Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you are interested in on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for details. All meetings are at Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.
Thursday, Aug. 28
- Council on Aging Board of Directors, 9 a.m.
- Board of Health, 3 p.m.
- Finance Committee, 4 p.m.
- Forest Advisory Committee, 5 p.m., public library
- Nauset School Committee, 6 p.m., Nauset Middle School
Sunday, Aug. 31
- Proprietors’ Meeting, 11 a.m., 260 Turnip Field Road
Tuesday, Sept. 2
- Strategic Planning Committee, 11 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 4
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starter
Declaration of Inclusivity
Earlier this month, the Eastham Select Board unanimously approved a statement recognizing “the rights of all individuals to participate in life free from bigotry and intimidation.” The board stated that it “will do everything possible” to protect these rights as defined by the U.S. Constitution and Massachusetts state law.
The declaration stemmed from a request by Robin Huibregtse, who wanted the board to declare Eastham a sanctuary town for transgender and gender-diverse people. Huibregtse told the Independent they were worried that anti-transgender statements from the White House “put the community in danger, as individuals may feel empowered to act on their feelings and fears against us.”
The select board responded positively to Huibregtse’s comments. At its next meeting, Town Manager Jacqui Beebe presented a set of statements adopted by the city of Worcester that established it as a transgender sanctuary. Beebe liked the resolution but found its text too official-sounding for a document with no legal effect. “I don’t think we need to be that formal,” she said.
Select board member Jamie Demetri warned against making the resolution too vague. “It becomes very subjective, and it can be manipulated,” she said. Board member Suzanne Bryan suggested supplementing a less formal declaration with copies of existing laws that support it.
On Aug. 4, the declaration was approved in the form suggested by Bryan back in April. The declaration cites Mass. General Law Ch. 12, Section 111½, which prohibits interference with reproductive and gender-affirming health-care services.
“I’m proud to be a resident of Massachusetts,” Beebe said. “Our attorney general is working hard to preserve the rights of citizens.” —Parker Mumford
