the great rake debate history:

 

lets examine parts of the original minutes of the January 2015 meeting of the palm beach civic club: 

 

(entries of those minutes are in bold italics)

  

1.Domingo Fernandez asked if there could be a survey for future comparison on beach raking, to show damage through the years; that is if raking still continues.

 ----------old studies of raking in this area are apples and oranges. the old methods of backhoes and bulldozers are over and the new method of raking without removing sand is in. you will have to look outside the area to get history for the new method.......

 

.....but wait! Texas A&M did a study on raking seaweed on Galveston beaches in 2006 and here is the summary of that study:

 

"This study looks at the geomorphic and ecological impact of cleaning Sargassum spp. off of the forebeach on Galveston Island, Texas. The results show that beach raking did not significantly change the elevation of raked beaches, when compared with unraked beaches, over a two year time period. The study also indicates that although there are many pelagic species found in the sargassum, most pelagic fauna are dead and not using the sargassum for habitat once it is on the beach. Raking and depositing the sargassum into new locations likely affects the terrestrial Orchestia spp. the most negatively (a detritivore ‘fly’). In other studies, we have found that raking sargassum and then depositing it at the base of the dunes helps dune vegetation grow; the mechanism of this enhanced growth is through the input of these nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus. Thus, beach raking may be an adequate method for managing sargassum; its ecological benefits are most strongly realized when it first washes up and again, when subsequently placed upon embryonic dunes by humans. However, detritivores are likely impacted by this management activity. More research is needed into the effect of increased tractor traffic upon upon crabs, and into the economic impacts of sargassum upon recreational preferences and beach tourism."

 

in 2014,  president of WGIPOA Jerry Mohn stood at the podium of a monthly WGIPOA meeting and reported that residents all up and down the west end were screaming to get the seaweed removed from the beaches.

 

before that meeting he joked with Gordon Perry about how Gordon had stopped a crew from raking the beach at palm beach that had  a permit from the city and that was payed for by W.est G.alveston I.sland P.roperty O.wners A.ll in Palm Beach.

 

2. ..........to have guest speaker Dr Tom Linton. He is a professor @ A&M & author.

A&M did study last year and stated that Palm Beach had the best beach. He could explain the important factors for why seaweed is so important to beaches.

------we never used the destructive method of beach raking like pirates beach, so we still have a great beach. I always voted against this bad method.

 

3. Reminded the floor that raking was voted down in Meeting of March 24th 2014.  

 --------there was no meeting on march 24, 2014. the club did not start back up until may 10, 2014 after 2 years of inaction.  on that date : 

-a motion to get more information and a bid to clean the seaweed off the beach was made and seconded. On a vote of the members present is was defeated. it's in the minutes!

 

Those sons of the beach (and daughters) have and outdated fear of beach damage that was disproven by a recent Texas A&M study of seaweed on the beach. They have bad info.

 

Some also did not like the number of people a clean beach would introduce to the area. This is just a sharing problem.

 

This did not stop some who wished to enjoy a cleaner beach 

 

The city had streamlined the beach raking rules in 2014. Individuals could get a permit from the city, hire an approved raker who would follow city guide lines. No more long waits and red tape from GLO. 

 

    The Palm Beach Supporters Alliance was created in May 2014 with the idea that frequent renters and others could have an interest is keeping our beach clean and raked.      To this end they applied and received a permit from the city to rake the beach in front of Palm Beach from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day and hired  Beachside Environmental to rake following extensive guidelines and procedures  issued by  the city.

 

      Karen Ware is the president and Marilyn Bridges is the Secretary/Treasurer .  They are both property members in Palm Beach. Visit their website at:    http://www.palmbeachsupportersalliance.org

 

4. Michelle Fernandez brought up the fact that after the raking the sand is not solid, very mushy and hard to walk on. Is very dangerous for elderly and hard to walk on. Not a stable surface

---- the sand is more stable than that sand in the dunes you crossed over to get to this part of the beach.

---with the seaweed in place you cannot walk there anyway. so now you can when raked. --------Gordon was able to drive his golf cart on this surface to harass the rakers.

 -----Someone at one of the meetings was sure they were killing baby turtles with raking.

 

                                  stop trying to scare old people !

 

                   Chill out people, our beach got "raked" not "raped"

 

5.  Myrna Reingold suggested that those opposed to beach raking to contact the City of Galveston to inform that they are opposed of raking. Those opposed need to call the city and send letters.

 ------go ahead.

But be completely honest when you call them by saying the following:

 

"MANY OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN PALM BEACH ARE USING THEIR OWN MONEY TO REMOVE THE ROTTING, STINKING, FLY INFESTED SEAWEED FROM THE BEACH AND PUTTING IT IN THE DUNES. I DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS AND I WANT IT STOPPED."

 

.....and do not worry about how crazy you sounds when you say it

 

more property owners (66) in palm beach donated money ($6230.50) to rake the beach than showed up to May 10, 2014 meeting (20) to say no to even  discussing raking.

the remaining 116 residents had no opinion one way or the other about raking.

 

     When the civic club declined to take action on raking the beach, Marilyn Bridges and the alliance went ahead and collected money and started raking.

 

     Myrna stated the July meetings that the alliance had gone against the authority of the civic club by raking.

     I informed her that this civic club had no authority over the beach.

Anyone could get a permit and rake the beach if they had the money.

 

6. Sarah Holm reminded the floor that PBCC is recognized under the Federal Government not only State. PBCC has a 501C4 status. Alliance claims to have a 501C3 unincorporated and is not recognized under the Federal Government & State. PBCC is recognized by Federal Gov. & State

 -------which means that the palm beach civic club is a tax exempt, non profit organization.

they do not pay taxes. has nothing to do with palm beach the subdivision.

      like the boy scouts of america with the same tax free, nonprofit status--- they can do all the good deeds they want in the neighborhood but they don't own it or control it, or accurately represent the people who live there.

      The civic club is more like a small a social club to promote good things in Palm Beach.

 

7. Justin Harker suggested that we look into becoming HOA to have more legal representation.

------translation: Justin Harker and a few others want more control over this neighborhood.

 

8. Gordon Perry suggested that those opposed to write to the City that PBCC is incorporated and recognized by the Federal Government and State. And that PBCC voted down the raking and so therefore should be discontinued.

 -------- translation: our club is tax exempt and non-profit so a few of us in this subdivision want the city to change the rules for raking. that vote: see May 10, 2014 minutes.

 

Gordon went on the beach five times that summer and stopped the rakers ,with permits from the city, from doing the job other homeowners had paid for.

the rakers even tried raking at night to try and keep him away from them

I don't think interference with lawful commerce is even legal. that's why the police told him to stop doing it each time they were called out and caught him in the act

 

9. Justin suggested to email homeowners asking if they are for or against raking

 ------again, more people in palm beach donated money to rake the beach than have ever showed up to a meeting to protest raking.

...... and good luck getting a complete email list of all the homeowners in palm beach.

 

from the July 26, 2014 meeting,  the results of a similar email survey:

 

Melanie put out an email requesting all to email to her their thoughts about raking the beach.

She got 9 Responses and she read them to the group. 

6 were for raking and 3 against.

 

not many of the palm beach residents even bothered to communicate with the civic club by this time. the club was not that important anymore.

 

9. future pot luck meeting 

-----find a recipe for sargassum seaweed. you guys really love the stuff.

 

10. Russell Harper fell and hurt his right shoulder

 ------no one by that name has a house in Palm Beach. I hurt my shoulder about that time. 

 

11. Motion by Justin to have new webpage started as fresh start and for 2/3 officers to have control. Domingo second motion.

--------this very webpage is the one i used for palm beach civic club business. I did not run for reelection.  i would not turn over my "free" jimdo.com webpage , after the elections, to a bunch of beach hugging loonies. especially with all the grammatical errors they said they found.

you have different error problems now......

 

 of the Dues collected each year by the civic club, $550 goes to WIGPOA to be a member and to have a palm beach resident at the table to represent the subdivision.

 

as long as at least 11 residents send in there $50 dollars Palm Beach should be a member of WGIPOA 

 

if this club can get the city in here to do its job, that would be a useful thing

 

if they can unite rather than divide  people,  that would even better

 

otherwise..... mostly petty stuff going on at the small meetings they have each month according to this meeting in January

 

           I CAN SEE A GREAT DIVISION OF LABOR IN PALM BEACH:

 

THE PALM BEACH CIVIC CLUB HANDLES CITY COMPLIANCE NORTH OF THE BEACH

 

THE ALLIANCE KEEPS THE STINKING, TRASH AND BUG INFESTED SEAWEED

      OFF THE BEACH

 

a clean beach is a healthy and enjoyable beach for everyone

I would not want me, my friends, and relatives who visit me to have sit or play around that smelly mess. 

 

AND A MAJORITY OF PROPERTY OWNERS IN PALM BEACH AGREE WITH ME

 

today The sandless raking system has given us a beach that is flourishing, not degraded.