In the aftermath of historic storms that ravaged coastal communities, the newly formed People of Pine Point, Inc. is stepping up to coordinate disaster relief efforts and advocate for the protection and improvement of the Pine Point community.
The association, led by Chairperson Heidi Davis and President Mark Dresser, says they aim to represent the residents of Pine Point with a unified voice. Davis emphasized the importance of collaboration among the nine board members and five officers, and said, “We are fortunate that the Board reflects the composition of the residents of Pine Point. There are multi-generational, full time residents plus seasonal residents plus members that are ocean facing and those facing the marsh plus those living in the interior. This diverse board of directors afford this new association the opportunity to speak as a single voice helping the Town understand and address the issues affecting this community.”
“In our first meeting as a board and newly appointed officer group on Jan. 30 we commissioned an ad hoc group of two officers and three board members” regarding the storms and their effects, Dresser said. “This committee will meet … with our State Senator Stacy Brenner and House Rep Sophie Warren with technical experts on next steps,” he added.
Key objectives, he said, include confirming damage assessments, securing disaster relief, and updating FEMA maps.
“The recent storms were unprecedented in their forces with winds, higher tides and sea surge,” Dresser said. “By the end of the storm, all roads to Pine Point were closed down, homes facing the ocean were floored from sea surge, homes facing the marsh were flooded or damaged by the tide tides while the interior homes on Pine Point were experiencing flooding as the result of high water tables caused by the sea surge.”
“These two recent storms demonstrated the need for an association as this with a role to support and assist the Town to recover and sustain these storms better while minimizing damages to the town infrastructure and residents property,” Dresser said. He commended the town officials and businesses for their swift response and noted the importance of community solidarity in overcoming the disaster.
“Given the damage that was done by sea surge, high tides, and resulting high water tables, we realized that something had to be done to better protect the homes along the coast,” Dresser said. “We need to explore all the options and solutions of shoreline stabilization and especially homes off the coast line that are affected by high water tables resulting from the high tides.”
Sophie Warren, a state representative for coastal Scarborough House District 29, echoed Dresser’s concerns, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to protect coastal communities. “We are exploring various targeted approaches to tackle shoreline stabilization in coastal communities such as Scarborough,” Warren said. “These include implementing reinforced infrastructure among our beaches, as well as targeted physical barriers like revetments, seawalls, and tapered riprap structures to shield against sea surge and high tides, safeguarding homes and critical infrastructure that municipalities and utilities rely on,” Warren said.
“Additionally, we are considering investments in beach nourishment projects to fortify natural buffers against wave erosion, thus diminishing the vulnerability of coastal properties to damage,” she said. “Furthermore, our discussions encompass strategies like promoting the restoration of coastal habitats such as wetlands and dunes, which play a pivotal role in absorbing storm surges, stabilizing shorelines, and fostering biodiversity.”
Warren stressed the need for comprehensive planning that incorporates the interests and voices of frontline communities. “Any truly effective approach to these efforts must allow for and promote the interests and voices of frontline communities like mine. In speaking with Town counselors, I know there is awareness of and a push for more climate change and resiliency planning.”
Meanwhile, Scarborough Fire Chief Rich C. Kindelan provided updates on the recovery efforts, noting debris clean-up and ongoing repairs to roads and infrastructure, he said. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency declares the January storms disasters, that “opens financial resources for both public and private damage recovery,” Kindelan said. “This comes in the form of direct reimbursement to municipalities for public damages as well as grants and other similar programs for private residents that suffered damages that are not otherwise covered by insurance.”
For more information, contact: Mark Dresser People of Pine Point, Inc. at 207-671-2995 or PeopleofPinePoint@gmail.com
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