Seven Villages, Janet Joakim

Today was a beautiful day for a parade and a celebration of life, honoring of service and offers of gratitude for sacrifice.

The Memorial day parade was well-organized, and yet again, a success.

There are people working behind the scenes every year who deserve appreciation.

Specifically, Steve Luciani should be commemorated for taking over the monument project when we lost Jim Childs. Steve’s dogged efforts to Continue reading honoring those who fight for our freedom…

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…