The Town of Truro is beginning to wake up to spring. The street sweeper is ready to begin cleaning Truro streets, and the Harbormaster is back on the job. The employees are coming back to the Highland Links Golf Course; and the Manager, Jim Knowles, reports the course survived the winter in good form. We are beginning to talk about hiring lifeguards and parking lot attendants as well as counselors for the summer Recreation Department programs. And all the while we still have snow showers!!!
Annual Town Meeting
Internally, here at Town Hall, we are preparing for the Annual Town Meeting on April 26 at the Truro Community Center and the Annual Town Election on May 10, also at the Community Center. Each year, the period from January of each year, through March is an extremely busy time as the next year's budget must be completed and voted on by the Selectmen. Also, the Annual Town Meeting warrant must be finished, voted on by the Board of Selectmen, and rushed off to the printer by the end of March. It keeps us occupied through the long winter months. By March we are harried and rushing with a real sense of urgency. All this so the citizens of Truro are able to arrive at Town Meeting and be able to read a professionally prepared Town Meeting Warrant, which contains the budget for the next fiscal year.
And we still have to accomplish all the other tasks associated with our offices.
Butch Joseph Retiring
We are saddened to lose the retiring Butch Joseph from the Department of Public Works (DPW). He is retiring after 32 years as a DPW employee with the Town of Truro. Mr. Raymond F. Joseph, Butch's “real “ name, began working for the Town of Truro Forty-four years ago, yep, that's right, 44 years!!! He began as a volunteer fireman, was a police patrolman and a police auxiliary officer before joining the DPW in 1979. DPW Director Paul Morris is especially sad to lose such a valuable member of his staff. In Paul's words, Butch is an employee who “knows the Town and cares about the Town.” We all wish Butch and his wife much happiness after such distinguished work with the DPW and the Town of Truro.
Truro TV
I turn my attention now to the matter of Truro's having its own Government Public Access Channel, Channel 18. Our very able Cable Television Commission is ready to begin building the Channel. Yes, I mean literally building the operation! First step was for me to write a Request for Proposals for the equipment needed. This is a 20-plus-page document that lists what the Town needs to set up a studio for operating a television station. Please do not envision that this is a commercial television station like one you see on your television at home. It is not too much more than a server in the basement of Town Hall! Also, we are also going to order new equipment for the Selectmen's Meeting Room. This involves new sound equipment and new cameras. This should enable citizens to see the Selectmen's meetings more clearly and with better sound.
The RFP (Request for Proposals) has been written and distributed thoughout the Northeast. This is a requirement of the Commonwealth that produces the least expensive deals for towns and cities in Massachusetts.
Every town or city must have a person with the certification of “Purchasing Agent” in place before RFP's are written. It is, believe me, a very long and tortuous program of the Inspector General of the state of Massachusetts to obtain that certification. I have made the statement that it is like going back to school and taking statistics.
Forgive my aside....
The Purchasing Agent, a/k/a the Town Administrator, I, will open submissions on May 1, 2011. I will eventually select one vendor with whom to work, and that vendor will be awarded a contract with the Town of Truro. The Cable Commission will then work with the vendor to set up a “studio” from which to broadcast Channel 18.
It is fun to imagine what types of programming will develop on this channel. The Cable Commission hopes to begin immediately producing more meetings of more committees. For instance, the Planning Board and Board of Health meetings come quickly to mind. They also want to cover building projects by the Town in Truro. Chairman Dennis Klass often laments that there was no recording of the Pamet Harbor North Jetty Project ... (well, it is boring here in the winter.) Also, we can contemplate covering the work of our Town Departments ... such as, what goes on in the Library? Or what is going on at the COA on a day-to-day basis. All programs will be limited to governmental subjects, but the public should be much more informed once this channel is operating.
I will leave you now for the work that still needs to be completed on my desk. The Annual Town Meeting Warrant is calling my name again. Next time I write, the weather should be much warmer and softer.
Pam Nolan
Town Administrator
townadm@truro-ma.gov
(508) 349-7004, ext 10