Positive signs on Plum Island Page | of 8 ‘vy. Dialily8News Positive signs on Plum Island March 23, 2010 03:59 am. Ws encouraging to see that in crisis, government agencies and the people they are empowered to assist can come together quickly and find solutions. ‘That was the outcome of Friday's emergency meeting on the latest woes the land is suffering. A new area of erosion has suddenly emerged tothe south of the Beach Center, and each passing storm rips away et the already savaged dune. There area least three homes in immediate threat. Officials from the federal and state government, 88 wel s local officials and dozens of Plum Islanders, came ‘up with four actions that can be taken immediately by islanders to save the dune. One ofthe actions — burying enormous hay bales inthe sand — isa previously untried technique and may hold moch promise. ‘This may halt the ongoing erosion and allow the beach to naturally "heal," asit does in the summer months ‘when gentler waves push eroded sand back onto the beach, Plum Islanders can tip their hats to state Sen. Bruce Tarr, the Gloucester Republican whose ability to pull ‘people together, hen keep them focused and productive is truly inspirational. Tarr chaired Friday's meeting at Plum Island Taxpayers Hall — ashe has co-chared many meetings inthe past — with his usual style of ‘humor, postive attitude anda sense of purpose. Without strong leadership, tis effort would be mired in, infighting. If there's discouragement tobe had, its in the godlike-pedesta that state bureaucrats have comfortably perched themselves on. As Plum Isianders pleaded to try an old practice that has worked inthe past — bulldozing sand from the low tide mark to the dunes — they were rejected with theoretical arguments of why itmay do harm, or met with silence. As ifreading mysterious tea leaves, state Rep. Mike Costello, D- "Newburypor, transated to those in attendance thatthe bureaucrats sting a few heads down the table from him — or regulators,” as they are called — probably woulda't budge on bullizing. But we should be ‘thankful tht they were willing to quickly grant four of the five measures that were proposed, (Outside, after the meeting «small gathering of islanders expressed thee frustration, noting tat for years they had used tis low-cost and quick fx onthe beac. Typically is been done without the public spending a dime ‘ont, they said. They each discussed how much money they would be willing to put up to help pay for it It certainly puts a different twist on the commonly held belie thet islanders want the general public to pay {enormous costs to save their homes, ‘Wouldn't taxpayers appreciate a low- or no-cost solution tothe island's problems? Why can this tred-and- ttue solution be pursued? Those are questions the "regulators" ought to be answering, Albert Einstein once warmed that "Bureaucracy isthe death ofall sound work” Certainly his words could ‘echo in Plum Island hal Copyright © 1999-2010 en, ine. Inup d/w ste wburyportnews.comn/puopinion/local_story 081230958 humlresources. print... 3/23/2010