Truro TV and Town Website

Some of you may have noticed changes on Channel 18, Truro TV.  We have a new consultant for the Town’s government channel.  James Paul Ludwig currently manages the government channel for the Town of Brewster and was also the director of the Comcast community access studio in Orleans for many years.  James Paul has made wonderful improvements to the site and the Bulletin Board.  Shortly, we will begin sharing content with the Town of Provincetown to televise Selectmen’s meetings and regulatory board meetings.  You can watch the channel on Comcast; and, also, you can stream the channel and view individual programs on demand from the Town’s website www.truro-ma.gov .

We will be launching a new website shortly after Labor Day.  The current website was launched several years ago and had some very innovative features like on demand video streaming.  However, the site was built around a Webmaster model, and we now want to move forward to having multiple employees posting to and updating the site.  Most likely we will contract with a company called Virtual Town Hall.  They will design and launch the site, and it will be hosted off site.  Virtual Town Hall hosts the websites for Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet.  Look for big changes on-line by mid-September.

Property Revaluation, Public Disclosuree

The Board of Assessors and Deputy Assessor Belinda Eyestone will be notifying property owners regarding the availability of proposed FY 2014 valuations.  Notices will appear in the newspaper, on the website, and on Truro TV.  Every Truro property owner will be notified also by mail.  The valuations will be available for review from July 22 until August 2.  Hard copies of the valuations will be available at the Library, Public Safety Facility, and Council on Aging, as well as at the Assessor’s Office.

RFP for Housing Creation

We received only one response to our RFP for Housing Creation, but it was an excellent proposal from Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod.  The Housing Authority has reviewed the technical proposal and is following up on a question they had about providing for local preference for applicants.  The Town, through the Community Preservation Committee, will provide $180,000 toward the development.  Habitat will provide the additional funding needed to purchase a lot and build a single-family house.

Sally’s Way Application Lottery

Community Housing Resource held a lottery at the Town Hall on Tuesday, July 2 to assign the order in which applications for the 16 units would be reviewed.  Over 90 applications were filed with approximately one third of those qualifying for local preference.  Breon Dunigan assisted by drawing the numbers to order the applications.  Perspective tenants will be qualified and selected by August 1.  The move-in date for the project is October 1.  Also, there will be an official dedication and opening in the fall.

Transfer Trailer

We received and accepted a bid on the solid waste transfer trailer that was $15,000 under what we budgeted.  The winning bidder has provided other equipment for the DPW, and we have been satisfied with their products and service.  Paul Morris will meet with the contractor to ensure that the doors align with our compactor.

Zoning By-law Amendments Approved by the AG

Congratulations to Charleen Greenhalgh, ATA and Town Planner, and the members of the Planning Board on approval of all the Zoning By-law amendments from the April Town Meeting being approved by the Attorney General.  We also received notification of the approval much earlier this year, thanks to the efforts of Charleen and Town Clerk/Treasurer/Collector Cynthia Slade.

Future of Ballston Beach and the Upper Pamet River Valley

We have scheduled the public meeting on Ballston Beach and the Upper Pamet Valley for Friday, August 2 at 4:00 p.m., at the Truro Library.  We will have sign-in sheets at the meeting to try to determine how many of the Pamet Valley residents participate.  We may schedule a second meeting in September or October, if needed.

A detailed agenda for the meeting is available on the Town website: 
http://www.truro-ma.gov/downloads_auto/Ballston%20Beach-Upper%20Pamet%20River%20Valley%20Invite.pdf

Public Meeting to Review Updated FEMA Flood Maps August 15

A public meeting has been scheduled for August 15 to review the recently updated FEMA flood maps.  Please click on the link below for more information:
http://www.truro-ma.gov/downloads_auto/Flood%20Map%20Open%20House.pdf

Summer seems to be rushing by.  I hope you all have had an enjoyable season and that you are looking forward to the Ag Fair on September 1:
http://www.truroagfair.com/Truro_Ag_Fair/Welcome.html

and Truro Treasures on September 20-22:
http://trurotreasures.org/

Sincerely,

Rex Peterson
Town Administrator
townadm@truro-ma.gov
(508) 349-7004, ext 10