Landslide Vote!

One year ago, 60 people attended the Town’s annual budget meeting–this year, with the Goose Rocks Beach access on the line, nearly 600 people crowded the Consolidated School gym to overwhelmingly support the Town in the fight against the few beachfront owners suing to block historic access to the beach.

500  empty seats awaited the morning’s gathering, and by a little  after 9 AM, when the proceedings began, all 500 seats were taken and the walls were full with voters holding their bright green cards.  45 approvals of various items took the crowd up to the eagerly awaited votes on the last items that would either support the Town in it’s fight to defend against the lawsuit, or would deny the Town the 2010-11 funds to continue it’s defense.

A call to count votes on a motion to limit debate showed the number of voters in the gym at 442. At 10:3o AM, the crowd began to stir as Article #49 came up for vote.  First, the moderator recused himself against possible conflict of interest, and the microphone was taken over by his backup.

The procedure had been familiar for 48 previous votes.  The motion would be read, moved and seconded, and discussion would be allowed.  The entire crowd, the majority in the white tee shirts with Save-Our-Beach’s colorful logos, perked up in anticipation of what would surely be a spirited discussion.  As the moderator got the motion, and the second, he asked for any debate.

A surprising silence met the request.  Were there clearly so many supporters of the Town that those against supporting the Town’s request for $250,000 for the 2010-2011 legal budget realized that debate would not change the tide?  Was each side waiting for the other to begin what would likely be a protracted give and take that many anticipated would take an hour or more?

So finally Mr. Bill Lefler spoke briefly and to the point for continued access, and sat back down, as the crowd awaited a rebuttal.  However, there seemed to be no one else inclined to speak.

After an uncomfortable silence, a familiar voice to the community, Parker Dwelly, asked to be recognized.  Clearly the fireworks would now begin.  What started out comfortably as a familiar argument stating that the beach, by deed, was merely a front yard with an ocean in it, took an unfortunate turn that would bring about an explosive end to the morning’s proceedings.

As Mr. Dwelley’s speech became lengthy, and slightly defensive, as he recounted an extremely detailed point by point encounter that was meant to illustrate that the Town was not treating the beach as a front yard, the crowd became slightly restless.   Unfortunately for Mr. Dwelley, while using an adverb that technically was correct in it’s use, in 2010 the word “niggardly” (A word of Scandanavian origin meaning miserly)  is not viewed as an appropriate choice in a public debate, and in an explosive turn of events, the end came swiftly.

Upset by the choice of word and the tone of the lecture, there was an immediate call to Move the Question, a parlimentary device that when seconded and voted by a two thirds majority, ends debate.  The device was immediately seconded, approved, and had a 370-72 majority.   Within minutes after that, the vote was held, and by the estimation of many, about 400 lime green cards were held aloft by the supporters, and a small group up near the front voting against the funding, and essentially the meeting was over.

Some were legitimately upset by a lack of further debate, but it was not done as a strategy, but as a result of a combination of factors.  Numerous letters to the editors in local papers had clarified how people stood.  Robert Almeder’s letter a couple of weeks ago was perceived by many as an arrogant dismissal of this emotional issue, totally relying on deed vs. historical use.  Signs have dominated our local landscape for weeks, postcards went out to voters, and full page ads on behalf of both sides have been in local papers.  The lines had long been drawn.

What remained was clearly a foregone conclusion based on the huge crowd, and the domination of tee shirts and buttons favorable to the continued access as it had existed for 100 years.  It was not a matter of  if, but when.  The fact that an unfortunate voice had tripped an emotional wire and led to the end of debate was done on the litigant’s side, not the Town’s, and it made no sense to prolong things by trying to have any reopening after the landslide vote.

So, the Town has it’s legal budget for 2010, over 170 families have joined the lawsuit, other cases appear to be influencing the courts in favor of public access, and it is abundantly, totally, unequivocally clear to the small number of homeowners that want no one in front of their house that their position is viewed as hostile, uncommunity-like, and will be fought hard for as long as this huge, enthusiastic crowd has any say.

Job well done, Kennebunkport.  For Save-Our-Beaches, from my wife Sharon,our dog Kaysea, and myself, Mic Harris, I thank each and every one of the community who made a huge, unparalleled splash in Kennebunkport political history today at 11 AM, Saturday June 12.