The Roach Family Graves
To the editor:
Two things jumped out at me in “House Construction Cuts Close to Burial Site” [May 1, front page]: Gregory Baldwin, the broker, states that a radar survey showed one body, the others being cremations. My research suggests that there are four full burials on the former Roach property: baby Fannie, father Alexander, mother Margaret, and Douglas, a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War whose obituary clearly states that his body was brought home to Provincetown. He was buried with military honors. There are likely eight burials in all, including the cremains of two World War II veterans.
Also, Debra O’Malley of the State Historical Commission states that archeologists can protect graves over 100 years old, but the Roach graves fall short of that. Baby Fannie La Belle Roach died in 1906 at the age of nine months. Her death certificate shows that she is buried in Provincetown, no doubt in the family plot, the first to be buried there.
These developers have desecrated this site. It’s shameful what the town has allowed.
Amy Whorf McGuiggan
Hingham
The writer is author of the Independent’s “Graveyard Shift” column.
Against the Override
To the editor:
I write to encourage Provincetown voters to vote against the $1.4-million override on next week’s ballot.
Proposition 2½ was passed in 1980 to limit the amount of revenue a community can raise by taxing real and personal property. It was a way to control spending by local officials and led to better coordination among departments and better budgeting for long-term goals.
Since 1990, we have passed nine budget overrides totaling $2.5 million. This has been added to our levy limit, so every year our budget gets an extra $2.5 million. Now we are asked to add another $1.4 million permanently, so we’re getting close to $4 million added every year, not just for one year, but indefinitely.
I ask our town officials to get it together and work within the Proposition 2½ limit every year. I ask our elected state officials to modify the seasonal community designation, which focuses on housing, to allow seasonal communities to hire seasonal EMTs and traffic officers rather than full-time year-round police and fire departments that have next to nothing to do all winter. I urge my fellow residents to send a message to town hall and vote no on the budget override.
Donna Cooper
Provincetown
The Value of Firefighting
To the editor:
Provincetown voters will decide on May 13 whether to ratify the $1.4-million budget override passed at April’s town meeting. Approval would provide money in perpetuity to cover the cost of new employees at the fire department. This change upends Provincetown’s longstanding tradition of volunteerism.
On countless occasions, townsfolk selflessly served and saved our community from fire. Their contributions are incalculable. Their commitment involved risking life and limb, putting firefighting before business and, at times, before family. These volunteers trained relentlessly and fought fires that threatened lives and livelihoods in our salt- and sun-dried timber-framed town. Not the least of these were those who unfortunately retired last July.
What the budget override makes clear is the monetary value of volunteer firefighters. The annual cost of paid fire services will exceed a million dollars this year and forevermore. This means our firefighting friends and neighbors have contributed millions of dollars of in-kind services to us. Unless I am mistaken, as a community we have not celebrated their gift, even while we reach for our checkbooks. This is a regrettable oversight.
It is time to celebrate our past and current fire departments with a town-sponsored recognition event.
Sheila McGuinness
Provincetown
The Walsh Overlay
To the editor:
It was heartening that Truro town meeting voters approved the Walsh property overlay warrant article this past Saturday. This will permit the housing recommendations that were approved last year to be implemented.
The vote of those Truro residents who opposed the article under the guise of water quality concerns amounted to a slap in the face to our select board, Walsh Property Advisory Committee, and zoning task force members who worked tirelessly on this article and unanimously supported it.
Jim Bisceglia
Truro
Under the Truro Tent
To the editor:
Thank you to everyone who came out for Truro’s town meeting on Saturday — voters, volunteers, town staff, and neighbors. What could have been simply another meeting felt like something more: a true moment of community.
I wasn’t sure what to expect this year, and under the tent I saw something special. Kids playing on the grass. Babies fussing. Friends reconnecting after a long winter. People speaking up — and just as important, people listening. There were real disagreements based on passion and pride, and these were handled with respect.
I saw people thinking not only about what’s best for them but about what’s best for Truro. And for a few hours, the sun felt like it was shining a little brighter on all of us.
Nancy Medoff
Truro
‘Bring the Library Forward’
To the editor:
I support Ann Courtney for the position of Truro library trustee. I worked with her in coordinating the purchase of the one-acre lot on the bay at Great Hollow Road, which doubled the size of the town beach. This is a great benefit to the many Truro residents who frequent this beach.
Ann gives her time willingly to solve problems, and her foresight and originality allow her the ability to work outside the box. We need someone like Ann to bring the library forward with new ideas and to support the worthwhile strategies that are currently underway at the library.
Please consider voting for Ann Courtney on May 13.
Jack Farley
Truro
The Treatment of Immigrants
To the editor:
Last month, millions of people all around planet Earth celebrated, mourned, and performed re-enactments of each day during Holy Week.
Our crucifixion in the 21st century is the treatment of immigrants. Will they be resurrected?
Becky Mendible
Harwich
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.
