Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are held online and 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. 10
- District Wellness Advisory Committee, 3:30 p.m., Nauset Admin. Bldg.
- Local Housing Partnership, 4 p.m.
- Elementary School Committee, 5 p.m.
- Cape Cod Commission, 5 p.m.
- Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m., Lower Cape TV and online
- Zoning Board of Appeals, Adult Community Center and online
Friday, Oct. 11
- Cape Cod Commission, 10 a.m.
Tuesday Oct 15
- Cultural District Steering Committee, 4 p.m., Public Library
Conversation Starters
Upping the Ambulance Fees
The select board on Oct. 1 approved Fire Chief Joseph Capello’s proposal to increase fees for ambulance rides. They will more than double: the average total for an advanced life support ambulance ride was $1,453, including a $15-per-mile charge. The new average total will be $3,081, including a bump to $33 per mile.
Capello said that the fees hadn’t been adjusted since 2006, and the town’s rates lag behind those of surrounding towns. “This is revenue lost,” Capello said, adding that the update is “sorely needed.”
The select board supported the hike, with member Ryan Curley noting that for most people the cost would be covered by insurance. Curley also said that “by increasing the fees, you decrease the expense borne by the taxpayer.”
In Massachusetts, the cost of municipal ambulance rides is twice the national average, according to a 2023 study by the state Health Policy Commission.
Hurricane Helene Relief
The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office is collecting donations for communities damaged by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. A drop-off spot is at the Wellfleet Police Dept., 36 Gross Hill Road.
New and unused items are needed, including clothes, household goods like toilet paper, paper towels, and other cleaning supplies, batteries, toiletries, hygiene products, first aid supplies, flashlights, blankets, brooms, and shovels.
Donations will be accepted through Oct. 12. —Sam Pollak
