It was infrastructure.
It had done what it had been designed to do.
Protect the fill behind it.
The difference was visible.
My property had lost almost no soil.
The property east of me had lost a substantial section.
Karen's yard was worse.
Her lower grade had exposed a portion of her foundation.
The county ordered immediate stabilization.
When Karen returned, she stood in the middle of her yard wearing rain boots and a white coat.
She looked at the damage.
Then at my wall.
For the first time since I had known her, she said nothing.
Two days later, Karen called an emergency HOA meeting.
The agenda was only one item.
SHORELINE DAMAGE RESPONSE.
More people attended than I had ever seen at an HOA meeting.
The room was full.
Some residents stood along the walls.
Karen sat at the front.
Her usual stack of color charts was absent.
Glenn was there.
He looked uncomfortable.
Garrett sat beside the secretary.
Karen opened the meeting.
“As everyone knows, the recent storm caused unexpected shoreline damage.”
Mrs. Bell raised her hand.
“Unexpected?”
Karen ignored her.
“The association is coordinating with professionals to assess the situation.”
Garrett spoke.
“Which professionals?”
Karen looked at him.
“Our restoration consultant.”
Garrett opened a folder.
“I requested the engineering credentials of the restoration consultant.”
Karen's face tightened.
“Not tonight.”
“It is directly relevant.”
“Not tonight.”
Garrett looked around the room.
Then he placed a document on the table.
“I also requested the financial records related to the shoreline project.”
Karen's voice became sharp.
“This is not the time for internal accounting.”
“It is if we spent eighteen thousand dollars on advice that failed during the first major storm.”
The room went silent.
Glenn shifted in his chair.
Karen turned toward him.
“Glenn?”
He cleared his throat.
“I never claimed to be a coastal engineer.”
That sentence changed everything.
Karen stared at him.
“You presented the restoration plan.”
“Yes.”
“You said vegetation could replace the seawall.”
“I said vegetation could provide long-term stabilization under appropriate conditions.”
“You said one or two growing seasons.”
“I said that was a possibility.”
“You called the plan high-benefit.”
“That was an estimate.”
“Based on what?”
Glenn hesitated.
“Professional experience.”
Someone in the back laughed.
Karen slammed her hand on the table.
“This is not helping.”
“No,” Garrett said quietly.
“It isn't.”
Then the county representative stood.
Daniel Reyes had attended the meeting without announcing himself.
Karen looked startled.
He introduced himself and placed a folder on the table.