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5/28

Hello all Members-

Well, we did get two good boating and beach days this weekend and the other two saw no rainfall (just wind) - so not bad for a Memorial Day weekend. I literally wore everything at one point this weekend - long pants, coat, long sleeve shirt, short sleeve shirt, shorts, tank top, bathing suit. Not sure I did all of that in a weekend before.

I think Dan Short and his beach crew did a great job getting the beach ready for the weekend.
During the last several years, we have done so much better with stickers on boats. We checked a couple of times this weekend and there were only 2-3 boats in the marina that did not have stickers - and I was told they do have the insurance; they just did not have a chance to get sticker or put sticker on. The first weekend it is hard to remember everything so we gave a little break, but all boats - especially the ones that currently are in the marina with no stickers - need stickers this next weekend as we do need to enforce this. This will include turning off key cards. Boats really can't go in the water without stickers on them.

 
A reminder that no trailers (with or without a boat) or vehicles are allowed in the marina overnight. This did occur this weekend, but it was addressed. I just want to make sure others who saw that think it is ok and may want to start parking vehicles overnight down there. It is not allowed.

I do want to address a possible misunderstanding - all material at shed is not for public use. You can certainly ask the harbormaster if can have materials or lumber if not being used or not needed and I am sure he will provide you if surplus. We did have lumber taken that was needed for dock/catwalk use. I hope that person who did this communicates to me the mistake. This is a warning for all of us as doing that is technically theft from the CMBC. We will be putting a fence up in back to avoid these scenarios.

I do have one issue that full disclosure really upset me. We are trying to find ways to keep beach cleaner longer and find ways to clean beach more frequently without spending the $5000 for one beach clean up as we did last year. We are progressing extremely well with this.  One technique is renting the equipment and using it ourselves (not me of course!). Also,  Dan Short has his beach crew working on ideas. Another pilot program we are doing is we installed 2 firepits.  We are hoping this prevents seeing burnt driftwood scattered all over the beach and confined to just the firepits. Also, it helps with safety as people - especially children - then do not walk on hot embers. Apparently, this did happen at least once last Summer.

Those who know me  probably could guess correctly my initial reaction when a member texted me the above photo around 1pm yesterday (Memorial Day) as I don't know in any universe where bottles or cans (in this case cans) can burn like a piece of driftwood and have embers that eventually disintegrate into the sand and/or get dispersed days later with the wind.
I also was sent a photo of a firepit before being used for a fire that had trash in it (cans). THESE ARE NOT TRASH CANS! We  are looking  to find ways to mark  them  for fire use only.
We do not have park rangers or workers that clean up burnt or unburnt trash in these firepits. Volunteers would have to do that. As much as I did not think we need to provide guidelines, please remember this:

• Firepits are not to be used for trash cans before, during or after a fire.
• ONLY DRIFTWOOD IS ALLOWED TO BE THROWN IN FIRES!
• Please bring a trash bag to your fire as only burnt and cooled embers should be left.
  

As much as it pains me to do this, we will be patrolling the fires to see if a member/associate is at the fire and then check the fire for debris and then of course check the next day the status of the firepit. This a warning to all so the next time this is violated, there will be consequences.
Technically, this is littering our beach that we maintain. 
I am sorry for the negativity, but we worked hard to get beach ready as weather limited our time to do this and we were really excited about the firepits.
I hope that group/ person that did this has a chance to share with me that it won't happen again.

I am hopeful and confident that these were just a few mistakes due to it being a long time since we have enjoyed the marina and beach and we are just a little "rusty".  I am sure these reminders will help reduce the issues moving forward and won't be problems for the rest of the season. Thanks

Gerry Baffone

Commodore

   C.M.B.C.