April is a busy month in Wellfleet, so I decided to catch you all up on what's happening in one fell swoop. Town Meeting takes place April 26, and the Forum held an info session at the library last Monday to educate the public on the various warrant articles. This meeting was led by moderator Harry Terkanian, above. Today the Forum sponsored an event at the Senior Center to introduce three candidates for two positions as Selectmen: incumbents Mike May and Gerry Houk, and former Finance Committee member Breta Bruinooge.One of the main issues discussed at both meetings was the wind turbine project, withdrawn by vote of Selectmen last week, 5-0. At the library meeting, Ira Wood explained his reasons.
Jacqui Beebe went a step further and wrote a very comprehensive letter to explain how her position had evolved from a yes to a no. I obtained her permission to forward the letter to anyone interested. In the meantime, here's a snippet from its conclusion, "We would still be taking great financial risk and destroying a precious part of our rural environment to sell energy to the grid. I hope, as a community, we will aggressively pursue smaller, more beneficial alternative energy sources: hydro power (the new herring run tide gate, perhaps), solar panels (town buildings) and possibly smaller wind projects, but most importantly, energy conservation efforts, using less rather than creating more. We have not given up on alternative energy; we just need to do things more suited to our rural scale." Today Mike May described how he had come to oppose the 410-foot wind turbine at the chosen site, which was not White Crest as many of us had thought, but rather in the woods, close by Duck Pond, creating the necessity for an access road. The topic remains controversial, and a two-page note from the Energy Committee Chair was circulating at the Senior Center meeting this morning.Another topic discussed today was regionalization as it applies to schools, and police chiefs, in the context of how to keep down costs. Mike May described the possible introduction of water taxis that would allow people from cruise ships to access the marina and downtown area, bringing the town a new source of income, an idea I, personally, found promising.
I spoke with Lisa Benson before the Senior Center meeting, and she told me Wellfleet's very first map for tourists will become available at the end of the month.
On Main Street, Pickle & Puppy is closing and offers 70% off this weekend.
There's a rumor that Dunkin' Donuts will move into the Cove Corners spot vacated by Sam Cooks, the one formerly held by Christine's Oasis. Some folks love Dunkin' Donuts. Some would prefer the franchise not enter Wellfleet. Feel free to share your opinion on what Dunkin' Donuts will do to Wellfleet, a town that has managed to avoid any similar chain stores in the past, or on any of the other issues raised above by leaving a comment ...
