BOSTON — State Sen. Brendan Crighton is the new Senate chairman of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC), comprised of elected officials and community, civic, nonprofit, and business leaders from Boston and the metropolitan region’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities.
“I am honored to be appointed as the Senate Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission because I know the impact that the Commission has had since its inception, in making our beaches cleaner, safer and more accessible. Across the region, we have worked closely with DCR to ensure that resources are in place at all of our Metropolitan Beaches and to support free programming at the beaches with our partners at Save the Harbor, Save the Bay,” Crighton said. The MBC was created in 2006 by the state legislature to take an in-depth look at the metropolitan area’s public beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull that are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
“Senator Crighton has been an important part of the Beaches Commission for many years and as co-chair, he will continue to be a strong advocate for our Metropolitan Beaches from Lynn and Nahant down to Nantasket. He understands the importance of the work that has been done to ensure that our beaches are vibrant civic and recreational assets, as well as economic drivers for their communities. I look forward to working with him in this new role,” stated Mayor Thomas M. McGee, former co-chair of the MBC.
The Commission reconvened in 2013 to examine the impacts of the reforms and recommendations made in its first report “Beaches We Can Be Proud Of” and issued additional findings and recommendations to better leverage these resources for residents in the future in their 2014 report “Waves of Change.”
“Senator Crighton has been an important part of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission since its inception in 2006,” said Patty Foley, President of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. “He is a smart and thoughtful leader who understands the value of our public beaches to his district and all the region’s residents. I am certain he will make a terrific co-chair alongside Rep. RoseLee Vincent of Revere. We look forward to working with him as we continue to put these stunning urban natural resources to work for everyone.”
The MBC is a permanent commission reporting annually to the House and the Senate.