from the Town Administrator

From where I sit it has been a tough winter so far on Cape Cod.  A lot of snow and sleet in December and January....and we still have months of winter.  I am so grateful that Truro has a really good Department of Public Works.  The trucks are prepared and waiting, the sand is in the covered sand shed and our employees are ready to make the roads safe in Truro.  Good job Paul Morris and Leo Rose and all the DPW employees.  I know I can count on their experience and expertise.  A good feeling.

On January 18, 2011, Truro hosted all the employees of Wellfleet, Eastham, Truro and Provincetown for Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training at the Community Center in Truro.  There was a phenomenal turnout as Truro, Wellfleet and Provincetown mandated this training for all employees.  The Multi-purpose room is especially good for training.  The sound system was used and coffee was made in the kitchen.   

Community Center Use is Growing

I know I have written about the Community Center before, however, I want to remark one more time that the ever growing use of the building is phenomenal.  One has only to look at the Council on Aging and Recreation Departments before they moved to the Community Center and then look at these departments now.  You can find almost any kind of physical exercise classes offered year round form both the COA and the Recreation Department.  We have Yoga, Zumba, Zumba Gold, The Big Skinny, Indoor Basketball and Indoor Volleyball for adults.  In the childrens arena, the Recreation Department has a number of programs including a new After School Program for children aged Kindergarten through Sixth grade.  Recreation has also expanded the summer program with a program that lasts until 5:30pm.

As an administrator, it is simply amazing to watch these two departments expand.  It is due to the beautiful facility that is the Community Center, but it is also a credit to the two new directors.  Kelly Sullivan is the Recreation Director.  Kelly has been working with the Truro summer program for over 10 years before she became our Director.  Susan Travers, the COA Director is a resident with long roots in Truro. Please go to the websites of the Truro Recreation Department and the Council on Aging for a complete rundown of their programs.  I bet you will be pleasantly surprised.

Pamet Harbor Dredging

The Town Administrator's office is once again beginning a process to allow dredging in Pamet Harbor.  It does not make me happy to report that state agencies are closing our “window” or the time we are allowed to dredge.  Closing this window will make it impossible to dredge the Harbor.  In my mind, how do these agencies close Pamet Harbor to the fishermen that use the Harbor?  It is astonishing to me that we must fight this battle again.  The Engineering firm that Truro maintains for permitting purposes is Coastal Engineering.  The Board of Selectmen has already awarded Coastal $12,000 to oppose the state's latest mandate to outlaw dredging beyond January 15. 

As many of you know already, Truro depends on Barnstable County Dredge, as do all Cape Cod Towns, to keep our waters open and clear of drifting sand.  The Pamet Harbor Commission, headed by Tim Silva will fight this fight along side the Harbormaster, Coastal engineering and me.

Truro Library 5 Year Plan

The Truro library held an information gathering seminar on January 19th.  The Library must develop a 5 year plan.  The Board of Library Trustees and the Director, Meg Royka decided to open the planning up a bit and find out what the residents of the Town of Truro would like to see in the entire town in five years.  The turnout that evening was excellent with approximately 50 people in attendance.  The Library provided a trained moderator to lead the discussion.  After about an hour, the moderator had a list of the desires and hopes of Truro residents for the next five years.  I could not help but see that many of the things requested are things we have already, or have in the works. 

Truro Activities

Residents want more activity in their free time....I say, look up the COA and the Recreation Department websites and see the programs and fitness already available.   A Community Garden is another dream...if you remember, I alerted the Board of Selectmen of the beginning of talk concerning a Community Garden and I wrote about it in this eNewsletter.  Keep in mind that there already exists a Childrens Community Garden behind the Library.  Residents want more broadband and internet coverage.  We have a Cable Commission that has been “hard charging” for broadband and internet coverage from Comcast.  The Cable Commission has a sub-committee to work with Outer Cape to bring coverage to the last mile in Truro.  The same Cable Commission has a sub-committee working on establishing a Channel 18, a public access TV channel that will cover Truro Government.  It will be enabled soon.  Same with a community bulletin board!

The message I want to convey is that Truro is alive with opportunity right now.  I guess we better find a way to communicate that message to the entire community.  I will be glad to receive any suggestions and I know the very eNewletter I am writing for is one way in which we have increased communication.  Pass it on!

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And now Gentle Reader, back to work for me.