This morning I said “thank you” right out loud, for this beach, this place, this day, this town– and especially the for the Planning Commission and its chair Rob Goldberg who crafted the non-motorized ordinance for the Chilkat Beach at the residents’ request, Mayor Stephanie Scott, and supportive assembly members Debra Schnabel, Dave Berry and Joanne Waterman, and (here is the update for those of you read the first version of this…I’ll explain in a second) Jerry Lapp and Diana Lapham who saved the ordinance for a second public hearing. Please thank them all.
Now to that update– Joanne called to say I had been mistaken in my first blog, and should be sure to thank Jerry and Diana too. I had not realized that they voted with the majority ( 5-1 ) to advance it to a second hearing, as they spoke against it, and were in favor of a previous motion by George Campbell to send it back to the planning commission for more options than this one. That attempt to scuttle it failed 4-3 with the mayor breaking the tie. I couldn’t see all the hands go up from my seat, and had assumed that the vote to move it to the next hearing had gone the same way by the assembly members’ comments. So I apologize to you for getting it wrong, and to Jerry and Diana for misrepresenting them– and want to be sure I thank them and that you do too– As for George? Well, I do love it that he wore his full dress kilt outfit to the meeting. But I’m pretty sure he won’t change his mind. There is still one more public hearing in a few weeks,and I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, when you see Rob, Stephanie, Debra, Dave and Joanne please thank them for being so supportive of the beach values from the beginning, and please thank Jerry and Diana for being open to the possibility of a permanent non-motorized designation and encourage them to help make that happen in the final analysis.
(It’s a babysitting day, so I’m a bit scattered– and honestly, the assembly meetings are a challenge to follow these days, even when, like me, you’ve been on it in the past.)
