The purchase of 9 acres of mangrove natural area for the town of Ocean Ridge is one of those decisions where I saw a whole town come together and show what living in this paradise really means. It is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community to make a real impact on preserving what we treasure.
I am thrilled that I had the privilege to be sitting on the dais for this momentous decision and thank the community and my fellow commissioners for coming out and saying yes to the purchase.
Ultimately we may be spending a few more dollars in property taxes each year, but the reward of knowing that there are 9 acres of mangrove forest and wetland that will never be developed surely is worth that. A town united has set the tone for the county, state and national levels by saying, “Yes, we do care about the environment and nature and the species that co-inhabit our community.”
Moving the mayor’s gavel
In Ocean Ridge, the mayor is elected by the five serving commissioners. The mayor’s role is to preside over commission meetings, with his or her voice having the same power as that of the other four members.
Given that Geoff Pugh, Steve Coz and Kristine de Haseth all have served as mayor, it was the most logical choice to have Susan Hurlburt, next in seniority, serve in this role.
I would like to thank Kristine de Haseth for her exceptional service in the position as mayor. Her leadership within town as well as at the League of Cities and other civic organizations has given our residents exceptional representation. We could not have picked a better mayor two years ago and I am proud of having been the swing vote.
Under Kristine’s leadership we have moved from being a town with deferred maintenance to being a proactive town tackling items that are not easy and not cheap, yet need to be done.
I am looking forward to Susan Hurlburt as our new mayor, to continue this journey and to represent our town at the state and national levels.
Martin Wiescholek
Commissioner, Ocean Ridge
Comments
The message is clear. If you don't have a high level of income, a huge nest egg, or are living on a fixed income focused on moderate spending, this is not the town for you. OR needs residents who are willing to pay more taxes. It's the price of sequestering property and curtailing development. Pull up the ladder....Ocean Ridge has enough folks on board.