't put Woody if if it because actually Blair's my middle name. So sometimes that causes all sorts of problems. They say, "Who's that guy?"
1:24:26Oh, all in favor?