Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are remote only, but some are being held in person. Go to www.wellfleet-ma.gov/calendar and click on the meeting you want to watch, then follow the instructions on the agenda.
Thursday, Oct. 20
- Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 24
- Dredging Task Force, 7 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Oysters Are for More Than Eating
OysterFest returned with sold-out crowds and perfect weather Oct. 15 and 16. The income earned at the shoulder season attraction will help town business owners and shellfishermen throughout the winter.
But on the shellfish flats, there is another bounty. The discarded shells from thousands of oysters and clams eaten at the festival provide tons of shells for oyster seed, or spat, to grow.
In 2011, the state Div. of Marine Fisheries approved a shell-recycling program to collect the discarded shells and return them to the bay. That year, a team of volunteers collected 4.4 tons of shells and returned an estimated 324,000 live spat to Wellfleet Harbor, according to a project summary provided by SPAT, the nonprofit that produces the OysterFest.
The number of shells recycled grew with the festival’s success. Over the years, organizers estimate the program has diverted more than 40 tons of shell from the solid waste stream.
Data collected through the town’s wild oyster reef spawning study show return of shells to the harbor has created substrate for millions of oysters and improved harvests significantly, according to the program summary.
Take a Housing Survey
Wellfleet is currently in the process of updating its Housing Production Plan (HPP), which helps towns find the best ways to meet housing needs and shape the location, type, and design of developments to come, according to an announcement from Assistant Town Administrator Rebecca Roughley.
Consultants at JM Goldson want you to get involved and help shape the plan. The project team has just launched a community survey. It is posted at surveymonkey.com/r/WellfleetHPP.
In December there will be a forum to discuss initial survey findings and offer a place for residents to share their thoughts. —K.C. Myers
