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meetings

    currents

    This Week in Eastham

    By

    Meetings Ahead

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

    Monday, Aug. 31

    • Eastham 400 Commemoration Committee, 10:30 a.m.
    • Select Board, 5:30 p.m.

    Tuesday, Sept. 1

    • State Primary Election, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • T-Time Development Committee, 5 p.m.

    Wednesday, Sept. 2

    • Board of Assessors, 11 a.m.
    • Cape Cod Regional Governmental Assembly of Delegates Public Hearing, 4:30 p.m.
    • Community Preservation Act Committee, 5:30 p.m.

    Thursday, Sept. 3

    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 5 p.m.

     Conversation Starters

    No Residential Exemption This Year

    While Eastham’s select board agreed at their Aug. 17 joint meeting with the board of assessors not to adopt a residential tax exemption this year, the board will give the exemption another look for 2022 as a means to assist Eastham residents struggling economically as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “It’s not the best tool,” Chair Jamie Rivers said of the exemption Saturday. Establishing the exemption for this year would have resulted in additional costs, as it would have delayed the issuance of tax bills, resulting in more borrowing.

    The select board will schedule discussion of the exemption for tax year 2022 later this year and will continue look for new tools to help Eastham families, said Rivers. “If we have to use it, we will,” she said Saturday.

    Both Aimee Eckman and Rivers spoke in favor of the family support package as a preferred means to assist local families financially.

    “We have to pull out more tools as we move through a year that has been so challenging for so many families and now moving into a school year where parents are going to find it even harder to work full time,” said Rivers.

    The family support package will be Article 8 on the draft warrant for next month’s town meeting.

    Warrant Articles Approved Again

    The select board voted Aug. 17 to approve the entirety of the draft town meeting warrant with few changes to the similarly approved warrant put before them last April. Six articles from the April warrant were dropped, the most notable being the Nauset Regional High School building project.

    A special pre-town meeting discussion of articles is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m.

    Eastham 400 Plus

    Funding for the 400 Commemorative Committee survived a motion to shift $5,000 of its $10,000 request to the T-Time Development Committee. The two committees share Article 11, which asks for $20,000 for the T-Time project and $10,000 for the 400 Committee.

    The shift was recommended by the finance committee as the T-Time committee would face greater needs, said board chair Jamie Rivers.

    Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe described the 400 committee’s work so far as “exceptional,” but expressed concerns over its growing budget. “It just seems we agreed on a budget and the budget got larger. It should be wrapping up at this point and not escalating even more.”

    400 Committee vice chair Tom Ryan noted that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, other towns including Plymouth and Provincetown had extended their commemorations a year.

    “I think we really have to be part of that, to have the voice of Eastham and the benefits to Eastham be extended,” said Ryan.

    Board member Aimee Eckman suggested the board recommend the full request.

    “I think they did submit a pretty solid budget as to how they’ve been spending their money and what they plan to spend it on,” she said.

    The board voted unanimously to support the $10,000 request.

    Single Use Water Bottle Ban

    The board voted to recommend a petitioned article prohibiting the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in Eastham, with the caveat that the ban would be rescinded before its Sept. 21, 2021 effective date should surrounding towns reject the proposal.

    “I would like to see Eastham in line with its neighbors on something like this,” said chair Jamie Rivers. “For us to step out of line and to make it more difficult for the towns around us would be doing a disservice to the movement.”

    The finance committee had voted unanimously not to recommend the article out of concern that should the ban pass in Eastham but not surrounding towns shoppers would just purchase the bottles in those towns, board member Arthur Autorino noted.

    According to board member Aimee Eckman, the ban had already passed in Orleans. —Linda Culhane

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Provincetown

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch.

    Thursday, Aug. 20

    • Public Pier Corp., 1 p.m.
    • Water & Sewer Board, 2 p.m.

    Friday, Aug. 21

    • Select Board, 10:30 a.m.

    Monday, Aug. 24

    • Finance Committee, 7 p.m.
    • Select Board, 7 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 27

    • Planning Board, 6 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 17, there were zero active cases of Covid-19, 31 cases considered recovered, and one death.

    Napi’s to Join the Sewer

    Napi’s Restaurant and a building next door with several apartments, both owned by heirs of the late Anton “Napi” Van Dereck Haunstrup, must tie into the town’s public sewer system after a problem was discovered in the restaurant’s private septic system, said Morgan Clark, the town’s health director.

    Meanwhile, the sewer system is near capacity and needs to be expanded, and the restaurant and apartment building will take up all the available “gallons” in the sewer system’s public health category.

    While there is still room for hookups related to septic failure emergencies, other business owners seeking to expand will not be able to tie into the sewer for another year, Clark said. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, business growth has not been robust anyway, but over the long term, “We do need more gallons,” said Clark.

    The town has embarked on a plan to renovate and increase sewer capacity, but the project is only half funded with a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, said Assistant Town Manager David Gardner. While awaiting a $3 million loan, work to enlarge the tank at the processing plant can go forward beginning in the fall. But the work to extend the pipes and complete hookups must await further financing. The sewer system is paid for by fees charged to the businesses and residents based on water usage.

    In total, expansion of the entire system will increase capacity by 15 percent. —K.C. Myers

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Truro

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. To watch live, go to truro-ma.gov and follow the “helpful link” to Truro Channel 18.

    Thursday, Aug. 20

    • Climate Action Committee, 10 a.m.
    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 5:30 p.m.

    Friday, Aug. 21

    • Select Board, 10 a.m.
    • Board of Library Trustees, 11:30 a.m.

    Monday, Aug. 24

    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 5:30

    Tuesday, Aug. 25

    • Select Board, 5 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 27

    • Historical Commission, 4 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 14, there were five active cases of Covid-19, 10 resolved cases, and no deaths.

    Get Ready to Vote Early

    The polls will be open on Sept. 1 for the state primary from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Truro Community Center. But you don’t have to wait that long.

    Early voting will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. And it will be held again on Sunday, Aug. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. Then Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday Aug. 28, early voting continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The early voting is at Truro Town Hall, not the Community Center.

    Democrats will decide between Edward Markey and Joseph Kennedy III for U.S. Congress; and Mark Forest, Cheryl Andrews, or Sheila Lyons for county commissioner. Voters may pick two for the county race.

    For Republicans, the only contested race is between Shiva Ayyadurai and Kevin O’Connor for U.S. Senate. —K.C. Myers

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover your mouse over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen, and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.

    Thursday, August 20

    • Dredging Task Force, 9 a.m.
    • Select Board at Wellfleet Seasonal Resident Association, 7 p.m.

    Tuesday, August 25

    • Select Board, 7 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of August 18, Wellfleet had one active case, ten cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Testing Expansion Effort

    Health Agent Hillary Greenberg-Lemos is working with Truro Health Agent Emily Beebe and with Outer Cape Health Services to determine a way to test people for Covid who don’t have symptoms. To currently qualify for a test at Outer Cape Health, a patient needs to have been in close contact with a suspected case. “The problem is, the state isn’t recommending asymptomatic testing,” Greenberg-Lemos said at Tuesday’s Covid Task Force Meeting. She added that being able to test asymptomatic people is especially crucial as schools begin to open.

    Shellfish Dept. Revenue Doesn’t Dip Much

    The Shellfish Dept. has made about $82,000 this year, which is down from about $87,000 last year, according to Shellfish Constable Nancy Civetta. The figures surface at a time when town officials are still unsure about the overall losses in revenue they will face due to Covid. “At this point, I don’t think it will be that big of a difference; I don’t think we will be down too much,” Civetta said at Tuesday’s Covid Task Force Meeting. The constable said she expects to see a rebound in profits during the fall.

    Emergency Staff Is Back

    The Wellfleet Fire and Police depts. have been short-staffed for most of the summer, but now both have received crucial new personnel. The fire dept. filled two of its four open spots, with an additional third member expected to join the team soon, according to Chief Rich Pauley. The police dept. filled its two open spots with two new police academy graduates, according to Chief Mike Hurley. —Devin Sean Martin

     

     

    currents

    This Week in Eastham

    By

    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.

    Tuesday, Aug. 25

    • Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.

    Wednesday, Aug. 26

    • Open Space Committee workshop, 3 p.m.; meeting, 4 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Will It Go Round in Circles?

    The Route 6 Corridor Improvement Initiative study is moving forward past backups caused by Covid-19 and hopes to examine overlaps with Eastham’s Strategic Plan and the T-Time Initiative.

    “We’re starting to put together some alternatives. We want to have a public information session to kind of vet those alternatives,” Eastham Town Planner Paul Lagg told the select board at its Aug 17 meeting.

    Included in the alternatives are potential roundabouts at Massasoit Road and the T-Time property, raised medians with landscaped plantings, and protected left turns.

    A roundabout at the T-Time location would facilitate traffic in and out of that property as well as provide opportunities for vehicles to change direction on Route 6.

    “If we can work with a little bit of the T-Time property itself we don’t think we’ll really have to do any takings on the other side to get the siting for it,” he said.

    While the study did consider reducing the number of lanes, Lagg said that was a “nonstarter” with the Mass. Dept. of Transportation.

    “How does the state say that the traffic is different?” asked board member Arthur Autorino.

    “It’s OK to do it in Wellfleet but it’s not OK to do it in Eastham?”

    “If I had gotten a good answer to that I would share it with you, but we never did,” said Lagg. “It’s more of ‘This is the way it is’ and they’re not going to decrease the lanes. Why do we have to be a four-lane race strip only to slow down at the town line?”

    Board member Aimee Eckman noted that the number of curb cuts in Eastham is about 10 times that of Wellfleet over the same distance, contributing to traffic backups with even a three-lane approach with a center turning lane, as traffic turning right would create backups.

    The next phase will be to get public feedback. Lagg said a session for that purpose might take place in November or after the holidays.

    Town Meeting to Kick Off

    This year’s town meeting, postponed from its usual May 2020 scheduled date due to Covid-19, will be held outdoors at Nauset High School’s football field on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m., with a rain date of Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.

    Saving Lives and Money

    Fire Chief Kent Farrenkopf delivered good news at Monday’s select board meeting, reporting that his department had received the American Heart Association Mission Lifeline EMS Gold-plus award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks and strokes.

    “I want to thank my staff,” said Farrenkopf. “They’re highly professional and highly trained.” Eastham’s fire dept. has progressively received the bronze, silver, gold, and gold-plus Mission Lifeline awards over the last five years, he noted.

    “Kudos to my people and the professional level that they work at,” he said.

    The initiative provides tools and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines, the chief noted.

    Eastham’s fire dept. has received the Assistance to Firefighters grant for $47,715 to replace an air compressor used to fill breathing air. Since the compressor’s installation at the fire station in 2001, the manufacturer has gone out of business. “We can’t get the computer boards,” said Farrenkopf. “The last time they fixed it I think they had to go on Ebay to get an old one to put into it.”

    The replacement compressor is expected to cost about $50,000, with the grant covering 95 percent of the cost. The town will be responsible for the remaining $2,400. 

    Do You Have an Appointment?

    The select board voted unanimously to appoint Stephen Wasby to the planning board to fill a spot left vacant by Lauren Barker’s resignation.

    Wasby’s appointment as a full member of the board was the subject of some discussion, as select board member Arthur Autorino at first asked whether the current alternate member, William Craig, should be advanced to full member status.

    “What we’re saying is that when Lauren leaves, Steve comes in as a full time and not as an alternate,” said Autorino. “We bypass and change what we normally do.” Autorino agreed that Wasby was more experienced than Craig.

    Board Chair Jamie Rivers supported appointing Wasby as a full member. “This board has a perfect opportunity to appoint someone who has a wealth of knowledge with regard to zoning, planning, the inner workings of the town of Eastham, and is very capable,” she said. “I think it would be a lost opportunity if we didn’t put Mr. Wasby on as a full-time member.”

    The board voted to approve Wasby’s appointment subject to his resignation from the zoning board of appeals.

    “My biggest concern was that we’re trying to have an administrative office at town hall that is welcoming and that people like to come to and don’t feel intimidated,” said Autorino “[Wasby] could in fact intimidate some of the applicants.”

    Contacted Tuesday morning after the select board’s discussion, Wasby said he would behave no differently on the planning board than he has on the zoning board of appeals. He said he would continue to help applicants as well as call out problems. “This isn’t a tea party,” said Wasby. “This is serious stuff.”

    The select board also appointed John Bumby to the historical commission by a unanimous vote. —Linda Culhane

    The Middle School Will Go Hybrid

    Principal Julie Kobold announced on Aug. 14 that she has changed her mind about bringing back all middle school students on Sept. 16.

    After many people expressed concern about returning to classrooms in person, Kobold said she has adopted a hybrid model for the fall, so that students will be in the building two days a week and at home for three.

    Kobold was able to bring everyone back with three feet between student seats, which is the minimum suggested by the state. But many people argued that six-foot distancing should be the standard to prevent Covid-19 infection, and with that standard, not all the students could come back to class at once.

    “We had estimated a need for 33 cohorts in the original three-foot distancing plan,” she stated in an email to parents. “By extending physical distancing to six feet the number of cohorts rose to 42. The middle school does not have the space for that many cohorts. As a result, we are moving to a hybrid option, where students will be in the building two days a week and learn remotely three days.”
    Students will attend on Mondays and Thursdays or on Tuesdays and Fridays. During in-school days, students will remain with their group and have four core subjects and two specials such as gym or the popular “Adventure Ed.” Wednesdays will be remote for all and “we will introduce a number of different academic opportunities on those days,” she stated. —K.C. Myers

     

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Provincetown

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch.

    Thursday, Aug. 13

    • Board of Health, 4 p.m.
    • Planning Board, 6 p.m.

    Tuesday, Aug. 18

    • Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 20

    • Water & Sewer board, 2 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 11, Provincetown had zero active cases of Covid-19, 31 cases considered recovered, and one death.

    No Go for Nonresident Task Force

    At least a dozen part-time resident taxpayers called the select board on Aug. 10 in support of an idea proposed by board member Louise Venden to create a Resident/Nonresident Task Force. But when it came time for the board to vote, Venden did not even receive a second to her motion, and the idea died.

    There has been pressure for representation in recent years from members of the Part-Time Resident Taxpayers Association, who say that second-home owners pay over 80 percent of the property taxes in town but have no say in how the town operates.

    Venden said she wanted to find a way for them to have a voice without allowing them to vote at town meeting. And, she added, this is not just about wealthy property owners; it is about the nonresidents who are not U.S. citizens and yet work as essential employees, she said.

    Low-tide Seating for Sal’s

    Sal’s Place received a temporary license on Aug. 10 to expand its outdoor seating on the intertidal beach to help the owner comply with the social distancing restrictions imposed on restaurants during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The select board voted 4-1 (with Chair David Abramson opposed) to grant the temporary license so that the historic West End restaurant can place 44 seats on the bayside beach behind the property, pending a drawing of the seating plan, which was not provided at the hearing. The seating exceeds the bounds of the property, said Acting Town Manager David Gardner.

    The select board granted the license after hearing from a long list of Sal’s supporters and wading through about 70 letters of support. The restaurant has been successful at leveraging community support when facing town regulatory boards.

    A few objected to extending the seating, notably Building Commissioner Anne Howard, who recommended against granting the license because Sal’s “has not demonstrated a desire to follow the Covid-19 guidelines,” she wrote. “This has been made evident on several visits,” where Howard noted “non-masking, serving of alcohol to non-dining patrons, use of private property for queuing of patrons without property owners’ consent, reduction of social distancing of tables in the interior dining area.” Howard concluded, “Granting this extraordinary use of flowed tidelands, although a restaurant is considered a facility of public accommodation according to Chap. 91, would, based on historic practice by this applicant, in my opinion, not realize a benefit outweighing any adverse issues.”

    Board member John Golden said if a restaurant can “convince people to sit where water is coming under the table, more power to you.”

    Interim Town Manager Begins

    The select board on Aug. 10 signed a contract hiring Charles Sumner as interim town manager for the next six months, or less if a town manager is hired before that.

    Sumner, the former town administrator of Brewster for 29 years, will earn $80 an hour for an average of 32 hours per week. Sumner will be in town hall from Monday through Thursday, according to the contract. He was to start on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

    He replaces Robin Craver, who resigned just before the end of her probationary six-month period. Sumner will work while the town begins another search process. —K.C. Myers

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover your mouse over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen, and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.

    Thursday, Aug. 13

    • Housing Authority and Housing Partnership, 10 a.m.
    • Nauset School Committee, 6:30 p.m.

    Friday, Aug. 14

    • High Toss View Development-Proprietors, 6 p.m.

    Monday, Aug. 17

    • Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7 p.m.

    Tuesday, Aug. 18

    Wednesday, Aug. 19

    • Conservation Commission, 4 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 9, Wellfleet had four active cases, seven cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Beach Crowd Control

    The select board extended the required date for beach stickers to Sept. 27 in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. “The intent is primarily to help control potential crowds,” said board member Ryan Curley, who first pitched the idea of extending the date at the Aug. 4 emergency management team meeting. Hurley said the rental agency We Need a Vacation told him they are seeing a 25-percent increase in fall rentals compared to last year. He added, “We know that September is one of the busiest months in terms of shark safety; in terms of public safety, it’s really beneficial to have lifeguards on beaches in the month of September.” Beach Administrator Suzanne Grout Thomas supported the idea, saying the extension is worth it just to keep lifeguards on the beach. She added that the move is unlikely to yield the town any additional revenue.

    New Committee in Town

    The Rights to Public Access Committee is Wellfleet’s newest regulatory committee. The select board voted unanimously to establish the group at Tuesday’s meeting. The task of the committee will be to maintain, establish, and improve public access to town landings. The group’s primary focus will be on re-opening access to shellfish tidelands, according to select board member Ryan Curley, who proposed the committee’s formation to the board. “We just need a dedicated body to take on this responsibility,” he said.

    Chair Mike DeVasto supported the idea, explaining that shellfishing is allowed on private tidal flats, but some can be accessed only by trespassing on private property. Former member Kathleen Bacon opposed the new committee. “We have committees in place to deal with these issues,” she said. “They may need more help or more members, but I’m kind of against forming another committee.” Shellfish Constable Nancy Civetta disagreed, saying, “A lot of committees work on this, but we need one committee working on this so it’s all in one place. My department cannot do it; we do not have the resources,” Civetta added.

    Play Structure Dismantled

    The wooden structure at the Wellfleet Elementary School playground has been deemed unsafe after a child was recently injured on it, according to select board member Ryan Curley. The Dept. of Public Works is in the process of dismantling the structure. Curley added that the cleared space will be used for outdoor learning when classes start again on Sept. 16.

    A Major Land Gift

    The Wellfleet Conservation Trust (WCT) received a gift on Aug. 5 of 18.5 acres overlooking the Herring River on the east side of Chequessett Neck Road. The land is the major portion of a 20-acre parcel purchased by the donor, Jacqualyn Fouse, from the Chequessett Yacht and Country Club Trust last week for $6.7 million.

    “We really love the land, and we are grateful to get it,” said Dennis O’Connell, president of the trust. It is the largest gift of land the WCT has ever received.

    The property had been part of the club’s plans to renovate its golf course, according to a statement from the trust. Most of the land could have been built on, said O’Connell.

    “WCT will keep the area in its natural state, preserving the habitat and natural functions of the land,” said the trust’s statement. “The Trust will create limited walking trails to scenic views across the Herring River valley.”

    Fouse owns a house adjacent to the new conservation land. She also donated 30,000 square feet of undeveloped land on Chequessett Neck Road, worth about $40,000, to the trust in 2015. She has been the CEO of Agios Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge-based developer of anti-cancer drug therapies, since February 2019. —Devin Sean Martin

    currents

    This Week in Eastham

    By

    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

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Provincetown

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch.

    Thursday, Aug. 6

    • Board of Assessors, 9 a.m.
    • Public Pier Corp., 11 a.m.
    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.

    Friday, Aug. 7

    • Local Comprehensive Planning Committee, 10 a.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of July 30, Provincetown had one active case of Covid-19, 30 cases considered recovered, and one death.

    Sumner Gets the Job

    The Provincetown Select Board last week hired Charlie Sumner to be the interim town manager for the next six months or until a permanent town manager can be found.

    Sumner worked as Brewster town administrator for 29 years before retiring in 2015. He is now president of the board of directors of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod and is chair of the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Building Committee. He’s on the board of the Brewster Conservation Trust and Cape Cod Conservation District.

    On his resume, Sumner described himself as “a good communicator, who values open government and democratic processes. A team-oriented manager, with a passion for leadership and public service. A results-oriented problem solver, who welcomes challenges.”

    The select board is working on a contract and salary, which may be finalized by Aug. 10, according to Elizabeth Paine, the select board’s secretary.

    ‘Don’t Stop Hazard Pay’

    State Rep. Sarah Peake has written a letter urging Stop & Shop to reinstate hazard pay for its frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Stop & Shop instituted a 10-percent pay increase for its employees in March. This was to compensate workers for the additional risks they have taken during the pandemic. Stop & Shop discontinued the extra pay on July 4, according to a statement from Peake.

    A total of 82 legislators, including state Sen. Julian Cyr of Truro, signed on to Rep. Peake’s letter to Stop & Shop CEO Gordon Reid.

    No Blanket Mask Policy
    The select board has ruled out requiring masks to be worn all over town 24 hours a day regardless of your ability to stay six feet from others.

    On Monday, Dr. Susan Troyan of the town board of health recommended against a suggested expansion of the mandatory mask zone. Troyan said passing someone on the streets presents little risk of transmission of Covid-19. Exercising, on the other hand, is really important and yet difficult when your nose and mouth are covered. The small risk doesn’t outweigh the great benefit of comfortably exercising outdoors, she said.

    Based on her advice, the mandatory mask zone will remain the town’s central district, on Commercial Street from Bangs to Franklin streets, on Bradford Street between Gosnold and Standish streets, and out to Lopes Square and MacMillan Pier. —K.C. Myers

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Truro

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. To watch live, go to truro-ma.gov and follow the “helpful link” to Truro Channel 18.

    Thursday, Aug. 6

    • Climate Action Committee, 10 a.m.

    Tuesday, Aug. 11

    • Council on Aging Board, 10 a.m.
    • Select Board, 5 p.m.

    Wednesday, Aug. 12

    • Commission on Disabilities, 3 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 3, there were five active cases of Covid-19, 10 cases that are considered recovered, and no deaths.

    Phased School Reopening Starts Sept. 17

    Truro Central School will reopen on Sept. 17 for remote activities only, followed by a full opening in the school building on Sept. 28, according to Supt. Michael Gradone.

    The school committee on Tuesday approved Gradone’s plan, which includes starting school later than usual to allow for additional teacher training and to keep an eye on Covid-19 cases on the Cape, he said.

    Teachers this year must have a way to adequately teach remotely, as it’s clear at least some parents will elect to keep students at home. The state is requiring that students who stay at home must learn new material and participate, and they will be graded, Gradone said.

    Meanwhile, he said, in-school learning must take place with social distancing and other precautions.

    School Principal Resigns

    Truro Central School Principal Robert Beaudet decided to retire because of the pandemic, Gradone told the Independent Monday. Beaudet replaced long-time principal Brian Davis in 2014.

    Gradone hired Stephanie Costigan, the school’s director of student services, to serve as acting assistant supt. and principal for the coming year.

    Gradone will also be adding three separate part-time positions. One person will pull together team meetings for students on individual education plans one day a week year-round. Two other positions will begin this summer, with someone to oversee distance learning and another to prepare the school building for social distancing. These two jobs will be 20 hours a week and will last at least to the beginning of school.

    Planner Makes Other Plans

    Jeff Ribeiro, the town planner for less than year, has left town hall to return to the Cape Cod Commission, where he was on the planning staff until 2018.

    Truro has now had eight town planners in four years. Ribeiro worked for the Cape Cod Commission, then became Provincetown’s planner in March 2018. In October 2019 he moved to Truro Town Hall.

    He started up again as a regulatory planner on July 23 at the Cape Cod Commission, the regional planning agency, he said. Barbara Huggins Carboni of KP Law will be advising the regulatory agencies in Truro for now.

    The Truro position is now being advertised again, at 35 hours a week. —K.C. Myers

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover your mouse over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen, and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.

    Thursday, Aug. 6

    • Housing Authority and Local Housing Partnership, 10 a.m.
    • Nauset Regional School Committee, 6:30 p.m.

    Tuesday, Aug. 11

    • Elementary School Committee, 9 a.m.
    • Select Board, 7 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 13

    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of Aug. 2, Wellfleet had two active cases, seven cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Ten Days Out of Work

    The woman in charge of Wellfleet’s town beaches and the senior center was out of work until Aug. 4, having waited 10 days for the results of a Covid-19 test.

    Suzanne Grout Thomas, director of community services, said she developed a fever and headache on July 23 and got tested at Outer Cape Health Services on July 24. Ten days later, on Aug. 3, she got a negative test result. She returned to work Aug. 4, grateful for her full-time, salaried job, but also worried for others.

    “It makes me wonder if people will have to go back to work before they get a test result, and what if they test positive,” she said. “That’s a long time that you are out of work. Some people cannot do that.”

    Restaurant Noncompliance

    Health Agent Hillary Greenberg-Lemos asks residents to contact her at [email protected] if they observe restaurants failing to comply with Covid-19 regulations like social distancing and mask-wearing. Wellfleet is dealing with one “outstanding” issue with a restaurant failing to comply, and it’s important that the department is made aware of violations to help keep the community safe, she said on Tuesday. She did not reveal the business’s name.

    Assessors Complete Revaluation

    The Wellfleet Board of Assessors has completed the revaluation of all real and personal property for fiscal year 2021, and the Mass. Dept. of Revenue Bureau of Local Assessment has granted preliminary certification and authorized public disclosure of proposed values, according to Assessor Nancy Vail.

    “The new assessed values, which represent full and fair cash value as of Jan. 1, 2020, comply with the Dept. of Revenue’s statistical standards and reflect 2018 and 2019 real estate sales,” wrote Vail in a press release. “Value changes ranged from -4 percent to +4 percent, with most values staying the same as last fiscal year.”

    The new assessed values are on display on the town’s website: wellfleet-ma.gov.

    To ask questions, review, discuss corrections, or request changes in the proposed assessments, taxpayers are urged to contact the assessors during the disclosure period, Wednesday, Aug. 5 through Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, by telephone at 508-349-0304 or email at [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. —Devin Sean Martin

    currents

    This Week in Eastham

    By

    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.

    Tuesday, Aug. 11

    • Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.

    Wednesday, Aug. 12

    • Finance Committee, 5 p.m.

    Covid-19 Update

    As of July 30, the number of confirmed cases in Eastham was 14. The number of cases increased from 12 last week, according to the town’s website.

    Willy’s Protest

    A protest outside Willy’s Gym is planned to begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7. Anne Sigsbee has organized the protest for the one-year anniversary of the death of Joe Abbott, a longtime tennis instructor at the gym.

    “It will be a year since Joe died and many of us are very aware that his family has not been paid what he was owed when he died,” Sigsbee told the Independent.

    The Independent reported in March that Francine Abbott of South Dennis, Joe Abbott’s widow, claims that Willy’s owner Barbara Niggel owed him more than $20,000 in unpaid wages and loans when he died last year. Niggel has denied this and has hired a lawyer to represent her in the dispute.

    “We felt to honor him and his family we would speak up,” Sigsbee said. “Some of us feel strongly and will not use the facilities until we learn that they’ve been paid what they’re owed.”

    The protest will be an all-day event with most people showing up around midday, Sigsbee said. She expects 20 or more people to attend, including Abbott’s family, and participants will be wearing masks and remain socially distanced.

    “Joe’s family is very supportive and will be there,” she said.

    Anyone planning to attend should wear a mask; signs are welcome.

    Nauset Schools to Reveal Opening Plan Aug. 6

    Nauset Regional School Supt. Tom Conrad will announce the district’s reopening plans for the fall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6.

    So far all that has been announced to parents is that the Nauset district, which spans Wellfleet to Brewster, will most likely open late, on Sept. 16, to give teachers time for training and to be ready for a school year guaranteed to include distance learning for families needing that option and a lot of hand sanitizer.

    Other than that, Conrad’s message will lay out details on whether all students go back to a brick-and-mortar school, continue “distant learning,” or a combination of both.

    To get on the Zoom call, follow these instructions: Go to nausetschools.org. Scroll down the Quick Links and select “Event Calendar” and then click on the event listed on Aug. 6. Click next on the “Description, 8-6-2020.” This will take you, finally, to the agenda and Zoom meeting link.

    Rock Harbor Open Again

    The Rock Harbor boat ramp is open again, according to Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe. She gave an update to the select board on Aug. 3 on the completion of the project to repave and replace the boat ramp in the area.

    Beebe said Harbormaster Scott Richards will be at the harbor assisting boats in and out of the area. The town waited to see what the weather was like earlier this week but planned on opening the boat ramp after Wednesday.

    “Our docks and floats are in the water and we have everything set up to receive boats at this point,” Beebe said. “The ramp portion is complete; the parking lot was repaved two days ago and is ready to be driven on.”

    The line markers for parking spaces will be drawn either this week or next week.

    Register to Vote

    The last day to register to vote in Eastham for the state primary election, to be held on Sept. 1, is Saturday, Aug. 22 at the police station. The deadline to request a mail-in AV or EV ballot is Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. and to request an AV or EV in person is Monday, Aug. 31 until noon.

    Early voting for the primary will be held at town hall on Saturday, Aug. 22 and Sunday, Aug. 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. and on Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    The last day to register to vote at the annual town meeting, to be held on Sept. 21, is Tuesday, Sept. 1 until 5 p.m.

    Kerry Steps Down from Strategic Planning

    In a letter to the select board, Scott Kerry announced he will be stepping down from the strategic planning committee but said he would still provide input as a resident.

    “I would like to offer my services and experiences as a business owner, father of an elementary school student, and long-time resident if needed and/or desired,” Kerry wrote. “I will plan to make future meetings when my schedule permits.”

    Kerry is the new town moderator and chair of the T-Time Development Committee. —Ryan Fitzgerald

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Provincetown

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. Go to provincetown-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch.

    Wednesday, Aug. 5

    • Historic District Commission, 4 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 6

    • Board of Assessors, 9 a.m.
    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 6 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of July 28, Provincetown had one active case of the coronavirus, 29 cases considered recovered, and one death.

    Salary Bump for Superintendent

    Suzanne Scallion was hired as superintendent of the Provincetown Schools in May 2019 to work three days a week for $60,000 from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2019, and then $60,000 for all 12 months of 2020.

    But the school committee agreed in March to pay her an additional $512.82 for every extra day she worked so that she could help the schools adjust to the online learning and other challenges presented by the pandemic.

    So far, she has worked 21 extra days for a total of $10,769, which can be covered by CARES Act funds, said Scallion this week.

    Scallion said the job was already nonstop but the pandemic has amped up the challenges for school leaders.

    Wait Times for Test Results Too Long

    Board of health chair Steven Katsurinis told the select board Monday that the plans for keeping the town safe during a pandemic relied on quicker test results than are currently available, as the medical labs are overwhelmed.

    “We did not expect to wait for seven days for a test return,” Katsurinis said. “Quest Diagnostics is inundated and so we are trying to do something to improve that.”

    On the other hand, he said, the town had made it more than 20 days past a busy July 4th weekend without any apparent outbreak.

    “But we should not let our guard down,” Katsurinis said. “As long as there is a pandemic, we are at risk. So we need to wear masks and keep six-foot distancing.”

    Rapid tests, available at Carewell Urgent Care in Dennis, are not as accurate as the molecular tests, which are now taking a week or more to get results, said Morgan Clark, director of the health department.

    Paradigm Associates Not Rehired

    Community Paradigm Associates of Plymouth, the consulting firm used to help the select board hire Robin Craver as town manager, was not picked to be part of the hiring process this time around.

    Craver resigned after six months at the end of her probationary period on July 10 following a closed select board meeting. The reasons for her abrupt resignation were not made public.

    The select board Monday chose four “headhunter” organizations to pick from and Paradigm was not one of them. The executive search firms invited to submit bids are Municipal Resources Inc., the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management, Groux-White Consulting, and Isaacson Miller.

    The board members agreed not to rush this decision and will hire an interim manager for the next six months while they look for a new permanent town manager —K.C. Myers

     

     

     

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Truro

    By

    Truro

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. To watch live, go to truro-ma.gov and follow the “helpful link” to Truro Channel 18.

    Thursday, July 30

    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 5:30 p.m.

    Monday, Aug. 3

    • Conservation Commission, 2 p.m.

    Tuesday, Aug. 4

    • Board of Health, 4:30 p.m.

    Wednesday, Aug. 5

    • Planning Board, 6 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of July 24, Truro had three active cases of the coronavirus, 10 cases considered resolved, and no deaths.

    Enforcing That Traveler Order

    Truro’s Health Director Emily Beebe told the Truro Select Board a $500 daily fine will be assessed against the owner of any lodging establishment or home owner renting out their place as a short-term rental if their guest is found to have arrived in Massachusetts without a negative Covid-19 test or fails to self-quarantine for 14 days.

    This statewide order goes into effect Aug. 1 and applies to all travelers except those from low-risk states, currently identified as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Hawaii.

    “So, if they get a test in California and then get on a plane where they could get exposed, the negative test is still valid?” asked board member Jan Worthington.

    “Yes,” Beebe replied. “Personal responsibility is still important in lowering the risk of the virus,” Beebe added. 

    Walsh Committee Applicants Short on Youth

    The select board is reopening the application process through August to see if more people will apply to be on a committee being formed to plan the future uses of the 70-acre Walsh property.

    After a lengthy Covid-19-related delay, applications from 16 people were received, said consultant Stacie Smith, managing director of the Consensus Building Institute. The committee is slated to have eight to 12 members. Truro hired Smith to oversee the selection process.

    They want the committee ready to go by Oct. 1.

    The disproportionate number of seniors relative to younger residents who have applied to be on the committee prompted a re-opening of the application process.

    Select board chair Robert Weinstein said he was dismayed that 10 seniors and only two people with young families were among the applicants.

    The majority of applicants said affordable housing was their first priority, though it’s unclear  if they meant affordable housing on the Walsh land, Smith said.

    The select board agreed Tuesday to let Smith start interviewing the current candidates while they see if others, particularly younger people, do apply.

    Payomet Gets Approval for Drive-In

    The Payomet Performing Arts Center will continue to offer concerts and circus shows with a 100-person limit at the Highland Center in North Truro through the fall, after receiving a license from the select board Tuesday. Artistic Director Kevin Rice had wanted to have about 90 cars with up to 300 people to come to view shows in a drive-in fashion.

    But right now, in spite of Payomet’s car-based distancing plan, the town is sticking with state guidance limiting performance gatherings to 100 people. Should the guidance change, his license allows him to go up to 300, according the select board’s vote. —K.C. Myers

     

     

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover your mouse over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen, and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.

    Thursday, July 30

    • 95 Lawrence Road Rental Housing Task Force, 10 a.m.
    • Comprehensive Wastewater Management Planning Committee, 11 a.m.

    Wednesday, Aug. 5

    • Conservation Commission, 4 p.m.

    Thursday, Aug. 6

    • Housing Authority and Local Housing Partnership, 10 a.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of July 28, Wellfleet had zero active cases, seven cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Voter Registration Deadline

    The deadline to register to vote at the annual town meeting on Sept. 12 is Friday, Aug. 21, at 8 p.m.

    Pop-Up Testing Clinic in Harwich

    The Wellfleet Health Dept., along with the towns of Harwich, Brewster, and Dennis, is holding a pop-up Covid-19 testing clinic at the Harwich Community Center on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 10 a.m. The clinic is specifically for restaurant workers who have been in contact with someone with the virus. If you believe you are eligible, contact Health Agent Hillary Greenberg-Lemos at [email protected].

    Town Meeting Quorum Reduced

    The quorum for this year’s annual town meeting has been reduced from 6 percent of the town’s registered voters to 100 registered voters. The change was made in case the meeting sees lower attendance because of Covid-19. The select board approved the decision unanimously at their July 28 meeting, two weeks after approving an official plan for town meeting, which will take place outdoors on Sept. 12.

    August Budget Approved

    The select board approved the town’s $2,645,689 operating budget for the month of August. The town will use month-to-month budgets until a fiscal 2021 budget is voted on at town meeting in September.

    New Town Administrator Coming Aboard

    Dan Hoort’s last day as Wellfleet town administrator is July 31. Incoming Town Administrator Maria Broadbent will take over Aug. 3. —Devin Sean Martin

     

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