To the editor,

Although your article concerning the conservation restriction on Swifts Beach was relatively fair, the comments on your blog site were just horrible. The critics personalize the issue in the extreme.

A few facts:

First: The taking of that land by the Board of Selectmen happened when Mr. Tropeano was a Selectman.

Second: Bruce Sauvageau, Selectman at that time, recused himself from the vote.

Third: In order to pay for the lawsuit that ensued, the CPC agreed to pay the $1 million plus settlement in exchange for a permanent conservation restriction being placed on that land. Without a conservation restriction, the town may be required to repay the million plus funds to the CPC.

Fourth: SBIA’s understanding is that some non-profit group is required by the state to hold the conservation restriction. Although many groups were asked, none accepted the charge. So SBIA stepped in and has spent the last number of years preparing the documentation required to apply to co-hold the restriction with the Town Conservation Commission.

Fifth: It makes sense for those of us who live at and care about Swifts Beach to help conserve this treasure for the whole town. We would gladly step aside if another non-profit group would accept the responsibility. SBIA applied first to the CPC group. CPC found us acceptable. SBIA then applied to the Conservation Commission. They praised how well we prepared our documents. They are very willing to co-hold the restriction with us. Yet when we applied to the Board of Selectmen to co-hold the restriction, we were dismissed as unnecessary.

Opinion: Reading some of the very ugly chat about SBIA and our desire to assist the town makes me not want to put more effort into bettering our community. I doubt that is the intention of either this newspaper or the Board of Selectmen.

The chat has been vicious and highly personal. The issue is the protection of this piece of town owned land, not personalities. I would think that the Board of Selectmen would be interested in working with citizens willing to do the work to protect this beach.

Kate Furler
Member of SBIA Conservation Group