“We must protect the vitality of our community character … We would like to preserve the traditional access to our waterfront over private lands. … Too often these traditional access points are closed off without any warning, thus straining the fabric of our community.”

This is from the brochure “Harpswell’s Working Waterfronts,” available at the Harpswell Town Hall. This is what selectmen and selectwomen and town administrators wrote for all of us to see and know.

When reading this kind of language, we can trust that they will make the right decisions for the public interest, and not for a few landowners who come from different parts of the country and do not understand what creates this community.

However, the stand — or should I say, the passive stand — selectmen have chosen to take so far is proof of their lack of interest in this matter.

My husband and I have owned a cottage on Bailey Island for 13 years; before that, we rented from Sea Escape for seven years. So we are very familiar with Cedar Beach, where we go regularly with our children, granddaughter and any friends who come to visit.

We are not Harpswell voters, but our taxes support this town and its school system. We don’t make decisions for you, but we help finance the ones you make. We also support Harpswell businesses and charities.

We have heard many stories told by our good friend, Steve Johnson, who grew up here and is a pillar of the community. Listening to him talk about his youth has helped us understand the history of Harpswell.

We came here because of the nature of the island atmosphere and the feeling of freedom to use its beautiful ocean coast. Steve has endless stories about his growing up on Cedar Beach, Mackerel Cove and the local area; of people moving freely from one property to the next.

They are colorful, sometimes serious and, most of the time, funny stories. This is what people like us enjoy and want to keep enjoying. It is what creates this community.

It was very clear during Town Meeting last year that more than a majority of Harpswell voters were behind the public right to use Cedar Beach. They appropriated $250,000 to buy a Cedar Beach access road. No conditions should have been placed on that sale.

Realistically, tourists come to the beach a very short amount of time. When you look at the real usage of the beach, you realize property owners are complaining about a very small part of the year when the beach is visited by residents and tourists. Subtract September to May, high tide every two days, foggy days, rainy days and when the above-mentioned are away, and it all amounts to a short season.

Who uses the beach? Mostly children with their parents.

We are on Earth a very short time — each of us — and no one should feel the right to own it at the expense of others.

A few feel entitled to change history and renege on contracts they have signed. In this case, their sense of ownership is misplaced and it is officials’ responsibility to protect the rights of the public at large.

I have received emails and a phone call from selectmen assuring us that they were on our side — but the fact is, what transpired this spring and summer, they chose not to act. They have not taken seriously warnings about the unreliability and lack of good faith of the Aspatores and Betsy Atkins’s lawyer.

As you can see, we are appalled and frustrated by the lack of action by selectmen. However, it is not too late for them to join our force and help us correct the situation.

Our association has started the legal steps; we expect selectmen and the town lawyer to step up and do what is right for the interests of the majority and not let the few wealthy ruin a gorgeous place where every one could get along and enjoy nature that is offered to all.

Based on what was said during the Land Trust meeting in August, the town lawyer does not believe we have a strong case, selectmen, therefore, did not think the town should spend the money to keep the public access to Cedar Beach.

My suggestion is for you to ask the community their opinion on whether the money should be spent — or not. It is not your decision to make.

One of the solutions, I respectfully suggest, is to write a special warrant article to ask for money, which would help us defer the expense of lawsuits.

With a warrant article, the decision is not yours. It puts the responsibility and the final say to the public at large. Written by you, the selectmen/women, it will demonstrate your said willingness and support in this matter.

MARIE-CLAIRE WHEELER, of Bailey Island, is a retired teacher from New Hampshire, where she lives most of the year.