Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Provincetown are held in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to an agenda and details. All meetings are at Town Hall unless otherwise noted.
Thursday, Feb. 15
- Board of Health, 4 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 19
Town Hall closed for Presidents’ Day
Tuesday, Feb. 20
- Airport Commission, 2 p.m.
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 21
- Historic District Commission, 3:30 p.m.
- Public Pier Corp. Board, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 22
- Planning Board, 6 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Expanding the Housing Office
The select board discussed expanding the town’s housing office at its meeting on Feb. 12.
The Year-Round Market-Rate Rental Housing Trust has repeatedly asked for a staff person who could be focused on its needs and ambitions. But without enough work to justify a full-time position, the trust hasn’t posted a job opening.
Town Manager Alex Morse presented a part-time position that would work for the trust and also help with other needs in the housing office. About 10 hours of the person’s time every week would be dedicated to the trust, Morse said, while another 10 hours would go to other projects.
Select board chair Dave Abramson was worried this would result in a reprise of an earlier problem: the lack of a person who was solely focused on the trust. Member Leslie Sandberg worried that too many assignments could set up the person in this new position to fail; she said the job description should be more tightly written.
Morse said that putting the new position in the housing office would allow the trust to call on the expertise of other people in that office. Sandberg said that perhaps having the trust contract with the housing office, rather than having one particular employee, would work just as well.
The board approved an appropriation of $40,000 from the housing fund to finance the position. The money will be allocated to the Year-Round Market-Rate Rental Housing Trust, which can then allocate it back to the town.
Police Station Open House
An open house for tours of the new police station will be offered on March 20 at noon, Town Manager Alex Morse told the select board. “Hopefully people can take a lunch break and come join us,” he said. —Paul Benson
