Ship’s sewage, Tides’ fire lead Nahant headlines in ’12

NAHANT – Nahant?s pride and joy, its coastline and beaches, were the center of many issues in 2012.This is the second in a series of articles examining how events of 2012 shaped Greater Lynn communities and what the events may mean for 2013.The year 2012 in Nahant began with a changing of the guard as former Town Administrator Mark Cullinan passed the torch to former Saugus Town Administrator Andy Bisignani in January.Bisignani served as the whistle-blower when trash believed to be from a cruise liner washed up on a beach in early August, a story that drew national attention when Habormaster Rob Tibbo found “what appears to be macerated sewage and other possible holding tank waste” along with a room tag from the MS Maasdam, a Holland America cruise ship. Though Holland America denied dumping in Boston waters, residents remained vigilant about the cleanliness of the beaches throughout the summer.The Nahant Life Saving Station continued to be a topic of debate as Short Beach neighbors complained that the station shouldn?t be used as a function hall for rent because of the noise and parking problems it was creating for the neighborhood. A forum was held in October to discuss alternative ideas to generate revenue, and Preservation Trust member Roz Pulio said some of the ideas were being considered.The Short Beach master plan was finished and presented at a meeting on Dec. 4, with recommendations to protect the dunes to save the beach.Tides Restaurant, a North Shore landmark, closed for about three months after an electrical fire in September. A fundraiser raised $20,000 for the employees who were left out of a job, and the restaurant will re-open on Saturday, Dec. 29.The causeway project is on schedule to finish in November 2013. The beach parking lot was closed in September, and by November cars going outbound from Nahant were driving on a makeshift road through the parking lot so crews could finish the causeway?s new street lights and wave wall. The wall separating the Long Beach parking lot from the causeway will only extend to line half the length of the causeway, which sparked concerns with selectmen at a meeting in early December.Other ongoing issues included the Johnson School going without art and music programs for another year, which lead to lower enrollment at the start of school. Community organization 01908 stepped up with complimentary art programs to help students continue to flaunt their creative sides, and the school received $7,000 extra for fiscal year 2013 at the Town Meeting in April. Superintendent Phil Devaux said it could take up to five years for the school to bounce back from the override.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].