att: Alton residents, re: town beach

[pmj]

For citizens of Alton, there is a petition/poll available to sign regarding the possibility of the town moving forward to secure property for the future development of a town beach. Please see this weeks Baysider for more info.

If you feel that the town should move forward in the process of development of a future town beach please sign the petition poll which, according to the article in the Baysider will be available to sign up until Friday ,August 3, 2007.

Kudos to the Alton Beach Committee who have done a wonderful job with Harmony Park (you used great sand:) !) but Alton does need a beach with safer swimming facilities and expanded parking . Please take the time to stop and read the petition/poll. According to the article in the Baysider,if they do not get enough signatures this effort will be dropped.

Places to sign:
Alton Town Hall
Profile Bank
Meredith Village Savings Bank
Alton Parks and Recreation

Please support the endeavors of the Alton Beach Committee!

[Alton Bay Bob]

As a large tax payer but not a legal resident ... am I able to express my opinion by signing? or not signing? i.e. am I a citizen???

[pmj]

Alton Bay Bob said:As a large tax payer but not a legal resident ... am I able to express my opinion by signing? or not signing? i.e. am I a citizen???

Good question. When we went to the town clerk's office they did ask if we were registered voters but did not check the list so I gathered from that that anyone can sign. If the petition sheets are in businesses, I would think that anyone could sign...the sheet did not specify.
Perhaps someone on the committee could clarify this here.

[nj2nh]

Please, read the other thread on this issue before you sign.

[pmj]

Jersey Girl, just as an fyi, the poll does not specifically mention Echo Point.

[mcdude]

Baysider Article


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=bottom><TD colSpan=2>Alton Beach Committee needs support for next goal
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>by DAWN WALLACE
Alton Beach Committee (http://www.thebaysider.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=DAWN%20WALLACE%3Cbr%3EAlton%2 0Beach%20Committee&-nothing)</TD><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>http://www.thebaysider.com/images/z.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>July 26, 2007
ALTON — When the Alton Beach Committee was formed, we determined to have three primary goals, one of which is under way – the beautification of the Alton Bay Beach. We appreciate the positive feedback regarding the improvements made. If you have not been down to the bay lately, you may be pleasantly surprised to enjoy the shade of Harmony Park or run your feet in the new sand at the beach. We are very proud of these improvements and are ready to approach the realization of our next goal, acquiring a new beach for the town that is family friendly and has good water quality, a minimum of 300 feet of water frontage, a gradual drop to accommodate smaller children, and ample space for parking and recreation.

This rare parcel of land is available but we need your support. We will have a poll at the following locations until Friday Aug. 3: Profile Bank, Meredith Village Savings Bank, Alton Parks and Recreation and the Alton Town Hall. Make the effort to sign the poll if you would like the Beach Committee to pursue this project. If we do not get enough signatures, the effort will be dropped and the opportunity will be missed. Just think, what a positive effect a place like this would be, in a wonderful community like ours.</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>http://www.thebaysider.com/images/z.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.thebaysider.com/images/z.gif

[Winni P]

Jersey Girl, just as an fyi, the poll does not specifically mention Echo Point.

According to the article/petition, there is a specific parcel in mind, but it fails to mention where it is located. Where is it? Is it Echo Point or somewhere else? Why not be fair to the people of Alton and let them know exactly what they are signing...

[mcdude]

The Laconia Daily Sun (known affectionately as the La-Da Sun by FatLazyLess) on Monday 7/30 seems to indicate that the "parcel" is located "in the Robert's Cove area".

ALTON COMMITTEE EYES $3.5m BEACH PURCHASE
by Ray Carbone
....is collecting signatures to see if there's sufficient interest from residents to pursue purchasing an 11.5 acre piece of lakefront property in the Robert's Cove area that would serve as the new town beach. The land, which is currently listed to sell for $5-million, has about 600 feet of shoreline. The parcel is currently assessed for $3 million.
.....this lot shouldn't create interference with a lot of neighbors.

[Little Bear]

Went to Meredith Village Savings today to examine the poll. I think it should have been formatted a bit different, whereby one could sign the poll and cast a vote for either yes or no. The way it was done was simply just to sign if in favor, but in my opinion this does not paint a clear picture of the volume of people against this proposal - including me.

[Argie's Wife]

There was an EXCELLENT editorial in the paper on Thursday by Greg Fuller about the true cost of a town beach...

It's really made me think twice if this is a need and if the timing is good or not for this!

(I'll post snippets of it later, when I have time...)