Pimping Out Gloucester

Enduring Gloucester 26 Comments
Ten Pound Island. Photo Courtesy Laurel Tarantino

Ten Pound Island.
Photo Courtesy Laurel Tarantino

February 2016

A favorite quote of mine is one by Zelda Fitzgerald (1889~1948), “Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold.”  I so understand this.  Science tells us that it’s impossible to die from a broken heart.   I beg to differ; it sure feels like it sometimes, especially when you keep taking blow after blow, seems like the damage can be irreparable.

With friends, my heart fills with gladness for all that we have and share.   These same friends have my best interest at hand when I’m sad for personal reasons.  They’ll turn me around to see the positive impact I have on people that count on me and need me.  Sometimes it’s hard to be needed.

I just took another blow to the heart again Tuesday night.  I need more than my friends for repairs this time. Before I let the tragic issues of the world get the better of me and turn me into a cynical old woman that roams the streets hurrrmmping through life, I reach out to you, anyone that may be reading this.

The injury this time, for lack of a better description, “The Pimping out of Gloucester,” in particular, Ten Pound Island, with total disregard for nature and its needs.  Where do we draw the line?  When are we going to say, “You know what, enough is enough?” When every inch of it is sold off to the highest bidder?

Put before the Waterways Board Tuesday night was a proposal for a float system on Ten Pound Island.  Sounds like a good idea, right?   It would give people access to the island, a place for people to tie up their boats, a place where people could take the Shuttle service every hour.   They even talked about tying it in with other activities…   yoga, the sailing program, the arts.  To me it sounds like another idea with an amusement park like theme.  In fact, the proposal was called “Harbor Park.”

My apologies, I’m starting to sound cynical, I can feel it.  I can’t help myself, when not one member of the board asked about the environmental impact to the area.  No one brought up the fact that the island is a safe haven for hundreds of birds, birds that migrate there, nest, roost and raise their young there.

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“Why shouldn’t everyone be allowed to enjoy the island?” has been a question on social media.  The answer to that is that everyone can.  People visit the island now by kayak, row boat, sail boat, paddle boards and small motor boats and all these folk seem to be very respectful of the area.  They seem to understand the term “Carry In, Carry Out,” without having signs posted to tell them to do so.  As it is now, the small boat traffic is about all the island can handle.  I find the people that visit truly leave the island as they found it.  If you open the area to an unlimited number of people for adventure I feel it would be incredibly hazardous to the environment.  In the 90’s there was a shuttle you could catch a ride on that left you on the beach.  During that time, my husband and I saw an increase in litter, dirty diapers strewn into the plant life that grows beyond the wall, human feces, an overflowing trash barrel that never got emptied, a neglected picnic table that usually had the aftermath of someone’s lunch on it, basically signs of an uncaring public.

I psyched myself up to go to this meeting Tuesday night and speak on behalf of the birds, as they have no voice in City Hall.  This was going to be a great feat for me, as I’m petrified of public speaking, but I was willing to sacrifice my comfort.  I was mortified when the meeting started with the Chair Person commenting, “I don’t know why all these people are here, for what issue, but I can tell you, there will be no public input.”  I had my courage and couldn’t do anything with it and I was letting the birds down.

If you’ve never visited Ten Pound Island, you may not know what a beautiful sanctuary it is for several species of birds.

Snow Egrets. Photo Courtesy Laurel Tarantino

 

From late April to late October, there are Snowy Egrets that adorn the treetops in such numbers that I often refer to them as Christmas ornaments.

There are Great Egrets, Black Crowned Night Herons, Crows and occasional songbirds in the trees as well.  Along the rocks you might be entertained by the sweet little Purple Sandpipers as they dab for small crustaceans while outrunning the splash of a small wave.  Common Eiders scurry down the rocks and jump in to have a swim.  Of course, there are the ever present Seagulls and Cormorants.   All these lovely creatures can be seen if you take a quiet ride around the island in a boat.

There are also birds that nest on the ground in the interior of the island.  One must be ever aware of their footing or they could very well harm the nest of a Mallard Duck sitting on her eggs.  You might destroy an entire family of Canadian Geese if you’re not being careful,

Just Hatched Canadian Goslings. Photo Credit Denise Foley

since they may not always be sitting on their eggs, you might traipse right through them without their snarling warning.  The Herring Gulls will distract your attention away from your footing to the sky as they swarm you to protect their nests, which are plentiful along the cliffs and on the ground.

I fear it will be disastrous for the birds if people are arriving every hour.  In this day of cell phones with cameras, I’m afraid that this safe haven will slowly disappear and be replaced by 54 “Likes” on Facebook, because people will have to walk through the homes of these beautiful creatures in order to get a sought after photo of the Lighthouse.  What will happen to the babies once they’re hatched?  They’re so incredibly cute, I can see someone trying to catch one, which wouldn’t be very hard to do, since they have no defense against us humans.

Juvenile Flounder. Photo Credit Laurel Tarantino

Juvenile Flounder.
Photo Credit Laurel Tarantino

What will happen to the thriving ecosystem in the water that surrounds the Island when you have a motor boat arriving several times a day, everyday of the week?  I cringe to think of it.

I’ll end this long winded rant with another quote, this time from Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Please help stop the giving away of Gloucester.  Believe me when I say (sadly) there are more great plans being drawn, but great for who is what needs to be asked.

***************************************

To learn more about the Audubon (IBA) Important Bird Areas, which Ten Pound Island is part of, visit the following site:

Massachusetts Audubon – Conservation

Locally, here is the link to our city offices should you like to contact them with your concerns on this or any other issue:

Gloucester, MA – Official Website

 

Laurel TarantinoLaurel Tarantino, writer, is happy to live in her hometown, Gloucester, with her husband, James,”Jimmy T,” daughter Marina Bella, and the family dog, Sport. She is known for “stopping to smell the roses” and loves to photograph and write about her beloved waterfront community.

 

 

26 thoughts on “Pimping Out Gloucester”

  1. I have written to the Waterways Board. Here’s what I wrote:

    To: Members of the Gloucester Waterways Board

    I presume you have read Laurel Tarantino’s piece in “Enduring Gloucester.

    I want you to know that she speaks for me and for many people I know. If fact she probably speaks for hundreds of Gloucester residents.

    Please listen. Do not “sell out” 10 Pound Island. We MUST protect our delicate ecosystems, not sell them!

    Additionally I have two questions I’d like answered:

    1) Why was no public input allowed at the meeting Laurel attended?

    2) Why are there agendas posted for meetings, but no minutes posted since October 2015? Are you hiding something? or just being negligent of your duty?

    Ed Mowrey

    Gloucester Resident

    Artist, Nature Lover, Registered Voter, Concerned Citizen

    – – – – – – – – –

    Ed Mowrey

    PO Box 156

    Gloucester, MA, 01931

    781-608-6274 (Call or plain text)

    Skype: ed.mowrey

    2016 Happy Dance!

    (Dec 2014 Original by Ed Mowrey, acrylic on paper)

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    • Thank You Kind Sir, not only for your response to me, but for writing the WWB as well. Getting so caught up in everyday life, I miss a lot, I appreciate your bringing the attention to how the minutes not being posted since October. Good question: “Why is that?” I look forward to seeing some of your artwork.
      ~ Laurel

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    • I recently stumbled upon this conversation quite by accident. My name is Cate Banks and I consider myself to be a Waterways Board member who is on a “leave of absence”, as opposed to a “former” member of the Board (I opted to not seek re-appointment when my last term ended in February 2013) As such I am compelled to address a few of the comments.

      But first I want to applaud you, Laurel, for mustering your courage to attend the meeting with the intent to speak for the birds. I know how passionate you are and how difficult it is for you to get up in front of the public. I truly appreciate that you keep getting up there for various issues.

      I also would like to thank Mr. Mowrey for addressing the Board directly. Input from the public is essential and that is why I want to address the two questions you asked in your letter to the board. I will do them one at a time.

      Question 1) “Why was no public input allowed at the meeting Laurel attended?”

      My answer, which I have tried to condense and be brief, is that while the Open Meeting Laws are very specific, there are other reasons for not taking public comments. The most important is to follow the process so that the entire community has an equal chance to understand and comment.

      The process in a case such as this, with a presentation from members of the community offering a proposal to alter a public space, is for the board to be given an overview of the proposal* and then vote to send the proposal to the appropriate committee. This is outlined in Gloucester Code or Ordinances Chapter 10 Sec. 10-4 (a). *If the presentation is incomplete then the presenters are sent back to the drawing board and/or to other city departments or governing bodies before the Waterways Board votes on sending the item to a committee.

      The next steps are that the Committee meets and makes a recommendation to the full Board who might then vote to send the issue to public hearing. Sometimes there are multiple rounds of meetings

      The public is more than welcome to attend all of these meetings, and, yes, Damon, there have been times when the public is allowed to speak but it is entirely at the discretion of the chairperson. That is clearly stated in the Open Meeting law. The circumstances to allow. or not to allow, public input are too numerous to list here.

      The time when we all get to speak equally is, in theory, at the public hearing. I was at that City Council meeting, Laurel, and was horrified by how the public was treated.

      Question 2) “Why are there agendas posted for meetings, but no minutes posted since October 2015? Are you hiding something? or just being negligent of your duty?”

      This question is what really got my attention. The question in the first sentence is great, take that question to the Mayor. The second question was not only insulting to the Board but particularly offensive to me.

      The Board has pushed for years to get the minutes posted for the public to see on a timely basis.

      After I stepped down from my position as a volunteer on the Waterways Board I then volunteered for many hours in the Harbormaster’s office. I took the, difficult to understand. instructions that the IT department had provided regarding posting minutes and carefully revised them. I then walked the clerk through the process so that the approved minutes would be clearly posted every month.

      Have you looked at the archives of the WWB minutes and noticed that there is a period when there are lots of minutes posted, with clear identifiers that help the public know which minutes they are looking for?

      I did that for folks like you. I also look to read the minutes and am unhappy that I do not see them.

      I would prefer that you try to understand my, and the Boards, frustration that this process is not being carried out by the clerk, rather than throw insults.

      Furthermore, it DOES make a difference as to who is responsible for getting the minutes posted when there are nine volunteer citizens of the Waterways Board calling for the minutes to be posted and yet it doesn’t get done. As I said, take the issue of the posting of minutes up with the Mayor.

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  2. Laurel, you are not alone, and there are professional Loraxes who speak for the birds and can back it up with authority and data as a complement to your eloquently stated concerns. The breeding and roosting populations on Ten Pound are well documented, and the expected consequences of the inevitable degradation of habitat that results from human recreational presence is likely to be quantifiable, because it’s been studied in so many instances. Our policy makers need accurate information and forecasts to do their jobs, as well as a sympathetic understanding of the values of their constituents. I’m going to see what I can do to ensure awareness of the Waterways proposal at several conservation organizations who could supply that complementary voice.

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  3. Oh how you have educated Laurel and not sure why there was no public input for a project so important to our city and our lives.

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  4. Laurel, thank you for the lovely description of this natural treasure. I had no idea there was such volume and variety of bird species there! I also hope Ten Pound’s natural habitat can be preserved, and I’m sure your voice will be an important part of that. Please don’t be discouraged by the procedural realities of the government process. There will be opportunity for public input if there’s ever an actual proposal brought forward to comment on. The fact is, government bodies have to abide by certain procedures, for the benefit of all of us. Public hearings have to be posted and advertised, so anyone who might want to have a say can do so. Meetings that have not been so posted are not allowed to take public comment. The chairperson here asked the person who brought forward this idea to come back when they actually have something concrete for the board to consider. Other boards and commissions (conservation, for one) will certainly have a say if anything comes of it. Laurel, I commiserate with you – as both a nature lover and someone who also gets nervous speaking at such events – but to assume any part of our city’s leadership is “pimping out Gloucester” because someone brings forward an idea for them to consider is unfair and unwarranted. Using that kind of inflammatory language may rally other concerned citizens to your cause, but it also causes divisiveness and doesn’t help to move the dialogue forward.

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    • Abbie, there was a proposal, “rough stage,” but we got the gist of it. When the chair asked one of the proponents if he needed help with the proposal, the response he got was “Yes, that would be great, I’ll take all the help I can get.”To which the board member said, “Stop by tomorrow, we’ll talk.” It was just like the lot on Fort square, when it went before the planning board, one board member said “This lot screams to have a house on it.” Well, the board members are there to listen to all angles, not just blurt out what a fabulous idea they think it is before hearing what other folks might have to say. I’m sorry if you don’t like the term “Pimping out Gloucester.” When I see what’s headed our way, not just in this proposal, but past and future plans I’m receiving in E-mails, it seemed fitting. I’ve had the gavel come down on me (silencing my truth) in city hall in the middle of my 3 minute allotted time during City Council. I’ve also seen about 100 people put their concerns in writing on the desk at this same meeting, to be read before the council voted. It was apparent that they weren’t going to take anyone’s concerns, except for the proponent on that one, because they went ahead and voted anyway. I agree it’s unfair to say “All” the boards and board members are willing to sell out Gloucester, I’d like to know which ones aren’t, because it’s never transparent. It may not be a pretty phrase, but it got people’s attention and that was my purpose. ~ Laurel

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      • The title, “Pimping out Gloucester,” is an interesting one. It certainly has shock value to the reader, is an ugly thought, and frankly, is rather offensive. Having said that, and because I do not find it to be aimed at any particular person, but rather a mindset, I do not find it to be unwarranted. In fact, the only inaccuracy I might find is that it may be too soft a phrase for the reality of the situation – and not just about the proposal coming forth for Ten Pound Island, but for many, many other proposals, which have come forth in our great city that have effectively devoured the beauty and scenery, which we have been so blessed to be surrounded.

        Should nature and our greatest public commons, the ocean, be enjoyed by everyone? Of course. Should the furtherance of this enjoyment every be done for financial gain or by the allowing of financial gain by selling or approving the “rights” of any public commons to an individual? Never. To do so, is in effect, prostituting Mother Nature.

        Mother Nature is quite beautiful. She is alluring. Her soft curves are provided by her shorelines, her hair flows as the current ebbs and flows, her mountainous peaks provide her bold, yet feminine quality, and every living creature adorns her, as a rare jewel. Thus, she is mesmerizing and sought after by every beholding eye. She is sacred.
        Unfortunately, there will always be those who have never learned to share equally or to “look, but don’t touch.” As such, our strikingly alluring Mother can be likened to a beautiful young girl caught in a bar room full of disregarding lustful predators. The lust, which comes against our Mother, is not a sexual lust, but one of greed. The mindset, which says, “I must own this – and when I do, I will make millions! No one will be able to resist the temptation of this beauty!” When this happens, the public commons is no longer public; it becomes private – sold to the highest bidder. That my friend is prostituting Mother Nature, and those who allow such things are in effect pimping her out.

        We would do well in this situation, as well as the myriad of other global situations that threaten nature and our public commons, to be mindful of the unintended consequences. The intended consequence for nearly all of these situations is driven by the greed for money; however, the unintended consequences are rarely addressed and destruction to our environment and every living creature occurs. Take the situation at hand, who would financially profit from this plan for Ten Pound Island, which positions itself to “allow everyone access” (keeping in mind that everyone is allowed access now). And what are the unintended consequences of this situation? I believe Laurel has pointed out some of those consequence, but I also believe that there are many more that have not been outlined.

        Our public servants should be commended for their volunteerism and willingness to serve the community in which they live; they should also be reminded of their obligation to serve the public, as a whole, not just the portion with the largest bank accounts, or the portion looking to add to their bank accounts. It is good for us to hold our neighbor accountable; to stop every now and then to remind each other of our purpose, our contribution and the possible consequences of our actions.

        Thank you for a great post and for providing a wonderful discussion that has caused me to be mindful of my surroundings.

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  5. My great grandfather was The last lighthouse keeper on the island ,you can stil see remains of the houses foundation. To allow a steady flow of people to the island would damage it’s fragile ecosystem. Please do not allow this to happen.

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    • Thank you for your response David and for appreciating what a steady flow of people would do to this special place. Your Great Grandfather was a lucky man, as far as I’m concerned. I’d jump at the chance to be a lighthouse keeper.
      ~ Laurel

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  6. The Waterways Board graciously responded to my email immediately. Here is the text of their response (written by Tony Gross), and my reply to them today.

    Mr. Mowrey,

    I have no idea where you got the impression that anyone was contemplating to “sell out” Ten Pound Island. The island is a fabulous asset to our beautiful harbor and should always remain under control of the City. It is unfortunate that we live in a culture where people choose to distort the facts by spreading disinformation.

    The only thing we were hearing the other night was the idea of putting a public dock on the island so the PUBLIC can enjoy this beautiful treasure. There were no plans, drawings or real proposal for the Board to respond to. If it is possible, it would be a shame to not let the public, whose asset this is, be able to appreciate this gem. As it stands now only a select privileged few have access to the island and that hardly seems fair.

    Before anything moves forward it is required that it go through the Conservation Commission approval process, where it is hoped the protections of the flora and fauna will be addressed. The Waterways Board has no authority over Ten Pound, it is in the DPW dept. along with all the other parks and public land. While the Harbormaster is the granting authority for 10A float permits, he does not need Board approval for them. If a proposal by the City or anyone else comes before the Board, I will make certain there is an opportunity for a posted, advertised public hearing at that time.

    As for not having public input at the meeting the other night, there was no public hearing posted or advertised as is required by the Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws, which was passed to allow fairness to all. And trust me, if anyone was proposing we sell Ten Pound Island I would be the first one demanding a full public process including public hearings, but no one is proposing that. It is unfortunate that Laurel felt let down and her passion needs to be admired, but as a public body we have laws and procedures we must abide by. I hope she stays engaged so that her voice is heard when there is actually a proposal to comment on.

    The minutes are put on the website by the Harbormaster Department’s clerk and the City Clerk not the Board. Our minutes are approved every month and we have nothing to hide. Quite frankly, I find your accusation rather insulting to the hard working volunteers on the Board.

    Regards,

    Tony Gross

    Tony, and good members of the Waterways Board,

    Thanks for replying. I do not take your work for granted, and I applaud the willingness of the members of the Board to give time to the City the way you do.

    I’m sorry you found some of my words troubling, even insulting. No insults intended. Just a little inquiry about the good work that you are doing.

    Apparently you missed the nuance of my use of the word “sell” and that worries me a little bit, because I do not want this topic polarized by misunderstandings. “Selling out” is not the same thing as “selling”; and no one (that I know of) is accusing the City of “selling” the island. There is no disinformation being spread. (BTW, have you not read “Pimping Out Gloucester” on the Enduring Gloucester blog? My “selling out” is somewhat milder language, wouldn’t you say? Please read that piece, if you haven’t already; but please don’t take it as personally insulting! It’s just a writing advocating for the Birds! Someone has to.)

    I for one, however, (and I’m sure I’m not alone), do indeed consider it a “sell out” to make a spot like 10-Pound Island tourist-accessible. I admit that using the phrase “selling out” in a letter to the Board may have been excess editorializing on my part, but I do feel that changing the island from a limited access piece of nature to a tourist destination is a bit of a sell-out: Clearly one of the motivations for doing so is for the betterment of commerce.

    On your part, however, your choice of “…putting a dock so the PUBLIC can enjoy this beautiful treasure…” might also be deemed excess editorializing. The PUBLIC already can enjoy this treasure, by small boat, kayak, etc. We don’t need to have water taxi and larger boat access in order for the PUBLIC to enjoy it. To call kayakers and canoeists a “select, privileged few” is a bit of an editorial stretch, too. Following that logic you’d have to eventually advocate free transportation and 100% handicapped access to every piece of public “treasure”.

    My intention is to make sure the Waterways Board (among others) is very clear that there are subtle issues involved in a decision to open up our “treasures” (as you correctly call them) to wider access by the public.

    Secondly, you seem to be missing the point about letting the public speak at the meeting. The board could very well have asked for some comments, in the interest of finding out why there was a crowd present. Then you would have escaped the accusation that you weren’t listening. It’s a bit of a rationalization to say that you’re worried about being unfair by letting someone speak at a meeting. I fully understand that there are posting requirements, but those requirements are not violated if you allow some spontaneous comments from members of the public, as long as you limit those comments and balance those moments with additional posted public hearings. To suggest that the public can speak only at meetings which are posted ahead of time as hearings is to suggest that all other meetings are, in effect, closed to public participation. I don’t think that is the intent of the posting requirements. (I could be wrong, but logically it seems that to err a little on the side of openness is arguably a bit healthier than to err on the side of less openness.)

    Finally, as to what you found insulting, i.e. my questioning the possible negligence about minutes being posted in a timely fashion: Is the public’s questioning about the City Government’s possible malfeasance to be considered insulting? It makes no difference who failed to get the minutes posted, they aren’t posted. I suggest the Waterways Board question someone about that and insist on it’s being corrected. Lots of openness about these issues is what’s really needed to be fair to the public, and you clearly are committed to that.

    I (and those who agree with me, whoever and however many they may be, I’m sure) not only appreciate your volunteer efforts, but we are relying on you to protect our “treasures”. Please consider my (our) comments, not as insults, but as genuine concern and our best efforts to support you in protecting the “treasures” of Gloucester.

    Ed Mowrey

    Gloucester Resident

    Artist, Nature Lover, Registered Voter, Concerned Citizen

    – – – – – – – – –

    Ed Mowrey

    PO Box 156

    Gloucester, MA, 01931

    781-608-6274 (Call or plain text)

    Skype: ed.mowrey

    2016 Happy Dance!

    (Dec 2014 Original by Ed Mowrey, acrylic on paper)

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    • Thank you again Mr. Mowrey. It was nice to read the response from Mr. Gross. I certainly wasn’t pointing the finger at anyone or any board of local government in particular, when I say “Pimping out Gloucester.” I drive down the Fort and see what has become of the Birdseye building, and then round the corner and see the new construction in front of my old home and I am just overwhelmed. It just feels like “Bigger is Better” and beauty is getting lost in the shadows. I did get people’s attention, and I am glad for that. As for being privileged to be able to visit Ten Pound Island, I am, and believe me when I say I know how blessed I am. I don’t want to stop folks from the beauty out there, just don’t destroy it or see it as an eyesore, and a place where rats dwell that has to be beautified. See the beauty that is already there and be glad for it.
      ~ Laurel

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  7. I would have to disagree with this particular point of view. I feel like if the park is made into something along the lines of a greenbelt property it could be very nice. That land could use a touch of landscaping, trimming, pruning and cleaning out. It would take the center of the harbor and give it a nice touch as opposed to the overgrown eye sore I ravel by everyday as I go out lobstering. And for people to have access to it at any cost would be a plus for the gloucester economy. I’m all for “pimping out”/ cleaning up one of our most treasured and neglected piece of property.

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    • Greg, I knew that I would get people that disagreed with me, and appreciate that we’re all entitled to our opinions. Your response holds something that I fear most, trimming, pruning, landscaping… all factors that would rob the birds of their protection. The “Overgrown Eyesore” must seem like a palace to these creatures. Thank you for your thoughts.
      ~ Laurel

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  8. I cannot understand the refusal of public input when it directly effects the community in more ways than one. For years now I believe in the statement “one gloucester ” yet in this instance, I am sincerely let down. This isn’t the chairman’s town alone…it’s the community’s and should be allowed a voice. I no longer live in my hometown currently but that doesn’t stop me from thinking Gloucester is one giant family looking out for the well being of everyone…. between this and the back shore planning… officials need to remember who elected them and why.

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  9. I’m in complete agreement regarding Laurel’s statements. The ecosystem on Ten Pound Island is way too precious to disrupt. It should be left as is… free of tourists and trash. Anyone who wants to visit the island can do so. It may take a bit more effort, but that will distinguish those who truly desire to experience nature at its best from “day-trippers” who have no respect for the unique beauty of the Island.

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  10. It is perfectly acceptable for the board to hear testimony from the audience during discussions at Waterways Board Meetings and I have participated in such (non-public hearing) discussions myself. As I understood it, Sefatia’s city government was going to “listen to the people”. That was a major factor in my decision to work for her campaign. What I am reading here does not support that concept.
    Moreover I have been Secretary to city boards. The board with the most frequent meetings over the last few years was one of the ones I took minutes for. I did not have a lot of trouble getting the minutes ready for the next meeting to be approved and then in to the city clerk, and we met every week, not every month. This business of never finding minutes on the city web site is ridiculous. It is not just the Waterways Board, but in fact most of them. Why is the board using harbormaster staff as secretary? They have other things to do. Some boards have a member responsible for taking and posting minutes.

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  11. No public input? The citizens of Gloucester should be up in arms about that! After all, they have a right to speak up — especially in defense of the environment within their borders.

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  13. I just came across this comment that I stated over a year ago on social media in regard to an article by Ernie Morin, seems I was thinking down the right path.

    Laurel Tarantino shared a memory from December 11, 2014.
    December 11, 2015 ·
    What will you miss, Youth of Gloucester? Ernie asks some great questions. If I were 40 years younger, and know what I know now, I’d start trying to preserve Ten Pound Island for the birds, because you know… They’ll take that too!

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  14. To make sure there is a public hearing on this matter of making Ten Pound Island a taxi stop, I am requesting such a hearing, backed up with signatures of other citizens who agree that a hearing is needed–and sooner rather than later, because I hear that the proposal is moving forward without public input.

    If you wish to add your name to the petition, send an email to me ed@edmowrey.com with “Add My Name” in the subject line. Include your name and address, and any comments you’d like to present. I will add your name to the petition, and I will present a copy of your email with the petition. Ed Mowrey

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