Here’s The Scoop…LBTS Commisioner Noise/ Light 2 Day Field Trip….Fizzles Out…..
May 16, 2009 by Barbara
IT’S NOT NOISY ENOUGH!…
Feeling the noise downtown in LBTS was not at its usual noise level ….the four Commissioners and their trusty Town staff of four called it a night after forty five minutes!…
We hear that on the first night (there were two scheduled 5/15 & 5/16 …three hours each)… Comms. Silverstone, Dodd, Clottey (her usual late self) and Vice Mayor McIntee started out at the Pier parking lot around 7 pm…(The Mayor had a previous commitment and was to join the group on night #2)…The Commission was joined by PIO Steve d’Oliveira who was to videotape their trek throughout the evening…Code Enforcement Officer Kim Williams who is certified to do the decibel meter reading …Office Specialist-Commission meeting Clerk Nikki taking down the minutes…..and Assistant Town Manager John Olinzock to oversee the staff…all on overtime pay…
There was discussion that the music playing at Friday night Jazz on the Square was not loud enough…not its usual rockin’ beat…leaving these “field trippers”…a little “ferklempted” …..As they walked from the parking lot…they encountered the high winds as well as the music…but the decibel meter being used by Ms. Williams had a cover that could separate out the wind noise for a more accurate reading…(3 decibels lower than the one Aruba’s meter was reading…we are told)….They proceeded to get readings 100 feet away from the Village Grille entertainment on the street….and again 200 feet away ( 200 ft. is to be where the decibel level reading will be done according to Comm. Clottey in the new ordinance)…that put them right in front of Oriana by the water fountain nearest to the access to the beach alleyway… near Kilwins…and the Pier Fishing sign by A1A…The readings, we were told averaged between 75 -80 decibels…with the traffic noise on A1A…reading 75!…
After less than an hour it was decided by the Commissioners that the staff should continue on with this exploration …on their own…and then report back to the commission…YIKES!….
Adding to this “fizzled” out “field trip”…was the fact that it was still not dark enough for the fact finders to foray onto to El Mar Drive to check out the lack of lighting during turtle season… So it was decided that staff would deal with this as well…and suggested that they not only check on the lights…or lack thereof from the street …but from the beach…even getting down to sea turtle level on the sand!…(I sure hope Steve d’Oliveira is going to video that!…That would be worth watching!)…
The final decision was to cancel night 2…and with that it was a parting of the ways!….
We hear that on night two… Code Officer Kim Williams returned on her own…did her readings …and waited until the music was played as usual…checking often and getting readings we hear of 89-90…for the Saturday night event…Also finding a normal decibel reading …sans music in the outdoor area was shown to be levels of 70-71….
This writer finds it quite amusing that the Commissioners that are making all the “noise” for wanting this silly ordinance in the first place did not know enough to show up at around 9 pm when the music and the crowds were in full force!…What a waste of time and a waste of the taxpayer’s dollars ….
It’s really time to bite the bullet Commissioners and Town Administration…and quietly walk away from the noise ordinance…the special events ordinance…and the fees wanted to go in a “lock box” from those businesses who provide outdoor entertainment… For if you do not…the quiet we may be left with in town………after they (new ordinances) are on the books……will prove deafening for you at the voting booth in 2010…where voters will let you know loud and clear…just how tone deaf you were!…
more to come…
