According to someone who attended the Mayor’s Waterfront Task Force meeting, it was well attended. In fact the room at the police station apparently was full. And yes, there was a reporter from the Newburyport Daily News.

Evidently folks like Mary Lou Supple and Albert Decie joined the group. And half the group, as someone explained it to me were “interlopers.”

“Interlopers” work for me.

And yes the Mayor was there and introduced the person, Susan St Pierre (I believe Ms St Pierre is with Vine Associates, 253 Low Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts,) who was to explain why Newburyport’s waterfront could be paved over.

As one would expect there were intelligent challenges made to the fact that somehow the Waterfront could get around Chapter 91. (For an explanation on Chapter 91 see earlier post.)

The Mayor apparently assured everyone that he would make sure that the Waterfront Task Force was posted.

Apparently much has been made out of the fact that this most recent meeting was not posted. At least two people have contacted the District Attorney’a Office and the Ethics Commission. Not good PR for Mayor Moak.

As I understand it, the Mayor told the gathering that the Waterfront Survey, from the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority would be one piece of information and the Waterfront Task Force would be another piece of information that would help guide the fate of this important piece of land.

Of course, this baffles me somewhat. It seems an odd way to govern, if the process of democracy is what one is after.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport