Hearing on Race Point Beach Closures

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Karl F

Not trying to recreate the mess we had up there a few years ago, but, sticker sales are important, lack of sales to those in charge = lack of interest.
A clear example of this, in my town, this year, they saw a drop in the # of permits for Nauset Beach, and a drop the year prior... they are already factoring running the town without the revenue from the sticker sales, diminishing it to 0 income , projected out over the next 3-5 fiscal years, and some of the bean counters that run this town, are already saying what a savings it would be to the town to not have it, personel, (pay and bennies etc.) equipment, ( depreciation and maintenence etc.), etc. ... they even talk of it like it would be a Good Thing!.. I am sure the Park Service bean counters would look at a diminished sticker income the same way.
Buying a sticker, while it doesn't have the same bang for the buck it once did, is still a way, of telling those in charge, to Keep It Open!

Hey Karl - hypothetically speaking of course, how much would that sticker run and what kind of access would a non-resident such as myself get?

It might be worth a couple stickers to maintain "interest". Investment sort of...

[Karl F]

2006 sticker for non residents was 180 bucks (ouch!)

http://www.town.orleans.ma.us/pdf/de.../orvinfo06.pdf

Access, depending on bird closures, etc., would be from main lot--> south, almost all the way to Chatham inlet, (fenced, but you can park and walk to it).. almost all the front beach, and access to some Pleasant Bay beaches, a little over 8.5 miles usually, from main lot to the last fence. Spring and Fall best for access, and fishing usually. (the only advantage of a Resident sticker in the access north to Nauset Inlet (approx 2.5 miles).. but that usually closes from Memorial Day to July 4th.. sometimes longer)

Unlike The NPS, ya can take a cruise almost anytime during the winter months at Nauset, as they leave it open all year.. nice diversion on a Sunday afternoon in January or February.. (low tides best )

[Maloney]

I look at it this way:

Membership in Mass. Audubon : Family $ 50, Protector $ 150, per year
Conservation Law Foundation: Basic Membership $ 30, Century Club- $ 100 per year
Sierra Club: Regular $ 25, Contributing $ 150.

I have been a member of two of these organisations and I don't give a rats arse if anyone is going to bash me about it. They are WRONG on the beach access issue. Open up the whole Seashore to what it was because from what I have heard the whole closure thing has been a government mess up from day one, ie. poor managment ,shortsightedness, and an illegal closure to boot. If access groups had equal education and financial support as the anti groups back then, I am certain everything would NOT have gone down as it has. Now we are fighting back.

Anyway, some years I buy 3 stickers, and some, like last, it is one. Some years I paid for Race Point , Nauset, and Sandy Neck and only saw Sandy Neck, twice, with the wife and kids, in the daytime. I think we have to put our money where it talks. These groups- and they do good work most of the time- have hundreds of thousands of members.We have how many men and women who are here now and will be here should OSV travel become just anyother fad?

Don't get NEGATIVE. It is the National Seashore which has to operated under certain rules. We have a documented legal and historic right to oversand access. All we need is a George Soros and his money on our side and the tune will play differently.

[Karl F]

Back Beah, where did you get your info.. last time I checked they were worried they would make money at the Seashore, (which, they cannot, by Law, at best they can break even, being a Federal agency, it is better for them if they run at a deficit.. so they can get more Fed $ the next fiscal year).

Nauset is still turning a "profit" for the town's general fund, even with diminished sticker sales.. the Park Dept. still has to fight the fin-com for their money, even tho, they are the dept. that generates that revenue.

Could it be just that a town runs a beach more effecient than the Fed's do?
That wouldn't be too hard to believe

Maloney .. someone will be hitting you up for a donation to the Legal Fund to offset your other donations

[Karl F]

Steve, I think that the powers that be here are counting on the Pochet washover being the determing factor as when to pull the plug on the south side.. they have already stated that they will keep the north open, forever..

The truly sad part is, the boards in Orleans and Chatham are too busy playing Hatfield and MacKoy to truly come to a workable solution.
Also the board in my town, is truly Clueless, regarding the beach...

[tattoobob]

No mater what happens I will be buying my stickers this year, The race point light house was closed for over 6 weeks in prime season, this is a loss of about $500.00 a day, they took a huge hit.

I use my permits in the spring and fall, I don't go in the daytime so, and this year most nights I would see no one other truck out there from long nook to race north. In the daylight hours it is bumper to bumper. It seems to me that it is turning into a beach goers SUV place to go. fishing doesn't seem to be the main reason to be there anymore

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Karl F

Steve, I think that the powers that be here are counting on the Pochet washover being the determing factor as when to pull the plug on the south side.. they have already stated that they will keep the north open, forever..

The truly sad part is, the boards in Orleans and Chatham are too busy playing Hatfield and MacKoy to truly come to a workable solution.
Also the board in my town, is truly Clueless, regarding the beach...

That is where the Feds will step in if'n yer two towns don't git to seein I to I. ( The Goosey Goose had a nice holiday spread yesterday)

[Blitzseeker]

I will buy my sticker next year and every year until they stop selling them. That year, I will be arrested at least once for going out on the beach anyway.

[Flaptail]

The formation of the Cpae Cod National Seashore was a truly great thing. Think about it, what would it look like on the outer cape if not for the seahores protection?

We just have to make our feelings and wishes known to the CCNS/NPS. Groups like the Sierra Club, Wildlife Defense Fund, Audobon Society ( who's local director made a point of telling everyone how there is new "scientific" evidence that orv use is detrimental to the seashore ecology).

Fieherman historically never ban together as well and as organized as the groups opposed to us and what we enjoy do. That needs to change. Gob bless the MBBA for coughing up the dough and making the commitment to fight this legally. FW would be surely proud.

We need to bring on a younger generation to pick up and carry the banner when we no longer can, a cursory glance through the crowd at the meeting Saturday was depressing. It was like a senior citizen club meeting. This cannot go on. Everyone needs to get involved if they want to see a change. Your money pays for the park, it's employees and funds the wildlife studies and the laws derived from that. The NPS has to be reminded that they work for us and that we. all of us are the rightful owners of the park therefore we should be granted tyhe rights to vote on it's use and regulation. The advisory committee is a good ol boy network. Being appointed by sitting memebers is reprehensible. Membership on that committee should be by popular vote and ballot. With each interest whether scientific, fisherman, orv enthusiast or conservation and law enforcement being put to the public scrutiny and vote. That committee is a sham.

There are corridors closed for no good reason and the public comment in a public forum should not be squandered by reason of time allotment by NPS officials who are there begrudgelingly and don't want to really hear what they will hear. Goverment agencies are funded by the public domain and as such are public servants not above the public in anyway shape or form. They work for us and should work with us, if they don't they should be taken to task to defend thier actions and sent packing if the wrong people are in the wrong place.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Karl F

Back Beah, where did you get your info.. last time I checked they were worried they would make money at the Seashore, (which, they cannot, by Law, at best they can break even, being a Federal agency, it is better for them if they run at a deficit.. so they can get more Fed $ the next fiscal year).

Karl,

I'm estimating the sticker income for CCNS stickers based on their cost and # of stickers. As for expenses, I don't know what it costs to run the OSV portion of the park, but would guess it is significantly greater than sticker revenue.Not sure if they break it out that way so anyone could interpret it and make an informed argument pro/con.

The more I read and hear this stuff, the more I love Rhody......