Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you are interested in on the calendar at wellfleet-ma.gov for details. All meetings are at Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.
Thursday, Feb. 20
- Council on Aging Advisory Board, 9:30 a.m., Adult Community Center
- Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 24
- Nauset Regional School District Budget Subcommittee, 3:30 p.m., Nauset admin. building
- Natural Resources Advisory Board, 5 p.m., online only
Tuesday, Feb. 25
- Nauset Regional High School Council, 4:15 p.m., high school cafeteria
- Select Board, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 26
- Historical Commission, 5 p.m., online only
- Finance Committee, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 27
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Blasch Demolition
The select board held a closed-door session on Feb. 18 to discuss possible legal steps related to the endangered house on a bluff at 1440 Chequessett Neck Road. Paperwork filed with the conservation commission and building dept. indicates that demolition of the house, formerly owned by the Blasch family, is in the works.
Attorney Thomas Moore told the conservation commission last month that the owners of the house refuse to pay an estimated $1 million for the demolition. If coastal erosion strips away just a few more feet of land, parts of the building could wind up in Cape Cod Bay and be carried from there to Wellfleet’s oyster flats.
On Feb. 18, Building Commissioner Victor Staley issued a demolition permit to Richard Spiller, who is an employee of Cape Associates in Eastham, according to Matthew Cole, the company’s president. The owner of the house listed on the permit is CQN Salvage LLC. Attorney Moore told the conservation commission that John G. Bonomi, who bought the house in 2021, had transferred the title to CQN, but no such transfer is listed at the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds.
It is unclear who will pay for the demolition work. —Christine Legere
DeVasto Won’t Run Again
Select board vice chair Michael DeVasto announced on Feb. 18 that he will not be seeking re-election this May. “Serving the community I was raised in has been an honor,” he told the Independent. “During my two terms on the board, we have worked to stabilize the town’s finances, improve transparency in government, and make meaningful progress on affordable housing.”
DeVasto added that he hopes the town will ensure its new wastewater plan “is equitable for all taxpayers” and that he is looking forward to spending more time with his young family.
There are two select board seats on the ballot this year, and incumbent Barbara Carboni has pulled nomination papers for another run. Josh Yeston, a member of the town’s cable internet and cellular service advisory committee, has also taken out papers for the select board race, in which the top two vote-getters will be elected. Candidates have until 5 p.m. on March 7 to pick up nomination papers and until 5 p.m. on March 10 to turn them in.
There will be eight other offices on the May 5 ballot. Dan Silverman is running for re-election as town moderator, and Joan Zukas is running for re-election to the Wellfleet Elementary School Committee. Brian Falvey has pulled papers for an open seat on the cemetery commission, and the two incumbent constables, Michael Parlante and Richard Robicheau, are both running for re-election.
There are two openings on the board of library trustees with only one candidate running so far, incumbent Katie Hickey. So far, no one is running for a five-year seat on the Wellfleet Housing Authority. —Tyler Jager
