Some meetings are in person, some online, and some are both. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch to see if a remote option is available.
Thursday, Jan. 13
- Water & Sewer Board, 2 p.m., Veterans Memorial Community Building
- Public Pier Corp. Board, 4 p.m., Town Hall
- Planning Board, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Monday, Jan. 17
- Housing Authority, 5:30 p.m., virtual
Tuesday, Jan. 18
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 19
- Historic District Commission, 4 p.m.
- School Committee, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 20
- Board of Health, 4 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Conversation Starters
Expanded PCR Testing
State Senators Julian Cyr and Sue Moran and the Barnstable County Health Dept. announced a state-funded Stop the Spread testing program last week, the first one ever to open on Cape Cod.
On Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be free, no-appointment PCR testing at Provincetown Town Hall, in the auditorium on the second floor.
On Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays from 1 to 6 p.m, and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be free, no-appointment PCR testing available at the Melody Tent in Hyannis.
The county health dept. is continuing to offer free PCR testing at the Orleans Dept. of Public Works building on Tuesdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Appointments can be made at barnstablecountyhealth.org.
Quick Update on Rapid Tests
Town Manager Alex Morse told the select board on Monday, Jan. 10 that the town is collaborating with Truro, Wellfleet, and Eastham on a bulk purchase of thousands of rapid tests.
“Our four communities have been working together to put in a bulk order,” said Morse. “We’ll be getting 4,000 rapid tests this week to Provincetown Town Hall. We are in the process of developing a distribution plan that includes staff, members of the public, and businesses that are open in the off-season.”
The tests are being purchased from manufacturers at cost through a program organized by the state Dept. of Public Health. Check the town website for information on where and when to pick up test kits.
Expanded Vaccine Mandate
On Dec. 20, in response to the rise of the Omicron variant, Morse announced an indoor masking mandate; a customer vaccination mandate for patrons of bars, restaurants, indoor fitness, and indoor entertainment venues; and an employee vaccination mandate for workers at those same venues. All of the mandates are in place except the employee vaccination order, which will take effect this Saturday, Jan. 15.
The grace period gave employees time to organize their doses: first dose by Jan. 15, second dose by Feb. 15. When they go into effect, Provincetown will have the most comprehensive vaccine requirements on Cape Cod. —Paul Benson
Online Stress Support
In response to mental-health challenges from the two-year-long pandemic, the Provincetown Covid-19 Task Force is offering weekly drop-in Zoom support groups.
A group for adults begins Monday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. Details of a group for youth (ages 16 to 24) will be announced soon, according Lise King, who co-founded the task force.
Elspeth Slayter, a professor of social work at Salem State University known locally for her work as a leader of the PLOVR activist group, is project manager. The adult sessions will be led by Jeff Driskell, Ph.D., a licensed social worker and professor of social work at Salem State University.
All sessions will take place at this link: https://salemstate.zoom.us/j/82612594409. The passcode is 138237.
Sessions will run for 10 weeks and are free and open to residents of the Outer Cape “and beyond,” King said. —K.C. Myers
