Some Provincetown meetings are in-person only, some are remote only, and some are a hybrid where you can choose to participate in person or through a remote link. Go to provincetown-ma.gov, click on the meeting you want to watch, and follow the instructions on the agenda.
Thursday, Sept. 2
- Library Trustees, 6 p.m., remote
- Public Landscape Committee, 3 p.m., Town Hall
Tuesday, Sept. 7
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 8
- Local Comprehensive Planning Committee, 1 p.m., remote
- Public Pier Corp. Board, 5 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 9
- Planning Board, 6 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Masks Advised
Last week, the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) was fined $300 by the town because some guests at a town hall party sponsored by a vape-device manufacturer and the nonprofit were not wearing masks.
But Town Manager Alex Morse has now downgraded the indoor mask mandate to an “advisory.” The mask requirement had been in place since July 26 following a Covid-19 outbreak that made national news.
On Aug. 31, Morse stated there were only three Covid cases in town. For three weeks prior to that date, he added, the case count had been under 10. The positive test rate dropped from a high of 15.1 percent on July 15 to 2.3 percent on Aug. 30, Morse said.
Monitoring of Covid cases by the town will continue, he added.
The more relaxed mask rule won’t help PAX, which sells vaping devices, and the PBG, which hosted 500 people at an Aug. 19 dance party dubbed “Love Prism” with DJ Ty Sunderland at town hall.
According to advertising by PAX, vaccinations and masks were required, and a commercial-grade air filtration system was brought in for the event.
But Aaron Hobart, Provincetown’s code compliance officer, said he stood outside that night and witnessed video of some people not wearing masks while indoors.
This event was so large that Hobart ruled it warranted the highest allowable fine, $300. Most participants did wear face masks, Hobart said. But “with 500 people, even with 90 percent compliance, that is still a lot of people.”
As it turned out, this was the only fine given out during the summer 2021 mask mandate, Hobart said.
“I was really proud of the businesses this summer,” he added. —K.C. Myers