Sen. John Kerry, Congressman John Tierney and dozens of other Democrats — elected and unelected alike — met for breakfast Saturday morning at Nicholson Hall at the Greek Orthodox Church.

The breakfast was the third annual for Three Towns and Two Cities, a group organized by the Democratic committees of Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury and West Newbury, and serves as a fundraiser.

The message from most at the event included the eventual unity of the Democratic National Committee once a presidential candidate is finalized. Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue the primary process to win delegates.

"At the end of the day, it is about uniting," state Sen. Steven Baddour, a Clinton supporter, said. "Whoever wins, we all have to unite."

There was also no shortage of cracks at President George Bush and the Republican nominee for president, Sen. John McCain.

Kerry started his speech by saying, "I do have some exciting news this morning: only 282 more days" of Bush's presidency. Later, he said the McCain he knows now is not the senator he had grown to know during his years in Washington.

"He didn't win the (Republican) nomination," Kerry said; "the others lost it."

Kerry also mentioned the need for the money to help fix the Plum Island erosion problem, a subject that he knows about from a recent visit from Mayor John Moak and Vincent Russo, the chairman of Newbury's Board of Selectmen.

The Bay State's junior senator also took time to recognize his sister, Diana, a Temple Street resident who attended the breakfast.

"This is the only time I get to see my family," he said.

Many dozen local Democrats attended the breakfast, including city councilors Ed Cameron, Tom Jones, Barry Connell and Donna Holaday. Others included Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, state Rep. Michael Costello and state Rep. Harriett Stanley.

Ed O'Reilly, an attorney and former Gloucester city councilor who is running against Kerry for the Senate nomination, also attended the event.

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Officials who oversee Coffin's Island Conservation Area, a 23.5-acre plot of land in the Common Pasture, hope to complete a trail system on the land for use this summer.

David Rimmer, chairman of Coffin's Island Stewardship Committee, said the group is looking to a high school senior from Manchester Essex to finish the trail system, which now consists of former logging trails. Rimmer said he was unsure how long the trails will be, but said it was thousands of feet.

"This is an effort to really complete the trail system and make it more accessible to the public. That is the goal and why it was protected," said Rimmer, who is also the director of land stewardship at the Essex County Greenbelt Association.

That land is owned by Newburyport and Newbury, part of a joint effort between the communities to acquire and protect the wooded and wetlands area. The process to acquire the land took years and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Rimmer will go in front of the city's Conservation Commission tomorrow night to discuss the trail. He said the trail they will create will weave among the trees in the wooded area, be a single track and avoid wetlands and steep areas, where most trail erosion occurs.

They are hoping to gain approval for at least a small section of the trail to build a wooden boardwalk across an especially wet section of wetlands.

"It is not going to be a wide trail," he said. "We will weave it through the trees."

Access to the land is off Scotland Road in Newbury. There is room there for off-street parking, Rimmer said.

The conservation commissions of both Newburyport and Newbury have already approved the management plan of the Coffin's Island Stewardship Committee, which included the plans for the trails, Rimmer said. But he added that they are now looking for approval of specifics for the plan.

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During his visit to Newburyport, Gov. Deval Patrick was introduced to many city leaders and residents.

But a handful of people at the Custom House Maritime Museum got some especially prolonged time with the first-term governor. At the end of Patrick's visit Wednesday while on a tour of the downtown with Rep. Michael Costello, the lawmaker took him to the Custom House, where a handful of museum officials were waiting.

Mark Guay, chairman of the Maritime Society that runs the Custom House, took time to show Patrick the views of the Merrimack River from the 173-year-old building's second floor. Caroleann McPherson, the curator of the museum, handed out posters of the building to several of Patrick's staff.

While standing near the window with the view, Patrick also got a look at future plans for the museum, which includes an addition to the rear of the building that could include interactive galleries, public bathrooms and a cafe, among other aspects.

The visit to the Custom House was quick, but Patrick was able — despite running late for another event — to visit several of the museum's gallery rooms.

Patrick's visit was in part to meet with supporters in a closed-door meeting at the Plum Island Roasters and to meet with Costello at his Green Street office.

It also came with a few laughs.

At one point during a tour of downtown when crossing Merrimack Street, Patrick's State Police security detail went into the road to stop busy afternoon traffic and allow the governor and his group — which included Mayor John Moak and Council President James Shanley — to cross unfettered.

"I could get used to this," Moak said. "Usually I have to check four times before crossing."

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The following meetings are scheduled for this week:

Today:

Communications Subcommittee, superintendent's conference room, noon

License and Permits Committee, council chambers, 6:30 p.m.

Public Safety Committee, council chambers, 6:30 p.m.

City Council, council chambers, 7:30 p.m.

Tomorrow:

Design Review, planning department, 10 a.m.

Conservation Commission, council chambers, 7 p.m.

Wednesday:

Retirement Board, City Hall, 9 a.m.

Water Commission, second floor conference room, 5:30 p.m.

Sewer Commission, auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

Planning Board, council chambers, 7 p.m.

Planning and Development Committee, council chambers, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday:

Council on Aging, 40 Water St., 9:30 a.m.

Conservation Commission, council chambers, 5 p.m.

Sewer Commission, 16A Perry Way, 5:30 p.m.

Parks Commission, second floor conference room, 7 p.m.

North Pasture/Wet Meadows Stewardship, library, 7 p.m.

Historical Commission, council chambers, 7:30 p.m.

Friday:

Capital Building Needs Committee, superintendent's conference room, noon

Policy Subcommittee, superintendent's conference room, 1 p.m.

Stephen Tait covers Newburyport city hall for The Daily News. He can be reached at 978-462-6666, ext. 3234, or by e-mail at stait@newburyportnews.com.