Meetings Ahead

Meetings are held remotely. Go to eastham-ma.gov/calendar-by-event-type/16 and click on a particular meeting to read its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.

Monday, Aug. 17

• Select Board, 5:30 p.m.
• Eastham Elementary School Committee, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

• Charter Review Committee, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 19

• Planning Board, 5 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 20

• T-Time Community Development Subcommittee, 5 p.m.

Conversation Starters

Covid-19 Update

As of July 30, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Eastham was 14. The number of cases increased from 12 reported on July 23, according to the town’s website.

Bylaw Amendments

The planning board will hold two public hearings on Wednesday, Aug. 19 starting at 5 p.m. on proposed zoning bylaw amendments and proposed re-codification of the zoning bylaw. Both will be voted on at the annual town meeting in September.

Amendments are proposed for sections covering districts, administration, residential site plan approvals, wind facilities, and marijuana.

The second hearing will allow public comments on the proposed re-codification of the zoning bylaw. A copy of the proposed amendments and the new bylaw, with a markup version of the current bylaw, is on the town website at eastham-ma.gov/planningboard/pages/proposed-zoning-bylaw-amendments-town-meeting-may-2020.

Elementary Reopening Plan

The Eastham Elementary School Committee will meet on Monday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. to discuss its school reopening plan.

The Nauset regional school committee voted to approve an education plan for reopening at a meeting of all district school committees last week. But the Eastham Elementary School Committee opted to wait until its Monday meeting to vote on a plan for its school.

Right now, the plan is to have elementary students either attend school five days a week or learn virtually five days a week based on parent choice.

When Is Town Meeting?

Annual town meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, Sept. 21 outdoors at the NRHS football field, but that could change. On Aug. 3, Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe and the select board discussed the best time and place to hold the meeting.

The football field seems like the most viable venue in town to hold a socially distant town meeting. It would have enough space for participants. But Laurie Gillespie-Lee, administrative assistant at town hall, said she had reached out to the National Seashore about hosting town meeting at the amphitheater located at the Visitor Center, though she added that she had not yet heard back from Supt. Brian Carlstrom or Deputy Supt. Leslie Reynolds.

Other issues that came up are accessibility, weather, and technology.

Beebe said setting up the technology outside will be difficult.

“I think that’s going to be the biggest challenge,” she said. “How do we get everything set up on a football field and then if we have rain, we have all of our technology hanging out there to dry, literally.”

There won’t be any presentations at this year’s town meeting because a projector screen will not be set up as it usually is inside the high school gymnasium.

Mike Caliri, video services coordinator for the town, said, “The one thing that’s been most concerning me is how we’re going to get the handicapped in and out of there and where they’re going to be,” he said.

The walk from the high school parking lot to the football field could be troublesome for some people.

“Any outdoor venue is going to have a huge amount of walking,” Beebe said.

Special parking will most likely be designated in spots closest to the field and a designated seating area for people with disabilities may be made as well.

The select board also discussed whether to hold the meeting on a Saturday or Sunday instead of Monday, Sept. 21, to possibly attract more people and begin the meeting earlier in the day.

A vote on a firm date and a rain date is expected to be made soon.

Town Hall Still Closed

Town hall will remain closed until at least the week before Labor Day, according to Jacqui Beebe. She had considered reopening town hall this week but ultimately decided against it. —Ryan Fitzgerald