Brendan Strum, a resident property owner and small businessman, had put the question to the board before. But whether he's ever gotten a definitive answer from the entire board is anyone's guess.
Strum told the board there was a division in the town (over the nourishment project) and that actions by the board were driving the wedge deeper. He said .."I would ask the board, if this (petition) doesn't work..are we going to stop, or are we going to continue to spend money to get around the wishes of the nonresident property owners and the residents who can vote; and continue to drive that wedge deeper?"
Sadler said, that beach nourishment has not divided the town any more than any other hot topic. She added that, "this is an engineered project that is supposed to last ten years and possibly longer, so let's stop referring to this as a two or three or five year plan to put sand on the beach."
Sadler ended her remarks by saying, ""Let me state again., I am not opposed to raising (ad valorem) taxes to some extent to be used for future beach nourishment. If you don't like the way people you put in office do, next election, you vote us out."
In the opinion of EOD, somewhere deep down in Commissioner Sadler's mind, she really thinks the reason she was re-elected was because the majority of voters in the Town of Nags Head, not only wants beach nourishment, they also want to pay for it. Go figure.
There, there was Mayor Bob Oakes' reply. "I don't have a Plan B."
15 comments:
Seems to me that Dare County politicians should foresee somewhat of a revolution to their continual ignorance that they are a REPRESENTATIVE of the people. This is not a communist country. You Commissioners were placed in that position to speak FOR the people not AS the people. From Dare County, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, and Southern Shores, there is about to be a serious gut-check to these self absorbed people. If the people say they don't want it, then they don't want it. Each of these Commissioners boards I named have at least one quality person serving. I am personally asking THOSE individuals to stand up and be heard. You may only be one vote but we citizens will take notice that you have the courage and strength to stand up for your citizenry.
Umm, excuse me Mrs. Sadler, but you did NOT get voted in last time. I believe you ran unopposed. AND you only received 17% of the votes, IIRC.
Wow! You won by a landslide against NO ONE. Boy, what a "mandate" by the people, huh?
Just because no one had the time or inclination to run against you last time does NOT mean we actually voted you in.
Please remember this distinction.
Oh please, we NH residents already know Sadler "doesn't care what the voters think."
Boy, oh boy, do I wish I had lived a perfectly clean younger adulthood so I could run for office. These days, the mud that gets slung during elections is so vociferous that it would be a terrible thing to endure just to try to help my hometown...
No wonder nobody runs for anything anymore! Who the hell wants to run for office in this political climate? It's a sad Catch-22.
Where did they find these elected officials ??? I agree with a statement in a previous post -- lack of news reporting has allowed these characters to take over.
There were four candidates for commissioner in Nags Head in the last election. Commissioners Sadler and Remaley both won convincingly against anti-nourishment candidates. Let's at least get the facts right.
My opinion-if the people that are most affected by erosion can't support the current petition proposal, the town should focus its efforts on maintaining a clean and usable beach, by removing private structures from the public trust area. If you don't nourish, you have to retreat. Otherwise we end up with a beach lined with sandbags and blocked by homes.
Bob,
I would like to invite you to give us a detailed explanation of the word "retreat" as used by members of your board.
Unfortunately, the word is loosely used by proponents of beach nourishment in a hysterical way, as if retreat means a mass exodus away from the beach. We all know this is not true.
Isn't it time towns like Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills started acting responsibily and begin giving folks their vision for what "retreat" really means?
Mr. Oakes, in the event your petition does not pass, I'd like to offer my company services to your town.
For just 36 million, wait, make that 28 million, and, you also get a 15% discount, I can engineer a solution where you only lose a row of houses every 35 years even in the highest erosion places.
At that pace, Nags Head will have plenty of beach for hundreds of years. My engineered system is guaranteed. Your tax base will not shrink any faster than you can build new houses a little farther inland.
I absolutely will give you your money back if you lose houses faster than at that rate.
We'll be in touch.
I read this post - was speechless - and then went on a hunt for that little joker icon and couldn't find it.
Really Ms. Sadler?
And Mr. Oakes that beach clean upshould have started a long time ago. The fact that those derelict houses and exposed septic tanks are allowed to exist is beyond my comprehension.
WOW, the last time I heard a politician tell the voters "if you dont like the way I do it, vote me out" was Arlen Spector and THEY DID!
Ms. Sadler, the much to your ignorance, the people of Nags Head are not stupid - as you indicate. Start planning your political retirement, if we have to elect Gumby, we will vote you out - just as you have asked for!
Bob O.
I agree that something must be done regarding beach nourishment, however, how can the Town of Nags Head justify spending over 1 million dollars on this no starter - the Board had to know this was a no starter, it has failed over and over - while the Police and Fire has had their pay frozen for several years? I just do not understand throwing money away when we could use that money to pay our valued public safety employees.
Yes the beach is why we have an economy. The beach will always be here, it may be a little further east but still here non the less.
I think that unless the Board starts to listen to the citizens that put them there, changes at the next election will be very surprising. You can not continue to ignore the citizens who have elected you and expect no recourse.
Read the CTimes yesterday..says in their Oct 6 meeting the NH commissioners voted to get rid of the 50% rule? Is this a trade off to garner votes for their BN? Why are they opening the door to more insurance losses and unsustainable building? They mentioned most of the homes affected were older homes, I'm guessing that by now those homes are in a non viable spot with no good reason to rebuild, certainly not to rebuild BIGGER, also a provision. This rule was put in place with good reason in more reasonable times. Were those reasons addressed? I understand they will argue it will create jobs but at what cost and with no guarantee the jobs will be local. No more time to write, but it sure seems fishy to me. Shortsighted greed in action again.
Hey Nags Head residents, you heard the lady, VOTE HER OUT!
"If you don't nourish, you have to retreat."
You should at least have the sense to acknowledge the nature and dynamics of barrier island migration as you continue to fight the inevitability of nature's toll, all the while wanting to piss money into the Atlantic.
It is unfortunate that those that are elected by the people, for the people, have such negative attitudes. This is not the first time that Mrs. Sadler has made such comments and she continues to be in her position of power. I am certain that she will be elected again and if she is voted out, there is probably some loop hole to put her in another spot.
It really sucks that the problem houses remain standing because the owners cannot recoup any insurance loss claims until the dwellings wash away.
If those owners could get some kind of recompense for moving the houses, then maybe the Town would have better luck convincing them to demolish or move the eyesores before the become so badly compromised and dangerous/unhealthy for everyone.
Ms. Sadler,I will make it my mission in life you never hold office in Nags Head again. Even a trained monkey knows hardened structures enhance erosion. Remember what the groin did to protect the Hatteras Light. Within 2 years the parking lot to the south of the light was gone. If you want to preserve South Nags Head, Your first priority should be to get rid of the sandbags. But no, that almighty tax dollar is too important. Remember, there will always be an oceanfront.
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