Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Provincetown are in-person, typically with an online-attendance option for both committee members and residents. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to an agenda and details.
Thursday, Dec. 15
- Board of Health, 4 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Monday, Dec. 19
- Housing Workshop, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Tuesday, Dec. 20
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 21
- Historic District Commission, 3:30 p.m., Town Hall
Thursday, Dec. 22
- Planning Board, 6 p.m., Town Hall
Conversation Starters
New Community Development Director
Tim Famulare, the town’s environmental planner and conservation agent, will become the new community development director next month. David Gardner, the current director and assistant town manager who also served twice as interim town manager, will be retiring in late January.
The High Price of Sweeping
The select board approved a 6.8-percent increase in the town’s tourism budget on Monday, bringing it to $1,025,000 — but not before a lengthy discussion of changes it would like to see in the near future. Among them: a doubling of the town’s expenditure on public beautification, from $15,000 per year to $30,000 and improvements in how the town cares for its public spaces.
“Compared to other places I’ve visited, Provincetown looks like a dump,” Chair David Abramson said. “The bike rack at the tourism office looks like no one has cleaned around that in five years. You go to Quebec City and walk around — they have regular sweeping and cleaning.”
“Istanbul looks better,” said board member Louise Venden. “It’s just not OK. I’m talking about our tourism office. It needs paint, and it’s full of holes, and we need to do better.”
Members also wanted more detailed information about the events that receive matching marketing grants from the tourism budget and how effective they are at bringing traffic to town. Vice Chair John Golden said that Single Women’s Weekend receives a $5,000 matching marketing grant and brings hardly anyone to town, while Memorial Day weekend, which immediately follows, receives no tourism money and brings thousands of single women to town.
Board members also complimented the town’s recent efforts to expand and target its marketing, particularly to young people, and asked for more ways to help bring young people to town. —Paul Benson
