Edgartown parks commissioners were praised by town leadership Monday, after providing the select board with a brief review of the department’s first year as stewards of Norton Point.
Norton Point, a dynamic barrier beach, known for being both a habitat for protected wildlife and an ideal location for fishing and recreation, connects Edgartown to Chappaquiddick, and is owned by Dukes County.
It came under stewardship of the Edgartown parks commission earlier this year, after town officials made a successful case for taking over the beach from its longtime manager, the Trustees of Reservations, who’d been stewards of Norton Point since 2006.
“We had a lot to learn out there in the first year … we did a pretty good job, [and] the town came together,” parks commissioner Andy Kelly said Monday. He noted that the commission’s efforts, and parks staff, were greatly supported by a number of town entities.
The parks department reported Monday that 2,079 over-sand vehicle stickers for Norton Point were sold this year, totaling $266,210.
In a memo to the select board, commissioners shared that though the season was successful, it did not come without some challenges, such as finding the balance between over-sand recreational uses and respecting the guidelines for endangered shorebirds, along with navigating severe erosion and the newly formed breach between Norton Point and Chappy.
But, Kelly said, “we know what our ultimate goal is, and we know what our challenges are. We’re in a really good position now to keep moving on forward.”
On Wednesday, parks commissioners will be reviewing applicants for the full-time, year-round beach director, who would be starting the job sometime in December.
Town administrator James Hagerty called the commission’s first year “wildly successful,” and echoed Kelly, who shared that a lot of that success was due to teamwork.
“It goes down to a collective town plan, and ultimately, the positive results of local efforts at the local level to make sure that Norton Point is successful,” he said.
“You guys all did a great job [with an] extremely valuable resource,” added select board member Michael Donaroma.
“The commissioners look forward to continuing our partnership with the County of Dukes County to manage this unique property in Edgartown,” the parks department wrote in its report to the select board, adding, “The commissioners would like to thank the Edgartown highway department, the Edgartown shellfish department, the Edgartown Fire Department, the Edgartown dredge department, the Edgartown Police Department, the Edgartown Select Board, the Edgartown conservation commission, the Edgartown IT department, the staff members, and the citizens of Edgartown.”
Andy Kelly–who I do not know–and his team did a great job. I joined the ZOOM meetings the County Commissioners conducted last year when the County was deciding whether to renew the Trustees lease or not and it was obvious from the first time Andy spoke that he had a plan to benefit the town, the fishermen and women and the OSV folks. Andy gave a masterful demonstration and I, and I assume anyone who watched, knew that the Commissioners had an easy decision to award the lease to the town. Shortly after Andy’s presentation the Trustees withdrew their bid to renew the lease. Congratulations and “thank you” to Andy Kelly and his team. Edgartown is lucky to have them.