A note from the art teacher at BHMCS:
I am very proud to announce that one of my sixth grade art students is one of 40 regional winners in a Google design contest. His name is Brendan Lynch and he will be traveling to California May 21st with his family for the awards ceremony (all expenses paid by Google). The 40 designs will be on the Google website and voting will take place for the national finalists and ultimate winner, much like American Idol! We need to get the word Continue reading please *vote* barnstable student is finalist in google art contest…
Thank you to everyone who showed up, and to those who participated in the open meeting Tuesday evening.
A count by officials was that about 60 people Continue reading meeting of the voting people televised…
The Board of Health meeting scheduled for May 6, with a public hearing that has interested many people has been postponed until May 27, at 4 p.m.
The open meeting is planned for tomorrow Tuesday, May 6, at 6pm at the Knight Lecture Hall/Auditorium.
We have the space until 8pm, so the meeting can last for 2 hours if needed.
There was discussion about whether anyone can speak to an issue off Continue reading meeting of the voting people…
The Town Manager gave a preliminary overview of this year’s town survey done annually by Bridgewater State College during a budget workshop on May 1.
The survey gives us further insight into what is on the minds of the majority of Barnstable residents.
We use our survey as we develop our strategic plan, and it is considered in issues like zoning and the town manager’s budget priorities.
Year after year the number one complaint from residents is traffic. In village meetings, citizen’s groups, and around town we hear about how bad traffic is, from Cotuit to Hyannis on Rt. 28 and from Barnstable to Hyannis on Rt 132, you have told us you want us to do something about traffic.
The citizen’s survey reflects this sentiment.
Further, our local comprehensive plan addresses traffic issues overall and each village plan does the same.
In the survey - with a choice of excellent, good, fair or poor - 71.5% of Barnstable residents surveyed responded that traffic conditions in town are fair or poor.
Additionally, a specific and important question asked last year and again in this year’s survey was:
Do you favor or oppose a plan which would limit retail growth as a means to improve traffic on areas such as Route 132, the Cape Cod Mall area, Rt. 28 or in your village? This year - 61% FAVORED, 31.4% OPPOSED with 7.7% not responding.
How do we reconcile all of this with Zoning Board of Appeals decisions like the recent Blanchards decision? This project dragged Continue reading citizen’s survey, traffic, and blanchards…
See related links at the bottom of this post….
This week’s Barnstable Patriot includes a story and a particularly harsh and personal letter to the editor about the upcoming meeting of the voters that each leave out important information about this meeting.
The petition that was turned in to us compelled the council to take actions that were outside of the parameters of the charter. There was discussion about whether we could argue that the petition itself was invalid.
During a council meeting we had a discussion in a “committee of the whole” where we Continue reading meeting of the voters *is* a meeting of the people…
The organization “Common Cause” has awarded Barnstable distictions for open government for Continue reading barnstable awarded “stars” from common cause, for open government…
Save GAS! Support your local merchants! Shop Local Day is
Continue reading support your local merchants! shop local day is may 10th…
The “meeting of the people” is now scheduled for May 6, at 6pm at the Knight Auditorium in Barnstable High School.
The meeting will be facilitated by Continue reading meeting of the people scheduled for may 6, at 6pm…
Our Last Chance!
(from our friends at SOS) Continue reading last chance to tell mms that we don’t want a private corporation developing nantucket sound!…
The petitioned “meeting of the people” has been tentatively scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, May 6 at the Knight Auditorium at Barnstable High School.
The meeting is open to all residents of this town who are welcome to come and speak about the questions on the petition as well as ask questions or make comments on any issue that is within the purview of the town council.
Bruce Gilmore, a town meeting moderator, has been asked to act as facilitator of the meeting that will include Continue reading meeting of the people scheduled…
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL’S ASH INSTITUTEANNOUNCES TOP 50 INNOVATIONS IN GOVERNMENT
Innovations in American Government Awards Top 50 Programs to Compete
for $100,000 Award
Cambridge, Mass., – April 15, 2008 –
and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the Top 50 Programs of
the 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards competition. Selected from a
pool of nearly 1,000 applicants, these programs represent the best
Harvard institute hails six innovative government programs in Mass.
April 15, 2008 07:26 PM by Boston Globe Staff
A Harvard institute has included six Massachusetts programs on its list of the top 50 innovative government programs in America.
The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation singled out:
– The town of Barnstable’s efforts to deal with residential growth;
– A Boston program designed to prevent foreclosures;
– A Boston schools program designed to prepare excellent teachers;
– A Suffolk County program designed to prevent teen prostitution;
– A state program to simplify the paperwork for affordable housing developments; and
– A state program under which state facilities agree to reduce their electrical demand when the electrical grid is under stress.
“We commend the innovative initiatives of
UPDATE — in a word, NO - they voted to approve the project and found that, according to their charge, the project “did not do not substantially adversely affect the public health, safety, welfare, comfort or convenience of the community.”
Clearly, there are many of us who disagree and are extremely concerned about the traffic this high-volume liquor store will create. The allowed usage, an office or bank, would certainly not create this level of traffic. This is, according to each annual citizen’s survey, the NUMBER ONE complaint by this town’s residents, and is addressed in our LCP as well as each village’s plan.
The ZBA forms their opinions based on the zoning code as written pertaining to the highway business district — this is the section that applies:
“Conditional uses. The following uses are permitted as conditional uses in the HB District, provided that a special permit is first obtained from the Zoning Board of Appeals subject to the provisions of § 240-125C herein and subject to the specific standards for such conditional uses as required in this section: (1) Any use permitted in the B District not permitted in Subsection A herein, subject to the following: (a) Such uses do not substantially adversely affect the public health, safety, welfare, comfort or convenience of the community.”
This code can be found in full, here:
http://www.e-codes.generalcode.com/codebook_frameset.asp?ep=fs&t=ws&cb=2043_A
(This meeting will be replayed on channel 18 or can be watched live streaming or downloaded from the town’s channel 18 website )
This Wednesday evening, the Town of Barnstable’s Zoning Board of Appeals will take a vote on whether to allow a project that will effect any of us who travel rt 28 between Hyannis and Mashpee.
This is one of those rare times where mitigation hasn’t worked, and the Z.B.A. needs to do the difficult and “right” thing and vote to NOT approve this project.
Over two years ago the owners of Blanchard Liquors, now at the Cape Cod Mall, purchased the Continue reading this wednesday night the z.b.a. will vote on our safety - will they do the right thing?…
You spend 2 1/2 hours on a rainy Saturday working around the house stopping every 10 minutes to check on the rain delay…
After waiting 2 1/2 hours, you realize watching a very short 4 outs accomplished by Jonathan Papelbon and his Continue reading you know you’re a red sox fan when ……
Anyone who has been involved in Memorial Day or Veterans Day events, would recognize Larry (Sid) Chase. He is a constant presence as a support to our local veterans.
During his State of the Town address, Town Manager John Klimm recognized Sid then showed a video with recognitions from fellow Vietnam Vet, Senator John Kerry, and several others including Congressman Bill Delahunt.
John Klimm described Sid’s dedication:
Continue reading his dedication discovered and recognized, sid chase is a veteran’s veteran…
The Barnstable Patriot, one of the biggest fans of Cape Cog, made the following report in their April 4, 2008 town notes section.
Continue reading a long, lingering, farewell…… but is it really, “goodbye gadfly?”…
Barnstable High School Set to “Rock the Smock”
Barnstable High School will open its 2008 Senior Art Show called “Rock the Smock” on Friday, April 11, from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Guyer Barn Arts Center, 250 South Street, Hyannis. The show will Continue reading art show - see the amazing talent of our town’s young artists…
Rt 28 and Lumbert’s Mill
It happened again - right on cue.
Seems most serious accidents in that intersection happen when Continue reading rt 28 and lumbert’s mill rd …. contact info for mass highway…
I have had little time lately to post on this blog, and there are several issues that I need to update.
This post is regarding the notorious Rt. 28 and Lumbert’s Mill Rd. - there has been a renewed discussion about the traffic lights at the intersection of rt 28 and lumberts mill. While we were away, there was yet another bad accident at that Continue reading route 28 and lumberts mill … still waiting…
We have been dealing with this issue for years …..
more tomorrow…..
State gives crash course on bureaucracy - 3/29/2008
CENTERVILLE — Red tape has held up Continue reading rt 28 and lumberts mill and red tape…
Been gone for almost two business weeks.
It will take some times to catch up. Got several messages about Continue reading sand in our shoes…
With the house and dogs in good and watchful hands (a true concern these days) we have taken some time off to visit family and friends in the sunshine state — we have already visited the boys of summer for two games and we are now on the east coast.
very little access to the internet on this trip …
Check out two blogs that are doing a good job with recent issues
http://barnstablebeat.blogspot.com
http://precinct3truth.blogspot.com/
Will be home soon with sand in our shoes!
I watched a replay of a special Zoning Board of Appeals hearing the other night that had been set up to hear an ongoing issue. The owners of Blanchard’s Liquors, currently located at the edge of the Mall on Rt. 28, purchased the old Knights of Columbus Hall on Rt. 28 in Centerville; two lots down from the newer CVS on the corner of Rt. 28 and Strawberry Hill Rd. an already busy and dangerous intersection. (shown in pink on the map the large green area is the school owned property that includes the middle school and the high school)
They must appear before Z.B.A. because this use, a 9600 + sq foot liquor store, needs a special permit. They plan to knock down the current building and build this new store, pave for the necessary parking and create the curb-cuts needed to accommodate over 1500 trips to and from a package store that will be open seven days a week.
Three town councilors from Centerville see this as a major burden on an already troubled traffic area, and will voice their concerns in a letter to the Z.B.A.
Often, these projects are approved and local residents don’t find out they can speak out against it until the developer is actually building the business. That is when councilors start to hear from local residents. We need to address this project BEFORE it’s approved, and that decision is drawing near.
In this recent televised Z.B.A. hearing the project was presented as supported by Barnstable Middle School officials. This is not true. The school committee reacted to portrayals that they supported the project by voting unanimously to oppose a liquor store on that property so close to both middle school and the high school.
Currently this store is operating at the Cape Cod Mall with rear access through the mall and with the option of a traffic signaled intersection. It empties out onto Rt. 28 where the road is wider, allowing traffic to merge into moving traffic. At the location in Centerville, the traffic would simply be turning in and out onto Continue reading a 9600 square foot liquor store on an already burdened route 28?…
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. “ .. The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
Sure, we’ve come a long way since Continue reading all men are created equal … women? that was another story — have things changed?…
In Saturday’s Cape Cod Times, hidden on the back of the business news- tucked into the sports page, was a story about a judge’s decision in the lawsuit filed by Rectrix against the Barnstable Municipal Airport. The story gave the impression that this was a small victory. Yet, to many this is seen as a substantial victory.
The reporter was unable to reach the attorney for the airport but the p.r. firm for Retrix made sure to deliver the message that this was only a minor victory.
Finding that the Barnstable Municpal Airport was not guilty of violating antitrust laws is a major victory.
TOWN PRESS RELEASE
Judge’s decision regarding the Rectrix lawsuit
On Friday, February 15, the United States District Court in Boston dismissed the
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Security measures vary for local public meetings
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - Feb 9, 2008 By Jennifer Vigil Local city leaders shuddered yesterday as they contemplated the events that took place 1800 miles away – the shooting deaths of two …
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Broward County cities review security measures in wake of Missouri …
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - 26 minutes ago By Linda Trischitta | South Florida Sun-Sentinel February 12, 2008 Mass killings at a Kirkwood, Mo., town meeting last week |
Shooter Had Long History With City Hall
By CHERYL WITTENAUER
Associated Press Writer Posted: Feb. 8, 2008
Even before he shot and killed five people at a City Council meeting, thousands of dollars in parking tickets and citations piled up against the asphalt company owner. He raged at meetings over the years that he was being persecuted, mocking city officials as “jackasses” and accusing them of having a racist “plantation mentality.”
His outbursts at the meetings got him
Five people participating in a city council meeting in Kirkwood, MO — two city councilors, the director of public works and two police officers — were shot by a gunman with a history of complaints against the city. The following are stories that give a little background about each one.
Missouri tragedy hits close to home
This is the question no one seems to be asking publicly - but many are asking privately.
A few of us have considered this in detail, and I will share some of those thoughts over the next few days.
Would it happen here?
6 dead after man with a grudge against local leadership Continue reading … could it happen here?…
I grew up in the Minot section of Scituate; our house was across the street from the Minot Fire Station and three blocks from Minot Beach. I was a teenager in 1978.
Back then there were very few people living in my immediate neighborhood year-round. We lived on a road that ran perpendicular to Surfside Road. Surfside is a street that ran along a strip of land between Minot Beach and Musquashicut Pond. The end of Surfside Rd. was the beginning of a long stretch of barrier beach that was like small mountains of smooth beach rocks leading to Egypt Beach and Mann Hill Beach.
Before sunset that February evening we had watched the waves doing that dramatic dance against the seawalls creating Continue reading blizzard of ‘78; no snow in near minot beach in scituate…
There have been several inquiries today about claims that Gary Lopez and friends will be collecting signatures at the polls this Tuesday - the questions seem to be regarding what are they allowed or permitted to do and what they can accomplish.
Get out and VOTE!
is it possible? — will we see history Continue reading is it possible?…
I have received a number of messages via email and telephone and had several conversations these past few days regarding town law suits.
Who filed lawsuits against whom? Who is paying? Who should pay?
Right now the questions I have been receiving are pertaining to the law suit regarding Councilor Milne and the charter commission.
The Town Clerk made a decision based on her interpretations of the charter, not to allow Councilor Milne to be sworn into sit on both the council and the charter commission. This decision was supported town legal counsel with basis in precedent.
Councilor Milne — and this is important in relation to the questions I have received in the past few days – *filed his own legal action against the town* in dispute Continue reading law suits against the town - who pays? what do they cost the taxpayers?…
BUMMER! … broken hearts
Wait just a minute here!
What?!
Exxon Mobile and Chevron are reported record breaking profits???!!!
I spent much of today in the car traveling off-Cape. I listened to WBZ and NPR throughout the day and heard many different iterations of this story (AP’s story) including an interview with an expert of some sort of expert on BZ who said that clearly this means that the price increases at the pumps have resulted in Continue reading while we suffer, the fat cats get fatter - exxonmobile, chevron posts record breaking profits … ?…
CCA ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, JANUARY 31 at OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH HALL - 7 PM
Featured speakers will be:
Continue reading centerville civic association annual meeting…
Continued report of this past weekend’s conference……
Throughout the Massachusetts Municipal Association Conference anyone who was directly associated with the Governor shared the message that he first gave during his address at the opening comments.
He is having difficulties getting any of his own initiates approved by the legislature.
One issue he is pushing with passion and fervour is Continue reading massachusetts municpal association conference- governor’s message “casinos will save our economy”…
As it is a Monday morning after a long weekend away, and I have a desk full of work that is piled higher than most Mondays - I am going to break this report of this weekend’s Massachusetts Municipal Association Conference, into a few parts.
This was my seventh time attending this conference which for most is a weekend full of back-to-back Continue reading mma conference - deficits, lottery and casinos — part 1…
Regardless of your politcal persuation - this is something to consider ….
From today’s New York Times:
(please read this and print it out to share with the women in your life who don’t read emails …..and pass it along ….. regardless of your political persuasion the contents are worth consideration)
Published: January 8, 2008
THE woman in question became a lawyer after some years as a community organizer,
married a corporate lawyer and is the mother of two little girls, ages 9 and 6.
Herself the daughter of Continue reading women are never front runners…
Saturday evening I convinced my husband to join me in attending the Art’s Foundation of Cape Cod’s exhibit “Self Portrait Cape Cod.”
The exhibit features fifty-five Cape Cod artist’s own Continue reading the arts foundation of cape cod presents “self portrait cape cod” a *must* see!…
Recall? Again?
No. There have been a few inquiries in the past several weeks about a recall effort being spearheaded by one of the charter commission candidates who lost the Continue reading lets focus on the real work and ignore the distractions…
I am amazed at the interesting links to my post about my trip to Washington D.C. with a group of local officials to meet with Mineral Management regarding Cape Wind’s proposed development of Horseshoe Shoals.
I have spent some time backtracking, or following the links people have created into my DC report. This has been an education in the kind of P.R. game Jim Gordon and friends have been playing. It is, admitedly, an effective campaign and worth the millions he Continue reading cape wind: money, power, politics, and p.r. — (someone should to write a book!)…
In a time when we struggle to make ends meet, when people are losing homes and he cost of heating oil and gasoline are causing us rearrange our budgets and priorities, the needs of neglected, abused and discarded animals are not at the top of many lists.
But there are so many pets out there, waiting to become a part of a family. I have seen a TV ad for the SPCA that is repeated on cable news stations that shows neglected and abused animals in shelters. This time of year too many people who have unexpectedly received a dog or cat or guinea pig or bird for Christmas are realizing they are unprepared for such a gift and will be dropping the animal off at their local shelter…..
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WE LOVE OUR SHELTER DOGS!
The past few days I have been home-bound, working, cleaning up after college students home on break, and getting caught up on several writing projects.
Throughout each day I am flanked by my two dogs. Both are work-dogs. Both were rescued. Each is Continue reading rescued pets mean challenges and unconditional love…
Happy Holidays!
