House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North
Reading) has appointed Representative Donald Wong (R-Saugus) to serve as his
permanent designee on the Metropolitan Beaches Commission.
Created as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 state budget, the Commission
was recently expanded from 19 to 27 members and is responsible for conducting an
annual review of the existing maintenance, operational and infrastructure needs
of the state’s metropolitan beaches. In
addition to identifying any security measures and capital-intensive repairs
necessary to ensure the future recreational use of these beaches, the Commission
is also charged with examining best management practices and alternative funding
sources – including public-private partnerships and nonprofit entities – to
promote improved water quality and beautification efforts.
“Our state beaches are wonderful natural resources, and
Representative Wong is committed to working with the Metropolitan Beaches
Commission to ensure that they are properly maintained and remain fully
accessible for the enjoyment of all residents,” Representative Jones said in
announcing the appointment.
The 18 metropolitan beaches that fall under the purview of
the Commission include: Nahant Beach in Nahant; Red Rock Park, King’s Beach and
Lynn Beach in Lynn; Revere Beach and Short Beach in Revere; Winthrop Beach in
Winthrop; Constitution Beach, Carson Beach, City Point Beach, M Street Beach,
Pleasure Bay, Malibu Beach, Savin Hill Beach, and Tenean Beach in Boston;
Wollaston Beach and Squantum Point Park in Quincy; and Nantasket Beach in Hull.
“I am honored to be appointed to the Commission,”
Representative Wong said. “The
Commonwealth’s beaches are among our most valuable resources and deserve our
strongest efforts to promote improved water quality and to maintain the beaches’
beauty for generations to come.”
In addition to Representative Wong, the Commission is
comprised of 11 other state legislators; 1 member appointed by the Governor or
the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs; 1 member appointed by the
Commissioner of Conservation and Recreation; and 3 members appointed by the
Mayor of Boston, including 1 resident each from East Boston, Dorchester and
South Boston. The Commission also
includes 6 members representing the communities of Lynn, Nahant, Revere,
Winthrop, Quincy and Hull, and 4 members representing the philanthropic,
non-profit, business and academic communities in the Greater Boston area.
The Commission is responsible for holding annual hearings to
solicit testimony from interested stakeholders, including local municipalities,
non-profit organizations, friends’ groups, and business and community leaders. The Commission is also required to file an
annual report containing its recommendations with the Senate and House chairs
of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture,
and the clerks of the two legislative branches.
Representative Wong represents the
Ninth Essex District, which includes
portions of Saugus, Lynn and Wakefield.
A former Saugus Town Meeting member and past Chairman of the Saugus
Board of Selectmen, Representative Wong is currently serving his third term in
the Massachusetts Legislature.
