NEWBURY — There have been a lot of meetings about the beach erosion problem at Plum Island in the last year or so.
Last night was different. This was personal.
Geri Buzzotta's Northern Boulevard home toppled onto the beach the day before Thanksgiving, totally demolished after it was undermined by high waves.
The loss of a well-liked, 79-year-old neighbor's beachfront house last week undoubtedly was part of the reason for a turnout of more than 350 people to the Morgan Avenue Fire Hall to talk about what can be done to prevent further damage to the island, especially near Plum Island Center.
The gathering was not, however, about recrimination and anger. One after another of the speakers from the audience asked town officials what they could do to help.
The suggestions ranged from blitzing federal officials with e-mails to get them to pay for jetty repairs to volunteering sandbagging crews to deputizing residents to warn gawkers off the dunes.
Members of the Plum Island Foundation, an independent, non-profit group that is working toward renourishing the beach, did a brisk business in getting audience members to sign postcards to the area's Congressional delegation, advocating federal action to resolve the long-standing and deteriorating problem. Foundation President Marc Sarkady urged people to sign the postcards and got many takers.
Police Chief Michael Reilly, who is also Newbury's emergency management director, told the audience that he has notified residents along a stretch on Northern Boulevard near Plum Island Center to be prepared to vacate their homes quickly.
"Certain areas are in imminent danger," he said.
State Sen. Bruce Tarr, who has been working on the Plum Island beach problem for months, summarized the short-, medium- and long-term solutions.
A contractor hired by the town is currently installing a system of giant, 27-foot-long sandbags, which officials hope will get the island through the winter storm season, he said.
The next objective, Tarr said, would be dredging the Merrimack River channel, which would provide some 200,000 cubic yards of sand.
Over the long range, he said, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs to reconstruct the massive stone jetties that define the mouth of the river. The south jetty, on the northern tip of Plum Island, is actually aggravating the erosion problem, selectmen Chairman Vincent Russo said. It is channeling water onto the island, where it scours away the dune.
Russo said the tanking national economy could actually help get money for the anti-erosion measures that are needed. He said President-elect Barack Obama is committed to rebuilding the nation's infrastructure, and elements of the Plum Island dilemma will fit into that goal.
"The president-elect has already said what I hoped he would say," Russo said. "I'm optimistic that our jetties are going to be fixed as part of a WPA-like project."
The Plum Island Foundation has retained the service of Washington lobbyist Howard Marlowe, whose specialty is beach nourishment projects.
Sarkady said Marlowe has succeeded in inserting money into Obama's economic stimulus bill to repair both the south jetty and its northern counterpart on Salisbury Beach.
Newbury Conservation Agent Doug Packer and Newburyport Mayor John Moak both said that the island is receiving better cooperation from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which has in the past forced local authorities to modify plans.
"Unfortunately, maybe it was the house that did it," Moak said. "I believe they've finally seen the light, and they're becoming more cooperative with us. I just hope it's not too late."
Moak also said there are contingency plans in place if an ocean breach on the island threatens the newly installed water and sewer systems. He said specific areas could be shut off without closing down the entire island.
Tarr said watching Buzzotta's house be demolished was a "gut-wrenching" experience.
"It's fair to feel frustrated, but we've got to put that frustration in check so we can move forward," he said.
