If you have small children you MUST read this review (I have a 4 year old and 6 month old)! The actions taken by George of the Misquamicut Fire District (that controls the Pleasant View beach) took included threatening several families with small children and endangering the safety of two month old child. My review is a bit lengthy but it is a must read and this could happen to you. I will also state that none of the families were drinking, one father is a federal correction officer and another is an Army and Federal
In mid-July 2014, my family, along with several other families staying at the Pleasant View went to the beach around 11am. One of the Misquamicut Fire District workers politely asked us when we arrived at the beach to not set up close to the water since we had large umbrellas and we followed their direction. The reason for the large umbellas & clamshell tents are everyone has babies under 1 year old and clamshells provide a safe environment for breast feeding and napping. There is a large dry erase sign board displayed at the beach access point restricting surf boards, ball playing, etc. but there was nothing stated about large umbrellas.
After we were set up at the beach a young girl working for the Misquamicut Fire District came over and asked us to take the tents down. We stated that we had complied with the earlier direction and not set up near the water and our baby was sleeping under the umbrella. A mother was breastfeeding her two month old in the tent next to us. We asked to speak with a manager to discuss the situation.
A few minutes later an older man, George (Last name unknown), wearing a Misquamicut Fire District polo shirt came running over. He began yelling and pointing in my wife's face (who was sitting in the tent with a sleeping baby) stating she had to get out of the tent or he was going to tear it down. My wife stated that the tent is our property and to take his hands off of it. Next George went to the clamshell tent were a woman was breastfeeding her baby. He began yelling at her and physically pulling the tent. If he had succeeded in knocking over the tent before her husband confronted George the woman and baby could have been injured. Now the woman's husband was very upset but maintained his composure. At this point George stormed off and a few minutes later the Westerly Police arrived! The three husbands went over to speak with police officers and discuss the situation. The Westerly Police politely listened to our side of the story but they clearly knew George and it did not matter what we said. Now, after George basically threatened our wives, the police kicked all of our families off of the beach. The mother who George almost toppled in the tent tried to file a complaint against George but the Officer stated while he was yelling and pointing at her he never touched her and when he tried to knock the tent over he never touched her. The officer stated George's actions were not criminal and since the woman's husband cursed at George, we were all in the wrong (Perfect example of small town collusion!) Yes, three different families, two of which were staying at the Pleasant View, could not go the beach any longer. The Police said they would allow us to go to another beach where there are no lifeguards but I have young kids and chose this location because it has lifeguards!
The greatest outrage came as we were packing up. As the Police waited in the distance for us to leave like we were a bunch of criminals, George came over to gloat stating "Take as much time as you need to pack up, I will be here until you are gone! Look who won you mother XXXXXX". I honestly think George wanted to get into a physical altercation which is odd since he is an older man with a pot belly and the three gentlemen are all young fathers in physically demanding lines of work.
One family was eventually allowed to stay since they owned a house and pay town taxes, but after being humiliated like a pack of criminals they also left the beach. The family's grandmother went over to the police to try and clarify the situation and George proceeded to be extremely rude to her until she stated she was on a town council close by.
Yes, this can happen to you. If you are a father, just image what you would do if someone began screaming at your wife and tried to rip up the umbrella she was breastfeeding your 2 month old baby under.
I am happy to answer any questions the MFD has; I assume this isn't the 1st complaint received against George. I believe his full name is George Maynard, Beach Manager, of the Misquamicut Fire District based on fire district notes awarding appreciation bonuses to him. Funny that in a time of fiscal constraints, and increasing Misquamicut taxes, this guy was issued several bonuses in 2013 and 2014.
As a child I went to this beach with my family and have brought my family to Misquamicut for the past few years, but never again. read more