WELLFLEET — Monday was a perfect spring evening: warm sunshine lingered, and there was a nice breeze blowing off the bay. While the rest of the Cape was enjoying it, 328 Wellfleet voters filed into the elementary school gym for town meeting.
Moderator Dan Silverman began by announcing new hires, plugging the elementary school’s spaghetti supper fundraiser, and calling for respectful debate.
Then, Silverman read a statement adapted from one posted by Arlington Town Moderator Greg Christiana to his fellow moderators: “Right now, people are afraid. They see a government systematically chilling free speech. The tyranny of fear is setting in. It might seem like a good time to keep your head down and stay quiet, but silence at a time like this would be a grave mistake. Here in New England, we always stood against tyranny, including by votes at town meetings like this, and I hope we always will.” The statement received loud applause.
While the warrant covered everything from the marina enterprise fund to septic system upgrades, there was clearly one subject that people really wanted to talk about: housing.
In an early test of sentiment on the Maurice’s Campground project, an amendment to a budget item being funded by free cash, Brian Stern said, “I don’t know what free cash is. I’ve never had free cash in my life.” He got some laughs.
But when he added, “You can buy someone a house for $250,000,” the response from numerous voices was a hearty “Not in Wellfleet!” Stern’s amendment was shot down.
John Cumbler’s objection to the idea of the select board doubling as sewer commissioners didn’t mince words: “The select board, not always, but sometimes, can be dysfunctional,” he said.
Select board vice chair Michael DeVasto pointed out that Provincetown’s select board is also its sewer commission. “And we all know Provincetown can have its own dysfunction as well,” DeVasto said.
“I think it’s probably not good form to throw shade on our neighboring town,” said Silverman.
“No shade!” DeVasto responded. “I’m just saying.” The article passed.
When Article 26 on Maurice’s Campground finally came, long lines formed at the mics. People had a lot to say, both for and against the project.
K.C. Myers said that the only worthy argument against the development was its potential to affect abutters’ privacy, and that could be addressed in an RFP. “Unless, of course, you consider one other impact on the neighbors, and that’s the cost of Halloween candy that they will need to invest in,” she added.
This received applause and a few boos, which prompted Silverman to remind people not to clap until after the vote.
As the conversation went on, the applause and scattered boos grew in volume, to the moderator’s consternation. When John Cumbler called for the town to “build housing, build it soon, and lots of it,” a few booed loudly.
“I will have none of that!” Silverman said. “You do not boo speakers. You offer everyone the same politeness that was offered to you when you got up to speak. This is a legislative body.”
The meeting had been running for three hours by the time the vote was taken, and it seemed like the remaining articles might go quickly. But then, a nonbinding resolution to devote 80 percent of short-term rental tax funds to the affordable housing trust resulted in 25 minutes of debate followed by a close vote.
“I hate to have to count at this hour,” Silverman said as the clock ticked to 9:30 p.m., “but I cannot tell.” As the count progressed, one person in the audience whined, “I want to go home.” The article failed — the only one to do so.
The meeting lasted four hours. Afterward, Tim Olsen called town meeting “torture by democracy.”
Just before adjourning, Silverman had a few announcements to make: both DeVasto and finance committee member Fred Magee would be retiring. Even as everyone itched to get home, there was still time to give the two one last round of applause — and this time, Silverman had no objection.
