Thanks to all 125 plus that showed up and contributed, what a day! We started at 10 AM, went past noon, and it was tremendously informative and interactive. Save Our Beaches wants to publicly thank all involved with the ongoing support of local residents, home owners and visitors who continue to grow our monthly meetings each and every month.
Our first meeting was in December, with over 80–in February, over 100, and yesterday, standing room only with over 125 enthusiastic supporters, who were on Channel 13 last night, again! Next month we may have to move to a larger location, and we continue to have offers from local meeting areas to provide what is looked at as a community service.
The meeting agendas each month reflect the previous meeting. Last month, attendees wanted to know who the 25 were, where they lived, so people could see if their traditional recreational areas were threatened, and so we built a huge map and showed precisely where all the 25 homeowners involved in the suit owned property. We emphasized that we provided this public information (available to anyone in the publicly filed lawsuit) so that anyone who knows these people might reach out and ask if there are ways we can help address concerns and issues, and get the lawsuit dropped!
Secondly, we were asked last month about the differences between the Town fighting the lawsuit, public prescriptive easements, vs. private prescriptive easements, and so we contacted three very knowledgeable Maine lawyers who spoke eloquently about terms important in this fight, differences and similarities between this case, the two prior cases in the Wells area, and the current case up in Cape Elizabeth that could affect this case here at Goose Rocks Beach.
We spoke about the Hills Beach issues as their beach appears to be turning private, more due to signs than law, and how to fight back. We had a tremendous give and take with Larry Mead representing the Town of Kennebunkport, Janice Parente representing the Surfrider Foundation of NNE, with the three attorneys, Durward Parkinson, Thomas McNaboe, and Alan Shepard, who were at times light hearted and at other times warning about the effects should the lawsuit win, but at all times provide great legal insight.
One attendee mentioned how inhospitable the Moody Beach owners are and what a shame if that were to happen here. We all spoke to the fact that a lawsuit is about legal rights and not intent–many of the beachfront owners involved in the suit say they have no intention of stopping recreation, and we believe them wholeheartedly, and commend that. However, people who might purchase these homes might not feel the same way. Three home owners now would likely post and run people off at any time, and we all agreed that no one knows how many would begin denying access each year.
We can’t take the chance. We need to keep this community togetherness going–you guys are amazing! The donations continue to pour in, and we will soon be offering shirts, bumper stickers, yard flags, hats, as requested. We have even been contacted by a very high end beach chair manufacturer and there is talk of a Save Our Beaches model to recreate, while you can, in style.
So more to come, and we need your continuing support. Stay tuned to this website, for information on the next meeting, or join comments below, or on our Facebook page at the save-our-beaches.org page. Thanks again to the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust for their continued support of the community by providing their wonderful building.
We would appreciate any photographs on the “Your Goose Rocks Beach” section for our new and improved website. I urge you all to take 3 minutes and comment below. If you were there yesterday, what did you think? If you can make a meeting on April 10, the next meeting, what information or guest speakers would you like to discuss/hear? If you have an opposing point of view, please share!
Over 1800 members on the two Facebook sites, ours and Preserve Goose Rocks Beach, legal information over at www.preservegooserocksbeach.org and continuing support from our friends at Surfriders, http://surfrider.org/nne/. Stay tuned and remember, status quo at Goose Rocks Beach means continuing to enjoy recreational activities on the entire beach, and that freedom will continue to be supported by the police and Town of Kennebunkport. Be great neighbors and enjoy the beach but be respectful, and I’ll see you down there with my Frisbee and Kaysea!