Some meetings are in-person only, some are remote only, and some are a hybrid where you can go both ways. Go to provincetown-ma.gov, click on the meeting you want to watch, and follow the instructions on the agenda.
Thursday, Oct. 14
- Art Commission, 9 a.m., Town Hall
- Board of Health, 4 p.m., Town Hall
Tuesday, Oct. 19
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 20
- Historic District Commission, 4 p.m., Town Hall
- Human Services Board, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall
Thursday, Oct. 21
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Conversation Starters
Labor Shortage by the Numbers
The town has conducted a “seasonal worker housing needs survey” and found that 70 percent of the 121 business owners who responded to the survey did not have enough employees because of housing issues.
Housing was at the core of the questionnaire that went to businesses in town. The summer of 2021 was exceptional for the shortage of workers due to the skyrocketing cost of real estate. But there was another pandemic-related obstacle: embassies were backed up and could not process as many foreign worker visas.
While almost all respondents (95 percent) said they hired local workers, 55 percent also normally depend on J-1 foreign student visa holders and 34 percent employ H-2B temporary foreign workers.
The labor shortage of 2021 left restaurants, retail shops, hotels, and other businesses with 531 fewer employees than in a normal year, the survey found.
The housing issue has persisted for two decades, and businesses have had to adapt by providing places for their employees to live. The survey results revealed that 60 percent of the businesses responding offer worker housing.
Respondents suggested asked for support for the so-called “Barracks Project,” a private dormitory-style development that is currently tied up in court, or for similar solutions, and for the creation of a centralized clearinghouse for all rentals available in town, among other suggestions. —K.C. Myers
