Town Administrator

Update of Improvements to Knowles Crossing Pump Station

A public information meeting is to be held at the Community Center on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the community with an update on the proposed Filter Building to be located at the Knowles Crossing Pump Station. There will be a short presentation concerning the design details, the filter process, the site improvements, and how water quality will be improved once this filtration project is completed in 2013.

The Provincetown Water Department had committed to the Truro Board of Selectmen to share information with the public as it becomes available and seek comments from the community in general and from the neighborhood in particular.

This Filter Building is one part of a larger water improvement program funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Other parts of the program include the construction of a new water supply at North Union Field, distribution system upgrades, the decommissioning of the Winslow 1 storage tank located in Provincetown, and the system-wide water meter inspection program which has already resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of unaccounted for water caused by previously undetected leaks in the service lines.

New Hires

We recently hired Racine Oxtoby as a Recreation Counselor for the After School Program. She has developed special programs for Recreation in the past, and comes with a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. Christopher Lucy has been hired as an Equipment Operator at the DPW. He comes with an impressive background and knowledge of the Town.

Aquaculture Grants in East Harbor

We received very encouraging news this month regarding the establishment of an area off Beach Point for aquaculture grants. Shellfish Constable Tony Jackett has received permission from the Division of Marine Fisheries to move on to the next step of working with the Army Corps to establish grant layouts and to develop rules and regulations for grant holders.

Update on Noons Beach and East Harbor

ATA Charleen Greehalgh submitted a letter on December 6 to the Army Corp requesting an investigation of the culvert draining and flushing East Harbor and Moon Pond, and the possible erosion and flooding associated with a failure. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in last month's eNewsletter, federal funding is drying up, and the Army Corps is unable to provide the services. This will most likely mean an article on the Annual Town Meeting to fund an investigation.

We have also requested that Town Counsel research the ownership of the culvert, and how the Town ended up owning a culvert that drains two bodies of water that we do not own.

Wetlands Restoration Projects

We received a letter this month from the Mass Division of Ecological Restoration to notify us that both the Mill Pond and Eagle Creek restoration projects have been listed as priority projects for the upcoming year. Thank you to Charleen Greenhalgh and Paul Morris for their work on these projects. The restorations will include appropriate sizing of culverts to restore tidal flow and preliminary engineering to replace the existing culverts.

Truro TV, Channel 18

We are continuing to add programming to the Town's government Channel 18. Beginning in January, we will broadcast Zoning Board of Appeals meetings in addition to the Board of Selectmen. We will eventually add meetings of the Planning Board, Board of Health and Conservation Commission. We need videographers, and hope that Truro residents will take advantage of the training being offered by Lower Cape Cable at their studio in Eastham. Once trained to operate the equipment, we will have openings for ongoing recorders to cover the regulatory board meetings. If you are interested, please contact me or Harry Terkanian at the Town Hall.

Sincerely,