Meetings Ahead
Meetings are held remotely. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch.
Thursday, Aug. 6
- Board of Assessors, 9 a.m.
- Public Pier Corp., 11 a.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7
- Local Comprehensive Planning Committee, 10 a.m.
Conversation Starters
Covid-19 Update
As of July 30, Provincetown had one active case of Covid-19, 30 cases considered recovered, and one death.
Sumner Gets the Job
The Provincetown Select Board last week hired Charlie Sumner to be the interim town manager for the next six months or until a permanent town manager can be found.
Sumner worked as Brewster town administrator for 29 years before retiring in 2015. He is now president of the board of directors of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod and is chair of the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Building Committee. He’s on the board of the Brewster Conservation Trust and Cape Cod Conservation District.
On his resume, Sumner described himself as “a good communicator, who values open government and democratic processes. A team-oriented manager, with a passion for leadership and public service. A results-oriented problem solver, who welcomes challenges.”
The select board is working on a contract and salary, which may be finalized by Aug. 10, according to Elizabeth Paine, the select board’s secretary.
‘Don’t Stop Hazard Pay’
State Rep. Sarah Peake has written a letter urging Stop & Shop to reinstate hazard pay for its frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stop & Shop instituted a 10-percent pay increase for its employees in March. This was to compensate workers for the additional risks they have taken during the pandemic. Stop & Shop discontinued the extra pay on July 4, according to a statement from Peake.
A total of 82 legislators, including state Sen. Julian Cyr of Truro, signed on to Rep. Peake’s letter to Stop & Shop CEO Gordon Reid.
No Blanket Mask Policy
The select board has ruled out requiring masks to be worn all over town 24 hours a day regardless of your ability to stay six feet from others.
On Monday, Dr. Susan Troyan of the town board of health recommended against a suggested expansion of the mandatory mask zone. Troyan said passing someone on the streets presents little risk of transmission of Covid-19. Exercising, on the other hand, is really important and yet difficult when your nose and mouth are covered. The small risk doesn’t outweigh the great benefit of comfortably exercising outdoors, she said.
Based on her advice, the mandatory mask zone will remain the town’s central district, on Commercial Street from Bangs to Franklin streets, on Bradford Street between Gosnold and Standish streets, and out to Lopes Square and MacMillan Pier. —K.C. Myers
