From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.
Thursday, Nov. 12
- Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 16
- Dredging Task Force, 7 p.m.
- Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 17
- Emergency Management Team and Select Board Community Update Calls, 10 a.m.
- Cultural Council, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 18
- Conservation Commission, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Covid-19 Update
As of Nov. 4, Wellfleet had one active case of Covid-19, eight cases considered recovered, and one death from the virus.
Cash Crunch
After former Town Accountant Gene Ferrari Jr.’s Sept. 22 dismissal, Wellfleet faced a full-fledged cash shortfall. Now, it seems Treasurer Miriam Spencer has found a solution. Maybe.
The select board voted 5-0 at its Oct. 27 meeting to procure $1,021,395 — exactly enough for the requisite Nauset Regional School District assessment due on Dec. 1 — using short-term internal borrowing from the Community Preservation Committee’s funds.
“Frankly, this has been done by treasurers past: Rosemary Moriarty and Dawn Rickman,” Spencer said. “I’m just trying to be transparent — not that they weren’t being transparent. I just happen to be asking for approval rather than just doing it on my own, which I suppose is definitely not unheard of.”
Spencer’s proposal wasn’t immediately welcomed. “That’s a lot of money for internal borrowing,” said board member Helen Miranda Wilson, who later pointed out that the town likely needed more than a boost of a million dollars. “Is this really possible?”
Finance committee chair Fred Magee expressed doubt at Spencer’s assertion that the town could rely on revenue from tax receipts to fill its coffers back up this winter.
“We are in the holiday season, this is Covid year, we don’t know, really don’t know, how quickly people will pay their money,” Magee said. But Spencer told him his outlook was needlessly “dire.”
In the end, Spencer’s request was approved. But Wellfleet is still without a town accountant, and still facing financial problems.
“I have serious concerns,” said Fire Chief Rich Pauley. “The issues in the accounting department go back before the current town administrator, they go back to the previous town administrator.”
—Josephine de La Bruyère
