Finance Committee Report

Dear Fellow Voters:

The Finance Committee met on December 28, 1999 to review the article now before the town-- MacMillan Pier Reconstruction: Delete Floating Dock System for Small Boat Fisheries, Wave Barrier/Floating Wave Attenuator-- and to make its recommendation. We voted not to recommend this article-- with 6 members in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention. All members present voiced their reasons for not supporting this article, and the following message attempts to summarize those comments.

Nearly every member cited the fact that pier project-- two years in formal, open meetings, and much longer in general discussion throughout the town-- has been open-ended, published, and singularly marked by a spirit of cooperation and compromise unusual in this town. Many cited the perseverance of Assistant Town Manager Winn Davis and DPW Director David Guertin and especially the efforts of former Harbor Committee Chair Gwen Billig to accommodate the needs of various groups affected by the new pier design. Besides the input from the various boards and committees in town, the pier project has undergone extensive review by State, Federal, environmental, and seashore groups from outside. The number and amount of grants we have received-- thus far, $11.7-million from the state and $1.5-million from the federal government--attests to the thorough reviews that the project has received.

From the very beginnings of the project, even in its most general discussion phase, it was clear that the new pier would not just replace the old, but would be bigger and would attempt to make the pier not just self‑sufficient, but actually profitable for the town. It was clear that the new design needed to aid the small commercial fisherman, be attractive and safe to visiting boats, offer more services to boaters, in short, to make better use of perhaps our single most valuable asset.

Now, at the eleventh hour, after years of careful planning, compromise, and redesign, a small group of people wants to put the entire project in jeopardy because it doesn't like some parts of the design, specifically the finger piers and the wave attenuator. The changes they demand would call into question some of the grants we have obtained and would reduce the pier's income, thereby making the pier again a drain on our economy rather than an asset. One FinCom member pointed out that to jeopardize an investment wherein the town pays 17¢, and grants pay 83¢, of each dollar, and will actually add revenue to the town, is foolhardy. Another member cautioned that changing such essential parts of the approved design will most likely have a negative domino effect on other grants the town may apply for and other projects we may need to undertake.

The most serious objection against the original design, the fixed wave attenuator, has been taken care of We learned we are able to substitute a floating attenuator for the fixed one with no loss of grant monies and yet provide the same safety factor for the fishermen. With this one change, the Board of Selectmen has voted to recommend the original design, twice approved by Town Meeting by a 2/3 majority vote. And the Finance Committee concurs. We recommend the voters once again assert its approval for a project that will benefit everyone in the town.

Respectfully submitted,

The Provincetown Finance Committee

January 5, 2000 Special Town Meeting WARRANT

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Barnstable, ss.

To either of the Constables of the Town of Provincetown, Greetings:

In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the manner prescribed in the Charter and By-laws of said Town, you are hereby directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town qualified by law to vote in Town affairs to meet and assemble at Provincetown Town Hall on Wednesday, the Fifth day of January, A.D. 2000 at 7:30 o'clock in the evening, then and there to act on the following articles, to wit:

Article 1. MacMillan Pier Reconstruction: Delete Floating Dock System for Small Boat Fisheries, Wave Barrier/Floating Wave Attenuator. To see if the Town will vote as follows: Whereas, at Town Meeting in April 1999, Provincetown voters agreed to reconstruct MacMillan Pier; Whereas, Town meeting voters should have the opportunity to assess, discuss and approve all additions and reconfigurations of the design as it differs from the current existing pier and original T section; therefore, to see if the Town will vote to rebuild MacMillan Pier without the following additions: no additional floating docks or finger piers other than those that already exist and no wave barrier floating or otherwise; or take any other action relative thereto.

[Requested by Christie Murphy and others]

FINANCE COMMITTEE DOES NOT RECOMMEND: 6-0-1

And you are directed to serve this Warrant by placing an advertisement in a newspaper of local circulation and posting up attested copies thereof at the Provincetown Town Hall, Provincetown Public Library, Grace Gouveia, Town Office Building, Provincetown Community Center, A&P Supermarket, The Patrician, U.S. Post Office, One-Fifty Market Place, Provincetown Mechanics, Inc., and Michael Shay's Restaurant in said Town at least fourteen days before the time of holding said meeting. THEREFORE FAIL NOT and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.