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Falmouth Local

January 02, 2009
18:55
Selectmen's Agenda for Monday, 5 Jan 2009 @ 7:00pm
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: January 2nd, 2009, 6:55pm EST
BOARD OF SELECTMEN MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2009 – 7:00 P.M. SELECTMEN’S MEETING ROOM 1. 7:00 P.M. SUMMARY OF ACTIONS 1. Vote Snow & Ice Expenditure 2. Wedding Ceremony – Andrea McGillicuddy – 6/6/09 – Surf Drive Beach 3. Approve Temporary Easement – Flying Bridge Restaurant 4. Approve 2009 Miscellaneous License Renewal 5. Approve Minutes – December 15 2. 7:15 P.M. TRANSFER STOCK – FALMOUTH BEACH HOUSE 3. 7:30 P.M. APPROVE BANDSHELL PLANS & AWARD BID 4. 8:00 P.M. CAPE CODCURLING CLUB –...
January 01, 2009
16:18
Sidewalk Astronomers meet again
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: January 1st, 2009, 4:18pm EST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SIDEWALK ASTRONOMERS MEET AGAIN (Falmouth, MA, January 2, 2009) – Weather permitting, the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will hold their third monthly outing this Saturday, January 3, from 6pm to 9pm near the Katherine Lee Bates statue on the Falmouth Public Library lawn. The public is welcome to come and get free views of the night sky through telescopes. Individuals who own telescopes or binoculars can bring their own to share, or get advice on how to use them. This...
0:01
Happy New Year!
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: January 1st, 2009, 12:01am EST
"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want." -- Irish toast "Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others." -- Anonymous "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man." -- Benjamin Franklin
December 25, 2008
19:39
Merry Christmas!
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 25th, 2008, 7:39pm EST
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." -- Luke 2:14
December 16, 2008
20:43
Ipsa scientia potestas est
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 16th, 2008, 8:43pm EST
In 2006 and 2007, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) National Civic Literacy Board conducted studies of college students' civic literacy, i.e., Do our college students understand our history and the fundamental principles of our nation? The results have been dismal, at best. This year, the Civic Literacy Board expanded it's study by testing 2,508 adults. The results of this multiple-choice test were truly depressing, with a 71% failure rate and an average score of 49%. I've said...
December 14, 2008
21:43
Missing Monday
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 14th, 2008, 9:43pm EST
I just wanted to let you all know that I will be missing tomorrow's (Monday, December 15) meeting.
December 09, 2008
21:21
The case for waiting
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 9th, 2008, 9:21pm EST
Monday night brought more appointments, reappointments, interviews and of course my usual requests for more public disclosure. Search for the word "interview" on this blog (at the upper left) and you will get several posts about my thoughts on this particular topic, so there's no need to cover that ground again. That said; I received a phone call this afternoon from a constituent which proves my point. The message was about Ms. Roberta Kety, who had interviewed for the Council on Aging and/or...
December 05, 2008
17:42
PAL
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 5th, 2008, 5:42pm EST
It's fair to say that if I'm not comfortable with something, I am going to vote "no." Monday night was no exception, but there was so much tossed about that it took a few days for me to put my finger on that discomfort. As I stated Monday, there are two issues here, 1) the safety of the children, and 2) the law. My concerns about the first were largely addressed by visiting the PAL. I was given a tour of the facility on Brick Kiln Road, and there are locks on both the function hall and liquor...
December 02, 2008
23:10
More sidewalk astronomy
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: December 2nd, 2008, 11:10pm EST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SIDEWALK ASTRONOMY AT HOLIDAYS-BY-THE-SEA CELEBRATION (Falmouth, MA, December 1, 2008) – Weather permitting, the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will hold their second monthly outing this Friday, December 5, from 6pm to 9pm near the Katherine Lee Bates statue on the Falmouth Public Library lawn. “Our first event, back in November, was a huge success,” noted one organizer, Falmouth Selectman Brent Putnam, “not only did people come for the event, but many just walked up to...
November 27, 2008
15:11
Clarifying the "reform effort"
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 27th, 2008, 3:11pm EST
As I've noted before, a blog is a great way to correct the record. In an article about the mystery postcards, the Cape Cod Times wrote, "Putnam said he is talking with Vieira and Frank Duffy, the town's attorney, to come up with a way to efficiently record the votes of all town meeting representatives in attendance." This isn't exactly what I said. In fact, I told the Times that: -- I've been speaking with some town meeting representatives about this, and they are receptive to the idea of...
14:52
Falmouth WINS!
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 27th, 2008, 2:52pm EST
In a nail biter of a game, Falmouth won the 121st game against Barnstable, 26-21. Kudos to the Falmouth High School football team; you earned your turkey today! By the way...21 years ago - during my junior year at Falmouth High School - the 100th game was commemorated by this medallion key chain. Mine is a little beaten; it was actually used as a keychain for some time before being retired as a memento.
14:30
Brent's Town Meeting votes - (the balance of) Wednesday
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 27th, 2008, 2:30pm EST
In this final installment, we review my votes from town meeting on Wednesday night. Article 16 was for an additional $992,000 for the wind turbine to be installed at the wastewater plant in West Falmouth. One year ago, town meeting approved $4 million for this, but every bid was higher. Given the issues surrounding the high school, Precinct 9 representative Carol Murphy asked some questions about the contractor chosen for this. We learned that the lowest bidder was not chosen because, among...
6:49
Happy Thanksgiving!
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 27th, 2008, 6:49am EST
If you're so interested, read all about turkeys and Thanksgiving. And don't forget to join me at 10am in Barnstable as I root for Falmouth at the annual Falmouth-Barnstable Thanksgiving Day football game. This is the 121st game since 1985 when the rivalry began, the 5th oldest such rivalry in Massachusetts, the 82nd Thanksgiving Day game overall and the 65th straight Thanksgiving Day match up for these two teams. Now that's Tradition. With a capital "T".
November 25, 2008
17:59
Brent's Town Meeting votes - Webster Woods
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 25th, 2008, 5:59pm EST
Town meeting took up Articles 37 and 41 on Wednesday (November 12) evening. Given what we saw in the precinct meetings, what could be aptly described as the "main event" promised to be a long, sometimes contentious debate. It was. Approximately a year ago, I favored an alternative to 419 Woods Hole Road, a.k.a. Webster Woods. At the time, Selectman Kevin Murphy threw down the gauntlet, challenging the Woods Hole community to develop an alternative. Last spring, preliminary plans were...
November 22, 2008
22:25
Brent's Town Meeting votes - Monday
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 22nd, 2008, 10:25pm EST
My apologies for the fact that this is a little tardy. Here they are - my 2008 Fall Town Meeting votes. Articles 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 and 40 passed on the blanket vote. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, "blanket vote" means that town meeting agrees with the recommendation in the warrant booklet. I won't review these articles because the controversial issues - the ones worth discussing - are the ones that get held and voted...
November 16, 2008
18:45
Article 42
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 16th, 2008, 6:45pm EST
To recommend that the Board of Selectmen exercise its authority under Article III, Section C3-5 of the Falmouth Home Rule Charter and conduct an investigation of the Falmouth High School renovation project, or do or take any other action in this matter. Truth be told, I had no plans to make a presentation on Article 42. After a contentious discussion amongst the Board of Selectmen, I had agreed to "indefinite postponement" with some wordsmithing of the explanation. There is no "I" in...
November 15, 2008
19:37
Post cards
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 15th, 2008, 7:37pm EST
Some post cards added drama to this town meeting. I've scanned one of the cards, shown at the left. Apparently mailed from Tennesee, they suggested that town meeting representatives' votes would be recorded and shared with Falmouth residents. Some representatives were offended by the language, which could be considered threatening, but Moderator David Vieira refused to discuss it, since the cards were signed anonymously, "A concerned citizen." I'm not sure how our individual votes could be...
November 09, 2008
20:10
A "Top Ten" list for Article 41
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 9th, 2008, 8:10pm EST
Twelve months ago, I was one of those people convinced that we should delay the development of affordable hosing at 419 Woods Hole Road (a.k.a., Webster Woods) to see if viable alternatives could be found. However, during the intervening months, I've learned much more about 419 Woods Hole Road and the proposed alternative at Oshman Way. I even walked the parcel earlier today. I have changed my mind. So, I present to you what I know - with apologies to David Letterman - as my "Top Ten"...
November 08, 2008
21:33
Milestone
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 8th, 2008, 9:33pm EST
I've a counter on this blog that allows me to see how many visitors we get every day. This morning, we reached a milestone - 5,000 hits since we started counting about a year ago. It doesn't seem like much, but for a blog that is targeted to a very small, specific audience (the 27,000-some-odd voters in Falmouth), it's not bad. That said; the numbers really are secondary to the primary mission of keeping you all informed.
November 07, 2008
19:03
More praise
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 7th, 2008, 7:03pm EST
It may have been a while since I recognized anyone, but that doesn't mean there was no one to be recognized. Here's the latest list of kudos... In the spreadsheet to the left, you can see - department by department - money saved from last year's budget. More than $1.7 million was saved - about 1.5 percent of the entire budget - an accomplishment that deserves some serious recognition. Kudos to every department and employee who had a hand in these savings. Too often, the news about Falmouth...
November 04, 2008
20:59
Signs
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 4th, 2008, 8:59pm EST
One of the more interesting debates on Monday night was that of a sign variance for the Holiday Inn on Jones Road. The company is changing its logo, so new signs are in order. But before we discuss this, consider a similar scenario... Several years ago, when I was on the conservation commission, an applicant came to us asking for a variance. They wanted to build a home on a vacant lot, but didn't have the required 50-foot buffer between the foundation and the wetland behind their home....
November 02, 2008
20:17
Why I'm voting "YES" on Question 1
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: November 2nd, 2008, 8:17pm EST
The stated purpose of this blog is to address local issues, i.e., issues that are local to Falmouth. I don't comment on regional, state or national issues because I don't want to lose focus. However, I've also stated that this blog is an avenue for me to set the record straight, and so I will. Simply by virtue of being elected, I am a member of the Cape Cod Selectmen's and Councilor's Association (CCSCA). In a letter to the Cape Cod Times, the CCSCA stated, "The association has voted to...
October 30, 2008
19:17
Sidewalk Astronomy
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 30th, 2008, 7:17pm EDT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SIDEWALK ASTRONOMERS SHARE THE NIGHT SKY (Falmouth, MA, October 27, 2008) – Weather permitting, the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will hold their first outing this Saturday, November 1, from 6pm to 9pm near the Katherine Lee Bates statue on the Falmouth Public Library lawn. The public is welcome to come and get free views of the moon, planets and stars through telescopes. The Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers are an informal group of amateur astronomers dedicated to sharing...
October 28, 2008
18:43
Fall 2008 Precinct Meetings
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 28th, 2008, 6:43pm EDT
Once again, Precincts 8 & 9 will be holding a joint meeting to review the warrant on Thursday, November 6 at 7pm at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds. The High School Building Committee will be offering a tour of the renovation to all town meeting representatives on Thursday, November 6 from 5:30-8:00pm (at the high school, obviously). Other precinct meetings are also scheduled: Precincts 1 & 2: Wednesday, October 29th 7:00pm at the Morse Pond School Auditorium Precinct 3: Wednesday,...
October 26, 2008
21:49
Fees and double taxation
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 26th, 2008, 9:49pm EDT
On the heels of our virtual debate about fees, I spent some time speaking with Betsy Gladfelter, the chair of the conservation commission, and Jenn McKay, the Conservation Administrator. Both were good enough to explain why the commission is recommending increases to its fees and why. Some departments have - incrementally and over time - raised the fees they charge, but the Conservation Department has not changed many of its fees in many years. This is not being used as justification for...
October 19, 2008
16:47
Traffic Advisory Committee
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 19th, 2008, 4:47pm EDT
A constituent recently asked about getting a speed limit posted on their street. In case you're interested, the Traffic Advisory Committee handles this sort of thing. From the town website: Statement of Purpose Traffic Advisory Committee March, 2000 The Traffic Advisory Committee is constituted as a Town Administrator appointed committee with those duties relating to identification and recommendation of actions with respect to use of motor vehicles, pedestrians, bus, bicyclists or other...
October 18, 2008
8:01
Putnam Pressed On
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 18th, 2008, 8:01am EDT
The following post also appeared as a letter in the Thursday, October 16, 2008 edition of the Falmouth Bulletin. In the quickly blossoming debate over building affordable housing at 419 Woods Hole Road versus Oshman Way, columnist Troy Clarkson noted that "the Selectmen agreed, for at least a couple of minutes" that both options could be pursued. I contest Mr. Clarkson's rendition of events, because alone amongst the selectmen, I held my ground. It is apparently a custom for the Falmouth...
7:55
Corrects Reporting Error
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 18th, 2008, 7:55am EDT
The following also appeared as a letter in the Tuesday, October 14, 2008 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise. I would appreciate the opportunity to correct some reporting errors in the Tuesday, October 7, 2008 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise. In the article, "Late-Night Vote On Webster Woods," the paper writes that I "suggested selectmen place an article on a Special Town Meeting warrant that would combine the Oshman Way development and the Webster Woods development, scaling back both...
October 16, 2008
19:33
Who pays for what, and how?
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 16th, 2008, 7:33pm EDT
tax (tāks) n. A contribution for the support of a government required of persons, groups, or businesses within the domain of that government. fee (fē) n. A fixed sum charged, as by an institution or by law, for a privilege: a license fee; tuition fees. -- From the American Heritage Dictionary In my last post about fees, I quoted Constituent #2, "With the cost of governing the Town increasing substantially over the past several years, revenues from such things as user fees have not kept...
October 13, 2008
20:29
A virtual debate about fees
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 13th, 2008, 8:29pm EDT
In response to my post questioning fees, someone I'll identify only as Constituent #2 took me to task for suggesting that the conservation commission was running amok. I did no such thing. What I did was to quote a constituent (call him Constituent #1) but I didn't make that clear. For the record, everything in italics is a quote. My apologies for the confusion. That said; Constituent #2 made a few good points that answered some of the questions I raised about fees. It makes for a good...
October 12, 2008
21:43
What goes around...
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 12th, 2008, 9:43pm EDT
After the selectmen's meeting Monday night, I spoke with a few folks outside town hall about the situation with 419 Woods Hole Road, a.k.a. Webster Woods. By and large, these were folks who don't want to see affordable housing built there. During the meeting and after, I thought their arguments and concerns against building there were reasonable and had some merit. However, one individual made a statement that stunned me. They said, "If this is done, it will drive a wedge between the people of...
October 09, 2008
21:26
Rhymes with "fleas"
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 9th, 2008, 9:26pm EDT
"Here we go again - the Con Com running amock." It's been a few months since I attended a conservation commission meeting, but it wasn't a surprise when a constituent mentioned the increases to the fee schedule. Every year, the selectmen must approve the fees levied for various town services and, well, it's that time again. If you're interested, the current fee schedule is on the town website. What got our neighbor's ire up was (among other things) a suggestion by one member of the...
October 03, 2008
21:24
Monday's Agenda, and you heard it here first...
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: October 3rd, 2008, 9:24pm EDT
I didn't see it posted in the Falmouth Enterprise, so I thought I'd post the Selectmen's agenda for Monday... 6:15 EXECUTIVE SESSION 6:45 PRESENTATION – HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE 7:00 SUMMARY OF ACTIONS (1. Sign Treasurer’s Notes, 2. Vote to Award Wind Turbine Contract, 3. Approve Minutes of Meeting – September 29) 7:10 REPORT – LOCAL PLANNING COMMITTEE 7:30 BRIAN O’TOOLE CONTINUED DOG HEARING 7:45 SIACA, INC. D/B/A OSTERIA LA CIVETTA, 133 MAIN STREET - CHANGE OF MANAGER & CHANGE OF...
September 25, 2008
18:45
No rest for the weary
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 6:45pm EDT
As you all know, there was no selectmen's meeting this past Monday. Some folks on the agenda couldn't make it, and the balance of the stuff could wait a week. However, that didn't stop me from working. The Board of Health meets every Monday night at the same time as the selectmen, so I took advantage of the occasion to sit in on one of their meetings. Monday's agenda included - among other things - the approval of an "experimental" (non-traditional) septic system, and a variance to allow an...
September 23, 2008
18:12
Hot water
» ‎ Falmouth Local

Posted: September 23rd, 2008, 6:12pm EDT
An article in today's Cape Cod Times mentioned the apparent death of one blog and the birth of another by Sandwich Selectman Randy Hunt. The article quotes Hunt as saying about me, "He's gotten into some hot water and since I love hot water, I thought I'd jump in." Hot water, eh? There's a lot of focus on blogs these days, locally with the recall of Barnstable Councilor Janet Joakim and nationally with the emergence of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential choice of John...

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