A Graceful Moderator
To the editor:
A big thank you to Truro’s new town moderator, Paul Wisotzky, for handling a very contentious town meeting with grace and good humor. After the many delays, voter challenges, and the seriousness of the major articles to be decided in two back-to-back meetings, I was dreading the potential for argument and ill will.
Fortunately, Mr. Wisotzky laid out the ground rules before gaveling the meeting to order and was strict in keeping people on topic and prohibiting any outbursts or applause, which helped keep the tenor of the meeting a little cooler.
By the time the last article was finally voted on and the meeting dismissed on Sunday, I felt very proud of our little town and grateful to Mr. Wisotzky for keeping it all in order.
Annie Ditacchio
North Truro
Stopping the Terror
To the editor:
Article 28 on the May 20 Wellfleet town meeting warrant, entitled “In Support of Enduring Ceasefire in Gaza,” has no place at the annual town meeting. The purpose of town meetings is to make decisions relevant to the operation of the town, not to get involved in world politics.
The group that sponsored this petitioned article needed just 10 signatures to get it on the warrant. That is an absurdly low bar for such a divisive article.
If such resolutions are nevertheless to be considered, they should be fair and balanced. This one is not. It presents just one side of a very complex issue that world leaders at the highest levels of government are challenged to solve.
Any such resolution should be factually accurate, complete, and unbiased. Article 28 is severely slanted. Its purpose is to dupe the community into approving it. It should be changed to present a fair and impartial statement of the relevant facts and to support the safety and well-being of people living in Israel and Gaza alike.
A balanced version of the resolution would condemn Hamas for the murder, rape, and torture of over a thousand innocent people on Oct. 7, 2023, many being elderly, women, or children; call for the immediate eradication of Hamas from Gaza and condemn its stated purpose to kill the Jewish people; call for Hamas leadership to turn itself in for criminal prosecution in Israel; and call for the immediate release of all the hostages Hamas holds.
Only under the above conditions will Hamas no longer have the freedom to operate its terror operation from Gaza, hiding among the citizens and putting them at substantial risk. Release of the hostages will end their use by Hamas as pawns in its terror activities.
Steve Gersten
Wellfleet
Seeing the Suffering
To the editor:
One of the most gut-wrenching accounts of life in Gaza came from an aid worker. While working in the north, he reported that people kept making the universal gesture of hunger to him: lifting one hand, fingers collected, and touching it several times to their lips. It finally dawned on him that they think the world doesn’t know, because otherwise how could they let this be happening?
At the May 20 town meeting, Wellfleet will be voting on a ceasefire resolution in Article 28. It calls for our town to make a formal statement of support for an enduring ceasefire, the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid, restoration of basic services, and release of all hostages. If Article 28 passes, an official document will be delivered to our representatives in the U.S. House and Senate and to Biden administration officials.
While town resolutions such as this one will not bring the war to an end, they are an important reflection of public sentiment and an acknowledgement that we do see the hunger and suffering in Gaza and the prolonged captivity of hostages, and we’re doing everything within our civic power to call an end to it.
Mark Gabriele
Wellfleet
Truro’s Future
To the editor:
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve on the Truro Select Board.
Which of the four candidates running for select board in the May 29 town election guarantee the best future for the town and embody the characteristics of humility and temperament? In my opinion, Nancy Medoff and Susan Girard-Irwin are ideally suited for the position.
Nancy Medoff’s extraordinary business acumen and leadership on Truro’s zoning board of appeals, economic development committee, and charter review committee guarantee Truro’s economic future.
Susan Girard-Irwin’s credentials as a board-certified toxicologist, open space committee cochair, and vice chair on the council on aging board guarantee the future of Truro’s water and families.
Good luck to all, and thanks to our magnificent town hall staff.
John Dundas
Truro
The writer has been a member of the Truro Select Board since 2021. He is not running for re-election.
Girard-Irwin’s Skills
To the editor:
We are writing to endorse the candidacy of Susan Girard-Irwin for Truro Select Board.
Susan is a superbly educated scientist with a Ph.D. in toxicology from Rutgers University. She has had a distinguished career as a leader, facilitator, and communicator. We believe that she is extremely well qualified and will be a welcome addition to our select board.
As a scientist, she relies on gathering and analyzing data and then leading teams to reach consensus and to make well-informed decisions. She has implemented that same style serving Truro as vice chair of the council on aging board, as cochair of the open space committee, and as a team player on the community preservation committee.
Susan is very easy to talk to, listens carefully, and then takes thoughtful action. She spearheaded the revival of the Truro Women’s Birthday Club and the Truro walking group. She has been a longtime volunteer at the Truro Community Kitchen.
One of the skills she developed during her long career was holding people on her team accountable. We think that with this talent we will have less top-down decision-making and more input from committees and citizens.
We believe Susan Girard-Irwin will be a strong leader on the select board and urge Truro citizens to give her one of their two votes for select board.
Ann Courtney
Richard Courtney
Truro
*****
Letters to the Editor
The Provincetown Independent welcomes letters from readers on all subjects. They must be signed with the writer’s name, home address, and telephone number (for verification). Letters will be published only if they have been sent exclusively to the Independent. They should be no more than 300 words and may be edited for clarity, accuracy, conciseness, and good taste. Longer pieces (up to 600 words) may be submitted for consideration as op-ed commentary. Send letters to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 1034, Provincetown, MA 02657. The deadline for letters is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
