To the editor:

I’m writing this letter in support of the good citizens of Westport that use and enjoy Cherry & Webb beach.

It would seem that the actions of our beach committee consistently punish all for the destructive actions of a few individuals who may or may not be permitted users of the beach. Examples include: only opening one parking lot gate on a beautiful spring weekend as a way to control the disruptive beach parties (I had to wait for someone to leave to be able to park), no trash barrels or port-a-johns even with the beach in full use mid-June resulting in trash left where the barrel would have been and children scrambling up into the dunes (destroying the fragile grass) to urinate, and the most recent as reported in this newspaper – closing the beach at 8 p.m. vs 9 p.m. to stop the “crazy things” that happen.

I understand there are problems but please – deal with the few individuals causing the problems by ticketing those without a pass, policing the beach and using some of the ticket or beach pass funds to hire someone to check the beach/trash/port-a-johns before the time when a full lifeguard staff is available. The beach should not be something only fully accessible two months of the year.

Cherry & Webb beach is a beautiful natural resource for Westporters to enjoy. I plead with you to take a fresh look at how you manage the beach. In grade school I resented the whole class being punished for the actions of a few and I still resent it being done to me as an adult.

Respectfully submitted,

Sue Szekely

Westport