Westport in brief - June 19, 2011

Westport in Brief!

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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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EverythingWestport.com

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Select Board sound bites. In a surprise visit, Westport's most highly decorated WWII veteran, Leo St. Onge, appeared before the board and thanked the Selectman for attending his bridge dedication ceremony last Friday.

Thank you Leo for your bravery and humility, and your outstanding service.

In another surprise visit, Jordan's Way residents, not having their way with A & E Metals Recycling and Packaging and really heated, showed up in an unscheduled appearance before last night's board meeting, and contributed to a near four-hour meeting marathon.

The group of disaffected homeowners led by neighborhood's spokesperson, Joel Sullivan, complained vociferously of a two-year battle with the town to address their concerns over noise, suspected toxic smoke and foul fumes, and reported metal flakes of apocalyptic proportions that are in the air. They criticized that the town for dragging its feet while "we can't go outside our houses."

"Our quality of life has been lost" voiced one woman. "We can't use our back yard patio."

"The business has only been here for nine months" countered A&E spokesperson Clifford Read, A & E Metals’ safety, environmental and publicity officer. "We are in compliance with DEP requirements."

"We don't have the authority to issue a cease and desist," select board chair Richard Spirlet told the group of irate Jordan's Way home owners. "We need to gather more information."

Selectmen unanimously approved a motion to hold a public hearing with the abutters, A & E Metals, and with representatives from the Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Building Inspector. The hearing is set for Monday, July 25th at 6 p.m..

The wind is up over the Central Village turbine.

Westport resident and former Energy Commission member Ed Goldberg's appearance before the board to discuss the Energy Committee brought an immediate and irate objection by Energy Committee member Brian Valcourt.

Valcourt's threat to file an ethics complaint over a possible open meeting law violation prompted Selectmen to ask Goldberg if he would care to reschedule his appearance. Goldberg readily agreed and will appear at a future Selectmen's meeting.

Valcourt, in attendance with other Energy Committee members, felt they couldn't engage Goldberg's presentation because they had a forum in attendance and hadn't announced a meeting 48 hours in advance, breaking the open meeting law. He demanded the Energy Committee receive a full review of Goldberg's intended presentation material prior to the meeting.

Goldberg is an opponent of the Energy Committee's proposed wind turbine location (Central Village) and has actively spoken against it in previous meetings.

Beach Avenue to get a locked gate, for now.

Following the recommendations of the Beach Avenue Subcommittee, Selectmen voted unanimously to allow the Westport Harbor Neighborhood Association to temporarily install a locked gate with keys available to the town's fire, police, and highway department personnel, as well as land owners along Beach Avenue. Pedestrian traffic is open and encouraged by the Selectmen and safety officials.

Westport's Beach Avenue Subcommittee is tackling anew the thorny issue of the shifting sands and shuffling boulders of this picturesque seaside road that is pitting Acoaxet abutters against the public's right of passage.

Selectmen had again closed Beach Road for 30 days on Tuesday, May 31 on a vote of 4 to 1. Acoaxet resident Tim Agnew of the Westport Harbor Neighborhood Association made a compelling argument at that meeting to restrict vehicular activity on the town road. But Westport residents should have access said select board chair Richard Spirlet.

Beach Avenue Subcommittee reports.

Westport selectman Tony Vieira is now heading the subcommittee's effort to resolve once and for all what should be done with the controversial road. In a subcommittee meeting last week chaired by Vieira, Westport's Fire Chief and Police Chief both expressed concerns over vehicular safety and encouraged the temporary gating of the road.

Jeff Bull of the Town's Beach Committee said the road should be opened and the oceanfront enjoyed by all town residents, as the area is easily assessable by both seniors and handicapped individuals. Unfortunately, for now parking is an issue.

Brian Corey, Jr. representing Black Rock Beach, LLC, an abutter, said that the area's three-mile parking ban from the Atlantic Ocean basically creates a "gated community" where "residents can drive through but not stop."

The Westport Land Trust's Director, Peggy Stevens, said the Trust welcomes passive recreation on the conservation land. The land was obtained through private donors, as was the town-owned parcel (see picture right.)

The Town Administrator and Highway Surveyor sparred over the needed reconstruction of Beach Avenue with Jack Sisson saying the Highway Department is backed up in road reconstruction and needed funding, and Michael Coughlin saying that money had been allocated in the budget for such an effort.

Town Administrator Coughlin noted the town is under a DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) consent order to hire an outside consultant to create a set of guidelines to be used by the Highway Department when doing road reconstruction in environmentally sensitive areas like Beach Avenue and East Beach Road.

Chairman Vieira put into motion plans to investigate fulfilling that requirement and, with the unanimous agreement of the committee, said he would put forth a motion in the upcoming Selectmen's meeting (June 13) to have the homeowners' association install a temporary gate with the intent to investigate reconstructing the road and opening it to traffic with some parking available at the entrance and the town landing.

Left: Beach Avenue looking east to the Nubble. Right: town landing at the intersection of Beach Avenue and Acoaxet Road.

Beach Avenue past the temporary rock blockade with the Nubble in the background.

Left: Diman Regional Vocational Superintendent of Schools, Marta Montleon, received a citation thanking the school's efforts for student activity performing volunteer maintenance work on town and non-profit properties. Right: Westport's Veterans Agent Ron Costa announced his retirement but said he would stay on until Labor Day.

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