Marjorie Kuhn, President of the Save the Dunes and Beaches Foundation, wrote the following letter to the editor of the Southampton Press. The letter was published in the paper’s Western Edition on August 28th.
On behalf of the Save the Dunes & Beaches Foundation, a warm thank you to those who attended the “Summer Seashell Series” meeting on Saturday, August 16. At this, the third and final installment of this year’s series, coastal geologist, Aram Terchunian and Munistat’s Noah Nadelson presented the nuts and bolts of the plan for Quogue covering the physical and financial components.
Thanks to Mr. Nadelson for his presentation of the project’s financial underpinnings. (“Five Ways To Pay For Work”, August 21). (He arranged bond financing for the Sagaponack, and Bridgehampton projects and has many more credits on his resume.) Thanks, too, to Quogue Mayor Peter Sartorius for allowing this dialogue to continue, and finally, to Aram Terchunian for his scientific and engineering technological explanation of the project.
The displayed map of Long Island was especially effective in showing the necklace of communities engaged in beach nourishment projects from west to east; from Coney Island, first constructed in the early 1900’s to allow for more beach goers— and continuing all the way east to Montauk, with many stops along the way, including neighbors contiguous to Quogue.
It is clear that there is a community shift in the sense that many in the village are beginning to realize the efficacy of what is being proposed as a village-protecting action rather than solely an oceanfront homeowners’ effort. We attempted to provide different scenarios based on financial projections of sharing arrangements as it relates to increased real estate taxes. Hopefully, you all realize this was an acknowledgement that in some way shape or form, those who benefit the most should pay the most.
The SDBF welcomes the opportunity to meet with anybody anytime to continue this important dialogue. It is our hope to arrive at a consensus and make beach nourishment a reality in Quogue.
Marjorie Kuhn
President, Save the Dunes and Beaches Foundation
