Stop the Presses!
by Jorie Latham
This newsletter got delayed for several reasons, but perhaps just as well, since it means we can let our members know about a recent development that perfectly illustrates how APC works. The Town Board, in its ongoing search for revenue, had identified a number of bay beaches where they decided to provide season-long leases to food concessions – Louse Point among them!This, in spite of the fact that Louse Point is a designated Nature Preserve.
Apparently, the necessary wording to prevent such commercial intrusion was not included when the management plan for Louse Point was created.
[photo]
MOST DISTRESSING – More damage to Louse Point, which suffered massive erosion in the powerful storms that tore up much of the coastline this winter.The fence that marked the edge of the parking area has collapsed onto the beach after many feet of the bluff at Louse Point were lost to winter storms. Photo by Eileen Roaman-Catalano.
When Cile heard of this, she raised the cry and several other “steerers” responded, finding out more as we emailed back and forth. Cile contacted councilwoman Theresa Quigley to say, “What’s going on?” Three of us attended the Town Board meeting on Saturday morning where the Board was planning to discuss the situation. Arlene got up to make the case that a slip-up in the wording of the management plan should not override the fact that Louse Point is a Nature Preserve where a concession van running all day long would not be appropriate or welcome. Jorie added her two cents worth, and Ralph provided moral support. Later in the meeting, it was decided that a change in the law would be required, necessitating a public hearing, but that in the mean time, Louse Point would be taken off the RFP (Request for Proposal) list, so no vendors would bid on a space there.
If only all of our issues could be dealt with so efficiently!
Alas, some things seem to drag on and on, such as our continued efforts to get the work started on the Barbara Hale Refuge, which now has the required DEC permit and County permission for partial clearing and the support of all Town Board members, but continues to get mired in stalling: it’s too warm, there are ticks; it’s too cold, there’s snow, the ground is too wet, etc… and yet it may, by press time, have finally begun.
Then there’s the question of dredging. We were encouraged in a meeting with Jay Schneiderman, our county legislator, who heads the county’s dredging committee. Accabonac, after more than 20 years, is finally slated to be dredged properly by the county (not the “excavation” that’s been done most years from the shore). However…the actual dredging probably won’t take place for at least another year!There is a procedure (of course) requiring permits, and these take the time they take. But Jay also informed us that grant money is available for municipalities to purchase a dredge of their own to perform environmental (as opposed to navigational) dredging. So we’ve been promoting that idea to all the Town Board members as well as urging them to get the Barbara Hale project underway pronto!
But don’t despair, there has been much to cheer about…not least of which was the joyous celebration of APC’s 25th anniversary graciously hosted by The Nature Conservancy, which included a tribute to Cile Downs and the awarding of the Friend of the Creek Award to Serena Altschul.
[photo]
Serena Altschul and Cile Downs at the APC 25th Anniversary celebration held at The Nature Conservancy last September. Photo by Marian Lindberg.
And thanks to quick action and the generosity of many, the Maloney property (the meadow adjacent to The Nature Conservancy’s Merrill Lake Refuge) was preserved in record time! The Nature Conservancy was key once again, and the Town responded as soon as the will of the community was manifest! APC itself made a donation toward the purchase, as did several individual members – Thank you!!
We have lots of news of events, including our second annual Accabonac Video Fest: Is the Grass Always Greener . . .? which featured “American Lawn” and “Organic Lawn Care” – just in time for spring planting!They were shown just as we went to press, on April 13 with refreshments and discussion following.
We will be presenting a forum, The Rising Tide… How Will Sea Level Rise Affect You? with Jay Tansky of Sea Grant and Peconic Baykeeper Kevin McAllister on the panel. That will be at the Springs Firehouse on May 13th (yes, it’s a Friday!) at 7pm.
See the Calendar card for more!
As ever, we proceed in our 26th year to be proud of our accomplishments, determined to accomplish more, and try to stay prepared for the surprises that inevitably pop up – natural and man-made.
