Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are remote only, but some are 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, July 25
- Cape Cod Commission, 3 p.m.
- Natural Resources Advisory Board, 3:30 p.m., Town hall basement and online
- Nauset Regional School Committee retreat, 5:30 p.m., Nauset Middle School library conference room
Tuesday, July 30
- Select Board executive session, 6 p.m.
- Select Board working meeting, 7 p.m., Adult Community Center and online
Thursday, Aug. 1
- Maurice’s Campground Planning Committee community conversation, 6 p.m., Adult Community Center
Conversation Starter
A Land Exchange
Much of the discussion at the July 16 select board meeting about a land exchange with the Cape Cod National Seashore that is planned as part of the Herring River Restoration Project revolved around whether the discussion should have taken place in an executive session, which is not public.
Cape Cod National Seashore Supt. Jennifer Flynn and Park Planner Lauren McKean presented an evolving plan to convey easements to the town along low-lying roads on Bound Brook Island as well as to conduct a land exchange for park-owned parcels near Duck Harbor and the Chequessett Neck Road bridge.
The granting of easements consisting of about eight acres along low-lying roads would enable the town to raise portions of Old County, Bound Brook Island, Pole Dike, and High Toss roads.
The town is also hoping to gain access to two parcels of land, one for the creation of a parking lot next to the Chequessett Neck Bridge and another for river access at the bridge. The town is planning on giving the Park 2.45 acres next to Williams Pond in exchange.
The details of the exchange, first hammered out two years ago in executive session, were put on pause when select board member Ryan Curley raised an objection, saying the discussion belonged in executive session. Discussions about land exchanges are exempt from the Open Meeting Law, he said. And there was a technicality, he added: “The board has not voted to move it out of executive session.”
Select board vice chair Michael DeVasto said that the board had already decided on proposing the Williams Pond parcel and thus didn’t need to meet in executive session. “I don’t really see why this can’t be in public session,” DeVasto said.
Curley called for a point of order, telling DeVasto, “You shouldn’t be discussing what was discussed in an executive session.”
Town Counsel Katherine Klein of KP Law told the board that she thought the parcel had been agreed upon and came out of executive session, “but apparently not.”
According to Herring River Restoration Project coordinator Carole Ridley, the town will be developing articles for the various easements and land exchanges for this fall’s special town meeting warrant.
The select board will hold an executive session on July 30 to discuss the land exchange with the National Park Service. —Sam Pollak
