News Flash

Administration

• Police Station: The Building Committee has met twice in the last few weeks working to advance the police station project. I will provide updated information and a proposed project timeline at a future Select Board meeting. I’d like to thank the Building Committee members for their continued service and interest in the project. We will be working on ways to engage the broader community to solicit feedback. The process will be transparent and information will be readily available to the public. 
• Housing Development: The Request for Proposals to develop housing at 3 Jerome Smith Road (VFW site) is officially out. Site visits are on June 24th with proposals due July 29th. I will appoint a Review Committee as the due date gets closer. 
• RFQ Evaluation: The Fire Station Needs Assessment RFQ Review Committee will meet this week to evaluate the six proposals that were submitted to the Town. 
• Public Procurement: I’ve started my second class, “Supplies & Services,” in my effort to become a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official. 
• Community Outreach: Over the last few weeks I’ve continued my effort to build relationships throughout the community and the region. I joined the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce at their recent Board meeting. I was the guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Part-Time Resident Taxpayers Association this past weekend - outlining our work, listening to the members’ concerns and taking questions. I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Eversource. I met with Wendy Northcross, outgoing Director of the Cape Cod Chamber, Hadley Luddy from the Homeless Prevention Council, as well as Michael Galla of Comcast who oversees the company’s affairs in our region. I met with Andy Gottlieb of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, and I also met with proponents of the DEI Initiative to discuss next steps pertaining to the creation of an Office of Diversity Equity & Inclusion following its passage. 
• Pride Month: I attended the Provincetown Pride event last weekend outside Town Hall and presented the proclamation issued by the Select Board. I’d like to thank the Provincetown Business Guild and the Provincetown Queer Council for organizing the weekend’s events. 
• Facilities: I toured both the Water Treatment Facilities and the Wastewater Treatment Plant last week. 

Building

• 419 Commercial Street: The structure has been dismantled down to the first-floor deck. The work now to remove the foundation will involve stabilizing along the perimeter of the existing foundation adjacent to the buildings on the east and west and along Commercial St.
• 2 Commercial Street: The third foundation hole has been dug for the newest building to be permitted for construction on the former Murchison property. The construction will follow the modernist theme that saw the construction of the Murchison House in the early 1960’s.

Council on Aging/ Human Services

• Senior Center Services/Programs: COA staff continue to be available to assist residents during regular Town business hours. The VMCC opened to the public on June 1, Monday-Thursday, 10:00 am. - 4:00 p.m.  COA offices and the media center are open during these times and the Senior Center lounge will open later this month.  Essential services provided throughout the pandemic continue including comprehensive outreach, food pantries and lunch program, medical rides Cape-wide, podiatry appointments, check-in chats, mobile library, medical equipment loan, tech assistance and referrals for support services.  Virtual programs will be offered throughout the summer with indoor programming gradually resuming.  
• Senior Property Tax Work-Off Program:  This program through the Assessor’s Office and administered by the COA offers older adult residents the opportunity to work for a Town Department/Board/Committee and receive an abatement on their property tax bill.  Applicants in outdoor placements have already been working in 2021 and, with the opening of Town buildings, indoor placements are gradually resuming.  The COA expresses its appreciation to the Select Board, Town Manager, Finance Director, Assessor’s Office, Department Heads and Board/Committee Chairs for their ongoing support of this valuable program in the past year.
• COA Board Training:  COA Director Chris Hottle is serving on a statewide committee established by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs and Massachusetts Councils on Aging to create new training protocols for COA Board members.  Modules will include recruitment, onboarding, ongoing trainings and best practices and will be offered via video, virtual and in-person trainings.

Environment/Conservation 

• Public Outreach: The Town is updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan and will be holding a public workshop to invite discussion about the Town’s action plan for the next seven years. It is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 22^nd at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium. Check the Town website and social media accounts for updated information.
• B Street Garden: the first phase of the B Street Garden plot reconstruction project (over half of the ground beds) is finished. This project was funded by a CPA grant approved at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting. Many thanks to Coastal Custom Builders who did the work and also made a significant donation of labor and materials to the project. The Conservation Commission will apply for additional CPA funds to complete the reconstruction project in FY22.
• GOATS! The Open Space Committee has hired Cape Cod Goat Green Vegetation Management to use goats to manage the poison ivy at the Browne Street Conservation Area and the B Street Garden. They will be at the garden for about 10 days in the middle of June. Stop by 6R Browne Street and check them out. They are contained in a pen, but be careful not to touch the fence. It is electrified to contain the goats and will give humans a mild shock (like touching a wet battery) if in contact for more than a second or two.

Harbormaster

• Harbormaster Boats: The pump out boat is now in service for the season.
• Beach Kayak Racks: All of the beach kayak storage rack spaces have been rented for this season.
• Seasonal Assistant Harbormasters: The seasonal staff of three Assistant Harbormasters are now trained in pier deck safety as required by the USCG Facility Security Plan.

Health

• COVID-19 / Public Health: As the Health Department transitions to its pre-pandemic duties, the best source of data on cases, vaccinations, and other pandemic-related variables are the State’s interactive data dashboard (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting#covid-19-interactive-data-dashboard-) and the State’s weekly municipal vaccination report (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-covid-19-vaccination-data-and-updates#weekly-covid-19-municipality-vaccination-data-) which is updated on Thursdays. Our local COVID-19 email alert group is still available to share any pressing local updates; the Health Department has discontinued weekly updates. 
  1. To get tested, please call Outer Cape Health Services testing line at 508-905-2888.
  2. To get vaccinated, please call Outer Cape Health Services Provincetown Health Center at 508-487-9395.
• Bathing Beach Water Quality: Weekly sampling of the Town’s public beaches along the waterfront begins this week. Notifications about closures are sent through our “Beach Closure Notifications” group in the Town’s alert system. Sign up at alerts.provincetown-ma.gov and join the “Beach Closure Notifications” group. The program is a joint effort between the Town and the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, who provides free sampling and testing. If you have questions about the program, please contact Marine Coordinator Rex McKinsey at rmckinsey@provincetown-ma.gov. 
• Environmental Health: Marine Coordinator Rex McKinsey is also managing the Arbovirus (Mosquito Borne Illness) Surveillance program with our regional partners the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project. Remember, most mosquitos do not travel far from where they are born. The best mosquito control is to empty all standing water on or around your property regularly.
  1. The Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project is a free, taxpayer-funded program that will come to your home to treat for mosquitos. For more information or to schedule a visit, call 508-775-1510 or visit https://www.ccmcp.net/. 
• Inspections: The summer sanitarian inspectional program begins this week. Each summer the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment provides the Town with summer inspectional help. The Health Department receives a summer sanitarian to aid in food and other inspections at least once per week for the duration of the summer.

Housing 

• Ownership Units: 6 Sandy Hill Lane #11 is moving towards closing in June; 36 Nelson Unit #3 [1 bedroom, 1 bath, $178,500, as part of the inclusionary zoning development at 30 Shank Painter], lottery was held 5/17/21 with top pick moving to Purchase and Sale; anticipate one-bedroom unit at 30 Shank Painter Rd. to become available for outreach this summer.
• Harbor Hill: The complex remains at 100% full occupancy. Property Management continues to work on upgrades and CIP planning with the assistance of staff including the Public Works Department. Challenges to repairs and landscaping are being experienced in conjunction with lack of staff for businesses in the region.
• VFW development: Select Board approved moving forward with RFP on 5/24/21 and RFP was issued with a due date for proposals of 7/29/21.
• Affordable Housing Annual Tax Exemption: Applications for properties that provide year round rentals are under review in conjunction with the Assessing Department.

Human Resources

• Open Year-Round Positions: Currently the Town is seeking a Town Treasurer, an Administrative Assistant – Water Department, an EMS Coordinator, and On-Call Secretaries
• Open Seasonal Positions: Various Seasonal Positions for the 2021 Season: DPW Highway Dept. Laborer, DPW Transfer Station/Sanitation Laborer, DPW Barrels & Grounds Attendants, DPW Third Barrel Pickup Attendants, DPW Comfort Station Attendants, DPW Beautification Maintenance Staff, DPW Groundskeeper Maintenance Staff, DPW Floating Custodian, Parking Lot Booth Attendants, EMT, EMT-I and Paramedic, Community Ambassadors/Greeters, PPPC Deck Safety Crew Patrol Staff, PPPC Assistant Harbormasters, PPPC Night Watchperson- Deck Safety Crew Patrol, PPPC Operations Staff, PPPC Seasonal PT Administrative Assistant, Police Dept Community Service Officer. 
• Applications and job descriptions for all positions can be found on the Town’s website. 

Library

• Building Reopening: On June 1, the Library reopened to the public and has welcomed 1,105 patrons and visitors into the building during the first five day of reopening. The Library is open to the public Monday-Friday 10:00am-4:00pm and Saturday 1:00pm-5:00pm. Library staff continues to be available by phone and online during all regular library hours (7 days a week) to offer reader’s advisory, assistance with electronic resources assistance, and help answering questions and finding answers. Wireless printing is also available. Streetside pick-up of circulating library materials continues. Items may be requested through clamsnet.org, by calling 487-7094, or emailing pplstreetside@gmail.com
• Crop Swap Donation: Crop Swap is now part of the Farm Fresh Produce collaborative program offered through Cape Cod’s Cooperative Extension and Cape Abilities Farm. Crop Swap will receive a delivery of produce once a week to assist in keeping the Crop Swap fridge stocked. 
• Library Program: On Thursday, June 24 at 6:00pm join authors Randi Triant and Sarah Anne Johnson for a special virtual discussion of their new novels A New Life and The Last Sailor respectively. Email araff@clamsnet.org for Zoom link.

Licensing

• Licenses: MIS has been working to create more specific licensing for Trap Sheds. 
• Licensing Board: The board has an opening for a regular member.
• Covid-19: The Licensing Department continues to respond to questions from local businesses on evolving regulations.

MacMillan Pier

• Operations: The Pier is busy with activity, as the Fishing Fleet continues to bring out their traps and gear. All cranes are currently working.  
• Ferry Services: Bay State Cruises and Boston Harbor City Cruises (BHCC) have begun their full schedules starting June 1^st. Passenger counts are way up from last year at this time. 
• Excursion Businesses: Now that the 50% reduced capacity has been lifted, there is a bit more activity on the west side of the pier for the excursion businesses.
• Pier Corp Meetings: The PPPC Board will begin holding their public meetings in person and live starting June 23^rd in the Judge Welsh room from 5-7pm each 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of each month.  
• Artist Trap Sheds are officially open for the season and all sheds will be occupied for June 1^st, standard operating hours are 10am-7pm  

MIS

• Cybersecurity: The MIS Department’s effort to improve the Town’s cybersecurity posture is ongoing. We recently received our first quarter report card from the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS), who is sponsoring the state-wide cybersecurity training program in which we are currently participating. The Town’s completion rate for assessments and assignments is tracking ahead of the State’s average.
• Desktop Replacements: MIS is in the process of cycling out a portion of our desktop fleet. We do this every spring; instead of replacing all desktops at once, we stagger it over three years. Each spring, one-third of the fleet gets replaced. This ensures that desktops are no older than three years, which in turn gives staff access to the most recent technology.

Planning

• Transportation: Provincetown is the most bikeable small city in America for 2021, and the fourth most bikeable in the world, according to the data-driven ratings by the PeopleForBikes organization.
• Transportation, Parking and Coastal Resiliency: A grant application was submitted to the Commonwealth’s Community One Stop for Growth to fund a planning study for relocating parking from the MPL to Route 6 in order to remove parking areas from the flood zone and connect the Herring Cove multi-use bike path with the Truro town line as part of the Cape Cod Rail Trail.
• Public Landscape: The Town Planner is coordinating with the Public Landscape Committee to review design guidelines and prioritize next projects.
• Workforce Housing: The Barracks continues to be heard by the Planning Board at its June 10, 2021 meeting. 

Public Works

• Line Painting: DPW crews worked overnight the week of June 7^th with painting contractors to get Commercial Street and all crosswalks painted for the upcoming season. Staff has already completed yellow centerline, fog lines, and parking lots.
• Conwell Street: The final course of pavement was scheduled for the week of June 7^th followed by line painting. The project has made significant improvement to bike and pedestrian accessibility within this heavily trafficked area. 
• Town Hall HVAC Improvements: Final commissioning of the new HVAC chiller was scheduled for the week of June 7^th thereby allowing Town Hall to return full climate-controlled status. 

Recreation

• Indoor Fitness Classes: The Veteran’s Memorial Community Center is now open to the public and we are excited to announce that we have begun offering and making arrangements for indoor fitness classes to start. Similar to the limited business hours here at the VMCC, Monday thru Thursday from 10am-4pm, the fitness classes will also be on a limited basis. All instructors will have met with the Director to go over housekeeping and the expectations of using the space. 
• Summer Program: The final countdown has begun to the kick-off of our 2021 Summer Program. The official start date is June 28th. Currently, we have received about 75 registrations from Provincetown School families, Provincetown residents and Massachusetts residents. As planned, if space allows, we will open the registration to out-of-state residents on June 14th, 2021. The program will be outdoors across the street from the VMCC at Motta Field. We continue to prepare for the program and look forward to a hot, fun, safe summer!
• East End Waterfront Park Planning: The Town has hired the firm Weston and Sampson to facilitate a community planning process of this park. The firm, Town staff, and the Waterfront Park Working Group have completed an initial schedule of that process with the first Community Meeting scheduled for June 24^th at 6pm, at 387 -394A Commercial Street, the East End Waterfront Park. This community meeting will provide the first chance for the public to provide their input on their desires both in person and virtually. Weston and Sampson will have the technology capabilities to provide an online component while an in person community meeting is being held. During the course of the planning process schedule, community members will be able to provide their input at seven community meetings which may be most convenient to them, and provide their input via online survey, which a QR code sign will be available on site for people to scan their phones with. These seven meetings will take place over the course of the next three months and there will be a preferred plan and report by November 1. 

School

• Principal Search: The search is underway for a new Principal to lead Provincetown International Baccalaureate Schools. Interviews have been taking place and we look forward to our announcing our new leader very soon. Special thanks to parents and staff who have worked on the interview team.
• COVID: Our students continue to thrive as we emerge from the pandemic.  We must keep our guard up in regard to COVID as we learned last week when two cases showed up in our students. We continue to do weekly PCR pool testing and are grateful for the dedicated work of our nurse Mary Beth Maloney.
• Community Service: Our Junior Honor Society is walking to raise funds for the Homeless Prevention Council.  Donations can be sent to Advisor Amy Rokicki at the school and designated for Provincetown School families or donations can be made at this site: www.classy.org/team/359926.

Tourism

• Travel+Leisure Magazine:  We started working with Travel+Leisure in May of 2020 and after a full year we are very excited to share this Provincetown feature article. The story has been published in the June 2021 print issue, which dropped in May, and is now available digitally as well.   Provincetown, A Longtime Haven for LGBTQ Travelers, is the Perfect Laid-Back Beach Town  We began working with the magazine when the editor of T+L responded to one of our press releases written by ConranPR, and Gayle Conran pitched a story concept to them. After three months of planning the T+L journalist Jordan Kisner, who lives in Brooklyn NY, visited Provincetown with her wife, composer Lora-Faye Whelan, in August of 2020 for a familiarization trip (FAM) organized by the Tourism Office. It was a challenging time for a FAM, however we were able to provide a very comprehensive experience for them resulting in a story sheading beautiful light on the Town. The photographer came to Town in September to capture images for the story. The magazine demographic is an affluent consumer well suited to Provincetown.  https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/beach-vacations/provincetown-massachusetts-summer-getaway-lgbtq-history 
• Tourism Information Center:  Along with other Town buildings the Tourism Office opened to the public beginning June 1^st. The Info Center is staffed with Tourism Ambassadors (Senior Volunteers) Wednesdays through Sundays. Once we have more volunteer staff available, we will expand the coverage to seven days a week and begin to staff the Tourism Information Table in the Town Hall Lobby as well. 
• Firehouse #3:  With the Community Ambassador Program coming to an end, the Firehouse is open and available to nonprofit organizations and to for-profit businesses for Town sponsored events. The Tourism Office coordinates the schedule and applications for use can be found on the Town of Provincetown website.  https://www.provincetown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14035/2021-Firehouse-No-3-Application.

Town Clerk 

• Board Vacancies: There are 12 current vacancies and 22 upcoming seats whose appointments are expiring by the end of July 2021.  A list of current board vacancies can be found at https://www.provincetown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/812/Board-Vacancy-Report-PDF. Current board members who wish to be reappointed need to submit a new board application online to be considered for reappointment. The application can be found at this link: https://provincetownma.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1074/record-types/1006552   
• Services:  The Office of the Town Clerk continues to offer our services online including vital record requests (birth/death/marriage certificates), business certificates, dog licenses, public record requests, board & committee applications, and shellfish licenses.  The Office of the Town Clerk requires appointments to file marriage intentions. 
• Cemetery:  The Office of the Town Clerk has been busy working with the Cemetery Department and Cemetery Commission to streamline processes and fees.