Projects
Three major construction projects were completed this past year. With a bequest of $135,000 we were able to plant 50 cherry trees, install three cobblestone driveways, and to install a granite post-and-pipe-rail fencing at the Old North Cemetery. We hope to complete the fencing along the two sides of the Cemetery this spring. The reconstruction of the South Jetty at the entrance to Pamet Harbor was finished at the end of November. This was a major undertaking that involved widening the jetty and adding a significant amount of stone to the structure. Finally, the Fire Department bunk room was completed with the assistance of the DPW staff. In addition to bunk rooms for both men and women, the crew created a dayroom with a small kitchen.
Town Hall bells have been ringing for most of the year. After consulting with an engineer and implementing several of the mitigation measures recommended, we have the bells in compliance. We continue to work on the chimes.
Two major projects for the Provincetown water system started in 2012: the Knowles Crossing filtration facility and a new supply well at North Union Field. We were able to fix a major drainage problem involving the Little Pamet and Corn Hill culvert by dredging the outflow channel.
After the launch of Truro TV, Channel 18 (the Government channel,) we continued to add programming with all regulatory Board meetings now recorded and broadcast. During the coming year, we also hope to share programming with Provincetown TV. The Open Cape fiber-optic network was connected to Town facilities and will be "live" by the end of January 2013. This will provide more capacity and higher speeds for data, a backup system for Public Safety and the opportunity for features like voice-over IP. Also, we are hoping to find a way to utilize the capacity to provide internet service to those in Truro currently not served.
The Public Safety Facility was struck by lightning in the middle of August. Turns out this was the eighth or ninth strike since the building opened 18 years ago. We are currently working with engineers in Sandwich who are conducting an investigation and recommending several ways to improve the grounding of the building in order to protect our telephone, computer, and despatch equipment. We held a Town Office cleanup and staff cookout in mid-May to give staff the opportunity to dispose of unneeded files and equipment. We got tremendous help from the staff at the DPW, and we may make this an annual event. The staff also participated in a Habitat for Humanity workday in November. About 20 staff members spent the day working on a new house being constructed for a resident in North Truro.
The 16 units of affordable rental housing on Sally’s Way, next to the Library and Community Center, has come back to life. Community Housing Resource closed on its financing for the project in the beginning of December, with an anticipated completion date of summer 2013.
The Wildland pumper for the Fire Department is on order, with an expected delivery date of May or June 2013. The funding for this equipment was approved more than three years ago; but until this year, the bidding and contracting were never completed.
In addition to the Herring River Restoration project, the Town is also involved in wetlands restoration projects at Eagle Neck Creek and Mill Pond. Engineering is underway for all these projects in order to restore more tidal flow and wetland habitat.
Personnel
Police Chief Kyle Takakjian completed his first full year on the job and has brought the Department back to full staff. Also, he has provided excellent leadership to make the Department more efficient and professional.
Tricia Ford was hired as our new Library Director, following the retirement of Meg Royka. Tricia has done an outstanding job of increasing both programs and circulation at the Library. She was formerly the Assistant Director in Eastham.
Belinda Eyestone, another former employee of Eastham, was hired as Deputy Assessor in April. This followed the retirement of Linda Maloney. Belinda has made great changes in the Department, and managed to get the FY 2013 tax bills mailed on time in early October.
Harry Terkanian left his position as IT Director at the end of December to become the new Town Administrator in Wellfleet. While we all will miss Harry’s expertise and patience, it will be a pleasure to collaborate with him as our neighbor and friend. David Wennerberg will assume the IT Director position in January 2013. He is relocating to the Cape from New Haven, CT.
DPW Director Paul Morris was reclassified this year in recognition of his many years of service to the Town. Paul and his staff do an excellent job in all areas and save the Town a significant amount of money by handling projects in-house that other towns bid out to private contractors.
Another long-time Town employee, Marjorie Childs, will be leaving the Town Clerk/Treasurer's Office at the end of the year to assume a new position as Assistant to the COA Director. We think Margie’s warm and bright personality will be a welcome addition at the COA, but we hate to see her leave Town Hall.
Julie Dupree retired in July and was replaced with two new Executive Assistants, Nicole Tudor and Noelle Scoullar. Nicole Kirkton (Nicki) was hired to fill the Office Assistant for the Building and Health vacancy created when Noelle Scoullar moved to the Administration Office.
As a result of legislation passed by the State Legislature and negotiations with our bargaining units, 2012 saw some major changes in the health insurance coverage for our employees. In general, the plan's features stayed the same; but employees now must pay higher co-pays and deductibles. This was an attempt to help cities and towns control the ever-increasing cost of insurance and its impact on the overall operating budget.
Financial / Budget
At the end of 2012, we are in good shape financially with a $40,000 surplus in the FY2012 legal budget; $35,000 savings for paying our insurance premiums early in a lump sum; and $1l6-Million in certified Free Cash for the upcoming fiscal year. The Town is serving as the lead community on a $1-Million Community Development Block Grant for housing rehabilitation and childcare. Provincetown and Wellfleet are the other grant participants. We moved forward with the implementation of the $142,000 Green Communities Grant to improve energy efficiency in a number of Town facilities. That project will be ongoing through the coming year.
New sticker tracking software was installed at the Beach Office this past summer. We are consolidating the Beach and Recreation Departments and hope to provide a number of new services, including stickers-by-mail and the ability to accept credit cards for both the Beach and Recreation programs.
It’s worth mentioning again that tax bills were issued on time at the beginning of October, the first time that has happened in eleven years. Finally, we took the plunge this year and converted all Town computers from "Open Office" to "Windows 2010." We were having difficulty communicating with a number of State and Federal agencies, and we are now up to the industry standard for software.
Annual Town Meeting
We had 27 articles on the Annual Town Meeting warrant, and all passed in one night. Significant among those 27 was a proposed Charter Change to eliminate the Board of Fire Engineers and to place the Fire Department and Fire Chief under the direct supervision of the Board of Selectmen.
Special Legislation was approved and has been filed to exempt all housing rented affordably in Truro from property taxation. We also learned in late December that the special legislation to establish the Affordable Accessory Dwelling Unit by-law passed. The last hurdle for that will be a vote at the Town election in May 2013.
Sincerely,
Rex Peterson
Town Administrator
townadm@truro-ma.gov
(508) 349-7004, ext 10