Falmouth Local

Urgent Need, Please Pass This On

2011-11-19T14:56:00.002-05:00

The economy being what it is (i.e., dismal), the Falmouth Service Center is seeing an increased demand for its services this year. This email was forwarded to me...

"We have been inundated with families in need this year. With another day of sign-up ahead we have already received more than a hundred requests for Thanksgiving baskets over our record number of 894 last year. Your support with turkeys and other food (especially cereal) to fill our pantry shelves is critical to our getting through the next several weeks with enough to feed all who need our help. Please send this on to others who may not know about our drop off this Sunday, November 20th from 1 to 4pm here at 611 Gifford Street. Thanks for being part of the solution!"

If you can help, please do.

2011 Annual Fall Town Meeting Precinct Meetings

2011-10-24T21:45:00.002-04:00

The following is the schedule for Precinct Meetings for the November 7th Annual Town Meeting.

Any boards, commissions, dept., or committees that have Articles on the Warrant are asked to schedule a representative to attend for questions and/or information.

All meetings begin at 7pm.

By Precinct:
Precinct 1 Thursday, November 3rd at the Civil Defense Room Ground Floor at Town Hall
Precinct 2 Thursday, November 3rd at the Civil Defense Room Ground Floor at Town Hall
Precinct 3 Wednesday, October 26th at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precinct 4 Wednesday, November 2nd at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 5 Thursday, November 3rd at the North Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 6 Thursday, November 3rd at the North Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 7 Wednesday, November 2nd at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Precinct 8 Wednesday, October 26th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Precinct 9 Wednesday, October 26th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg

By Date:
Wednesday, October 26th: Precinct 3 at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
AND Precinct 8 & 9 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Wednesday, November 2nd: Precinct 4 & 7 at the East Falmouth Elementary School
Thursday, November 3rd: Precinct 1 & 2 at the Morse Pond School Library
AND Precinct 5 & 6 at the North Falmouth Elementary School

Contacts:
Precinct 1 & 2: Doug Jones at whcssjones at gmail dot com or 508-221-6804
Precinct 3: Michael Palmer at mpalmer at falmouthmass dot us or 508-495-7353
Precinct 4 & 7: Barbara Schneider at newsrm7 at aol dot com or 508-548-1703
Precinct 5 & 6: Nick Lowell at nick.lowell at gmail dot com
Precinct 8 & 9: Brent Putnam at brent at falmouthlocal dot com or 508-540-5662

This information and more is also available on the Town Meeting Information & Resources page on the Town of Falmouth website.

Where were you?

2011-09-11T08:46:00.006-04:00

For those of us born after the assination of JFK, 9/11 has become the "Where were you?" event; the moment in time when we vividly remember where we were and what we were doing when it happened.

September 11, 2001 was a Tuesday. I was in the midtown Manhattan office of my now former employer.

When the first plane struck the north tower, it was a distraction that annoyed our instructor. My coworkers and I were there for training, and our 8am start to class was quickly sidetracked. We couldn't see the north tower from our office, but the south tower was visible, and the smoke was trailing past it.

My wife, not knowing the details of the event or where, exactly, my office was located, called me in a panic. All was well, I reassured her. Back in the 1940's an Air Force bomber had crashed into the Empire State Building. With three major airports and an untold number of helicopters and small aircraft circling the city, an accident was possible.

Even though we could see the south tower from the corner conference room, I don't think anyone was paying attention when the second plane hit, but there was a flurry of activity shortly thereafter.

It was almost comical as my coworkers and I - a group of computer nerds - attempted to get a TV working. Finding out what was happening was next to impossible as the major news sites on the Internet were hammered by traffic. We had a TV in the office with a VCR player, but the cable service had been discontinued for lack of use. Now we scrambled to turn a coat hanger into a makeshift antenna.

The comedy routine continued when the only TV station we could pull in was in Spanish. Things quickly grew serious when one of my coworkers recognized the word "bomb", and news arrived from elsewhere about the Pentagon.

We were under attack.

Cell towers were overloaded and the land lines offered only busy signals as everyone tried to contact friends and loved ones. When we finally spoke again, my wife pleaded with me, "Get out of the building!"

And go where? Manhattan is nothing but buildings; a concrete jungle. Everything, everywhere was suddenly a target and news of other, unaccounted-for planes only added to the fear and uncertainty.

The south tower disappeared right before our eyes as we were clustered around the table in the conference room, alternatively watching the TV and looking out the window at the burning building. In a moment, it was gone in a cloud of dust and ash that enveloped the south side of the island.

Reactions varied. One of my coworker's eyes welled-up as he punched a chair and walked out of the room. A woman sat there, pale and stoic. The wife of one of our instructors, she was from Utah, and this was her first trip to New York City. They had been staying at a hotel at the World Trade Center, but the day before we had convinced them to change their accomodations and stay closer to our office.

With all of the major Internet news sites swamped, I sought other sources. Ironically, the Cape Cod Times website was accessible, although it offered little more detail than we already knew. While I sat at my computer, another coworker popped-up on my instant messenger, "I can't get a hold of my girlfriend."

Ironically, Peter was from New York City, but was in Utah for training. His girlfriend and her mother worked in the vicinity of the World Trade Center. A big, hairy guy, Peter looked intimidating, but now he was barely holding it together. Hours later he would find out that they were safe, and the following day he would rent a car and drive non-stop from Salt Lake City.

Things settled down after lunch, and half-a-dozen of us decided to make ourselves useful, so we ventured out to the nearest hospital to give blood. Midtown Manhattan, usually a flurry of bumper-to-bumper traffic and shoulder-to-shoulder sidewalks, was abandonded. The city that never sleeps felt dead as we walked across the streets with impunity.

The awkward silence was broken by reminders of the chaos at the other end of the city. At one point, a police car flew past, the only car on an otherwise empty road, trailing a cloud of dust and debris. On a side street, we happened across a parked news van, covered in ash and papers.

We found the traffic at the East River as cars sat idling in a jam, an exodus waiting for the bridge to reopen. Further south, the United Nations building was surrouned by yellow tape and police cadets. When we asked one about how far the hospital was, he told us to try again tomorrow - the line of blood donors was hours long.

The rest of the day was a blur as we sat trapped. The airports, bridges and tunnels were closed; nothing was getting into or out of Manhattan.

"Good luck." It was still dark when the doorman to the hotel wished me well. I walked to Penn Station through an eerily quiet Times Square. When they announced the opening of the bridges and tunnels, I had booked one of the first trains out of the city. The sun was rising as it rose out of the tunnel, and there was no small measure of relief as Ground Zero and the smoking remains of the World Trade Center disappeared behind us.

September 12, 2001 was a Wednesday.

Where were you?

Hurricane Irene, part 3

2011-08-28T10:19:00.003-04:00

Power's out in some parts of Falmouth and the Upper Cape area, and there are reports of trees down and roads flooded here and there. If you can stay home, stay home.

If you want to see the storm up close, I've posted some videos at my personal YouTube channel.

Hurricane Irene, part 2

2011-08-26T18:55:00.003-04:00

A hurricane warning has been issued by the National Weather Service.

What follows is a press release issued by the Town of Falmouth.

For Immediate Release August 26, 2011

Hurricane Irene is expected to bring tropical storm force winds followed by hurricane force winds by early Sunday morning. Governor Patrick has declared a state of emergency. Low lying areas, particularly the area of Buzzards Bay should prepare for storm surge as high as 6-10’. Residents and visitors should be vigilant in preparation and be prepared for the possibility of evacuations of low lying coast areas. Further residents and visitors should be prepared for extended power outages and the potential for flooding, tree damage and blocked roadways and potential stranding until emergency response crews are dispatched after the height of the storm.

Preparations should be made well in advance of the storm as emergency response will be limited during the height of the storm. Residents in need of oxygen or electricity for personal safety should plan for extended power outages. Emergency response units will not respond when conditions are not safe.

The Town of Falmouth will be offering shelter to residents and visitors at Falmouth High School beginning at 6:00 PM on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The Emergency Call center will open at 4:00 PM on Saturday, August 27, 2011 and can be reached at 508-495-2602.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T22:14:00.002-04:00

What follows is a press release issued by the Town of Falmouth.

"For Immediate Release- Wednesday August 24, 2011

The Town of Falmouth encourages all residents and visitors to be vigilant in monitoring the path and potential impact of Hurricane Irene. Hurricane Irene is expected to make her presence known in our region beginning tomorrow, Thursday, August 25, 2011 with stormy seas and potential rip tides.

If this storm makes landfall as planned, it will occur during an astronomical high tide which will increase the storm surge particularly in low lying areas and in and around Buzzards Bay. The Bridges will close when winds reach high velocity and residents and visitors should plans accordingly.

Please be prepared to make accommodations for your family, pets and property prior to the storm anticipated on Saturday, August 27, 2011 peaking on Sunday August 28th.

The Town of Falmouth’s Emergency Response Team is monitoring the storm closely and will make an announcement at 3:00 PM on Thursday August 23, 2011 about the Town’s intention to open a shelter and possible evacuation plans. The hours of operation of the Town of Falmouth’s Emergency Operation Center will also be announced, as well as schedule for regular storm related announcements.

Community announcements will appear on Falmouth Community Television Channels 13 & 15 as well as on the Town of Falmouth’s web page and will be provided to WCIB, WQRC, and WMVY.

Please refer to the Town of Falmouth’s Home Page at www.falmouthmass.us for information about emergency planning and to the LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING PAGE for more information about Hurricane Preparedness."

Learning a lot from one question

2011-08-21T22:30:00.000-04:00

If you watched the interviews for the town manager candidates (note that they are being replayed by FCTV-13...next show at 3am tonight - Monday morning - for the late crowd or those with VCRs), you probably noticed that each of the selectmen had their preferred questions. Some had very specific questions, but the problem with specific questions is that you get specific answers.

For my part, I had about half-a-dozen specific questions, from which I asked each candidate two or three. They weren't always the same two or three questions; there were concerns that some of the candidates might have stayed in Falmouth and were watching the earlier interviews, so I mixed them up a bit.

There was, however, one question that I asked of every candidate: Where do you see yourself in five years?

This was a retorical question. Everyone knew the answer ("As Falmouth's town manager") and everyone gave that same, basic answer.

So why ask it?

It was actually suggested by a constituent. He wanted to know that these individuals were in this for the long haul, rather than interested in putting in a few years and retiring or moving on to other opportunities.

Our neighbor wanted the answer, but anyone serious about the job would give the correct answer. I saw the question as an opportunity to dig a little deeper. Sometimes it's not the answer, but how they answer that provides the insight.

For example, when asked this question, one candidate answered, "Here."

Remember the old adage, "Actions speak louder than words"? One of the specific questions asked by another selectman was about management style. This answer - short and to the point - can also tell us about management style.

Another candidate answered, "Hopefully, perhaps still here." Hear the doubt? Is it about being able to do the job, or doubt about the job itself?

A third said he would live in Falmouth seasonally, renting here during the off-season and commuting from Martha's Vineyard (where he owns a home) during the summer. Obviously, there's the residency requirement in the charter, so living outside Falmouth - even if just for a few months out of the year - might require approval from the Board.

What does this answer tell us about this candidate? He's up-front and honest, willing to put things on the table that may not be well received.

The fourth candidate answered that it would be his "privilege and pleasure" to still be Falmouth's town manager five years from now. Carefully chosen words.

You can learn a lot from one question.

Agenda for Town Manager Interviews

2011-08-17T21:06:00.004-04:00

BOARD OF SELECTMEN
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011 – 8:00 A.M.
SELECTMEN’S MEETING ROOM

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Selectmen Meet to Organize

Interview #1
8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Candidate Peter Fohlin Arrives/Introduction
8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Candidate Interview (Fohlin)
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Informal Candidate Discussion (Fohlin)

Flexible Time and Break

Interview #2
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Candidate James Boudreau Arrives/Introduction
10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Candidate Interview (Boudreau)
11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Informal Candidate Discussion (Boudreau)

Flexible Time and Lunch

Interview #3
1:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Candidate Bonnie Therrien Arrives/Introduction
1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Candidate Interview (Therrien)
2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Informal Candidate Discussion (Therrien)

Flexible Time and Break

Interview #4
3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Candidate Julian Suso Arrives/Introduction
3:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Candidate Interview (Suso)
4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Informal Candidate Discussion (Suso)

Mary Pat Flynn, Chairman
Board of Selectmen

Playing by the rules

2011-08-13T08:18:00.000-04:00

It's no secret - the Falmouth Enterprise and I just don't get along.

They do, however, deserve credit for publishing my rebuttal to their latest attacks on me.

What follows also appeared in the Friday, August 12, 2011 edition under the title, "Calls Enterprise To Task".

It's been called one of the most embarrassing moments in baseball history. In the eighth inning with one out, the batter grounds the ball back to the pitcher. Bronson Arroyo fields the ball and runs to the baseline to tag Alex Rodriguez. What happened next is as unforgettable as the ball passing between Bill Buckner's legs.

In case you're not a baseball fan, Rodriguez slapped at Arroyo's arm, the ball went loose, and Rodriguez made it to second base. Arroyo was initially charged with an error, but the umpires conferred and agreed – Rodriguez had violated the rules.

In the sport of politics, the press is supposed to be the umpire. The First Amendment of our Constitution specifically protects the freedom of the press so there is a watchdog to keep our politicians honest. Watergate comes to mind.

But what happens when this umpire doesn't do its job?

Every fall, the Board of Selectmen sets fees and fines for the coming year. It's a well advertised process, timed so that the public will have ample notice of any increase, and the anticipated revenue can be included in the budget for the coming year.

However, in June the Board departed from this well established process, changing the fines for expired parking meters three months after the budget had been approved by town meeting. When someone spoke out against this, the Falmouth Enterprise didn't join the chorus against this unprecedented change, it attacked the messenger.

The appointment of town committees is also a very well established process. The appointment policy makes it clear that the selectmen are to interview every incumbent when there's a challenger. However, in an unprecedented departure from the rules, the Board reappointed incumbents first and without interviews, excluding many new applicants. Again, someone spoke out against this. Again, the Enterprise criticized the messenger.

Unfortunately, this habit of shooting the messenger instead of looking out for the people is nothing new. In 2008, the people of Falmouth and town meeting made it clear that an investigation or inquiry into the high school renovation project was a priority. The Enterprise attacked the messenger, and told the public to move on.

Two years ago, the town manager traveled to a conference without prior approval of the Board, or naming an acting town manager in his absence. When someone brought attention to these violations of contract and town charter, the Enterprise didn't chastise anyone for failing to follow the rules. Instead, the paper admitted to having no idea what the contract said, and then chastised the messenger.

In each of these examples, I was the messenger.

Mr. Clarkson suggests that I should "play nice", but how about playing by the rules? For more than three years now, I've fought for the people of Falmouth, asking that our government follow the rules, and when the rules are not followed, that people are held accountable.

Unfortunately, the umpire in this game – the Falmouth Enterprise – has abdicated its responsibility. I find myself standing on the field like Arroyo, wondering why I'm getting charged with the error when it's the other guy who didn't follow the rules.

After the umpires sent Rodriguez packing, a hostile New York crowd resorted to throwing trash on the field. In spite of this, the Sox won the game, and became the first and only team to come back from a 0-3 deficit to win the championship.

Like every good Red Sox fan, I have faith – faith that no matter how much trash is thrown, and no matter what the odds, the good guy can indeed win in the end.

surreptitious

2011-07-31T16:03:00.002-04:00

surreptitious [sur-uhp-tish-uhs] adjective
obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: a surreptitious glance.

Occasionally one hears talk of revisionist history. In other words, trying to change the truth about what really happened. It happens a lot in politics, even here in Falmouth. For example, last year a member of the Board said the tourism industry in Falmouth was dead. When it came time to approve the minutes, this selectman tried to change their statement. Fortunately, the rest of the Board refused to allow such revisionist history.

It doesn't always work that way, which is the reason for this particular post.

Recently, there's been a suggestion that the Committee Appointment Policy which the Board updated on May 16 was an 11th-hour job, done surreptitiously. Unfortunately for those who want us to believe this version of events, the record is quite different.

What follows are emails, sent on March 6, March 13, May 1 and May 10. As noted in the emails, the first three included attachments - copies of the policies which were to be discussed.

===== ===== ===== =====

From: Brent Putnam brent@falmouthlocal.com
Reply-to: brent@falmouthlocal.com
To: Board of Selectmen selectmen@falmouthmass.us
Subject: Draft policies for review
Date: 03/06/2011 10:41:42 PM

All,

I've attached some draft policies for your review. So that we adhere to the Open Meeting Law, please refrain from any discussion via email. We will be devoting some time on an agenda later this month to another policy discussion, so there will be ample time for discussion and debate then.

If any of you have a new or updated policy, please feel free to share it and I'll make sure it's also included in the agenda.

===== ===== ===== =====

From: Brent Putnam brent@falmouthlocal.com
Reply-to: brent@falmouthlocal.com
To: Board of Selectmen selectmen@falmouthmass.us
Subject: Policy
Date: 03/13/2011 09:24:51 PM

A reminder that we'll be discussing policy tomorrow evening. See attached, and bring any drafts/ideas/comments you may have.

===== ===== ===== =====

From: brent@falmouthlocal.com brent@falmouthlocal.com
To: Board of Selectmen selectmen@falmouthmass.us
Subject: Policies for May 2
Date: 05/01/2011 08:01:26 PM

All,

I've attached the policies & calendar we'll be discussing tomorrow evening. I know there may be revised versions of the policy, or revisions that need to be made, but I'm having trouble finding them right now. The online posting policy comes to mind.

If you have them, or can point me to them, let me know.

If necessary, we can begin discussing these tomorrow and finalize them on May 16.

Also attached is the calendar Diane has put together, and the liaison assignments list. Both will need to be reviewed and updated in preparation for the Board's reorganization on May 23. Again, we can review tomorrow and then finalize on May 16.

===== ===== ===== =====

From: brent@falmouthlocal.com brent@falmouthlocal.com
To: Board of Selectmen selectmen@falmouthmass.us
Subject: Policies
Date: 05/10/2011 10:10:46 PM

All,

A reminder that we'll be discussing policies on Monday. Please review the Liaison Policy, Appointment Policy and Online Posting Policy and be ready to vote these up or down.

You should all have copies of these policies; if you need a fresh one, let me know.

If there are changes you'd like to suggest, please send them to me ASAP and I will compile them into a final draft.

===== ===== ===== =====

Not only are these emails part of the public record, but because they were all sent to the selectmen@falmouthmass.us address, anyone can go to town hall and get copies of them.

The new policy is included here in this post. The old policy is still online, so you can see the changes. The biggest difference was a spin-off of the liaison part into a separate policy. Several members of the Board expressed concerns about the new Liaison Policy even before the meeting on May 16, so it was tabled.

However, even though the Board had received no less than three copies of the updated Committee Appointment Policy between March 6 and May 1, no one expressed any concerns about it until the meeting on May 16.

The last word here belongs to the official record, the minutes of May 2...

Policy Discussion: On-Line Posting Policy, Liaison Policy, Appointment Policy, Review Committee Handbook Policy and Review Calendar

Brent Putnam asked the Board members to take this home as homework. Look these over, including the Speakers Policy, and bring them back in two weeks, and we will vote them up or down, he said. Bring additions or subtractions. It was noted that there was no liaison for Coastal Ponds and no liaison between the Board and constables. The new Board will address this.

...and the minutes of May 16...

Policy Discussion: On-Line Posting Policy, Liaison Policy, Appointment Policy, Review Calendar and Liaison Assignments List.

Speaking on the calendar and liaison list, Brent Putnam said it is not set in stone; it just gives the Board an idea of the time issues. Additions or deletions should be given to Diane Davidson. Brent Putnam moved to accept the On-Line Posting Policy. Ahmed Mustafa seconded. 5-Yes, 0-No. Melissa Freitag thinks the Liaison Policy and the Committee Appointment Policy need lots of work. Mary Pat Flynn thinks the Liaison Policy should include what liaisons are not supposed to do as well. There was a brief discussion on what the Committee Appointment Policy accomplishes. Heather Harper said this policy will help the staff. Brent Putnam moved to approve the Committee Appointment Policy. Ahmed Mustafa seconded. 5-Yes, 0-No

Nothing surreptitious here.

A government of laws, not of men

2011-07-27T22:50:00.001-04:00

I went on a bit of a tirade Monday night, and some who watched it are probably wondering, "What's the big deal?"

Well, let's begin at the beginning.

In 2008, I was elected on a platform of open, accountable and fiscally responsible government. It was no small victory: I unseated an incumbent that no one thought could be unseated. Indeed, one long-time political insider said to me, "I didn't see this coming."

In 2011, I was re-elected on a platform of open, accountable and fiscally responsible government. Again, it was no small victory: Aside from myself, this campaign included a popular former fire chief, a former selectman, and a challenger (running for a third time) who had attracted 10x as many votes in his second run as in his first. Oh, and did I mention the 11th-hour write-in campaign by the same former selectman who I unseated in 2008?

Against this field of candidates, I again managed an impressive victory. The second and third place finishers - separated by just a few votes - had to wait weeks for a recount to decide who would get second place and the second seat. In the meantime, my margin of victory was more than enough to have me declared the first-place winner, so I was sworn-in.

Don't forget...the votes and victories are secondary to my platform...open, accountable and fiscally responsible town government. I won election and re-election because of what I promised - and delivered.

Open, accountable and fiscally responsible...in other words, good government - fair government.

Now, flash forward to the past month and ask that question again: "What's the big deal?"

I don't mind losing a vote.

In fact, I don't mind losing every vote.

But I really hate it when the rules are changed in the middle of the game, and that's exactly what happened with the appointment process over the past month.

That is not fair.

So I complained. Loudly.

"Come on...isn't this just sour grapes over being rejected for chair?"
This might be an good explanation if I hadn't already established a track record of questioning how the Board does business. For example, in 2008 I asked that every incumbent appointee be interviewed, regardless of whether they had a challenger. And in January 2009, I openly complained about the fact that we had just 30 minutes in one meeting allocated to discussing the budget.

"But if you didn't make these appointments, wouldn't that have jeopardized hearings?"
I'm not saying that we shouldn't appoint people, I'm saying that a process was in place, and it was tossed aside.

Just prior to the election, the Board reviewed a calendar that had - among other things - time allocated for interviews and appointments on June 27. However, when June 27 rolled around, we had a hearing for parking fees in Woods Hole, and a presentation about water quality.

The charter requires us to make these appointments. Parking fees and water quality may be important, but those appointments should have taken precedence. We spent two hours on optional topics (some would say political topics) instead of doing our job.

That is wrong.

Perhaps more importantly, for the past two years, if there are challengers to incumbent appointees, the Board has interviewed both the challengers and incumbents. There has been a level playing field and the challengers have a shot at unseating incumbents. This year, by reappointing the incumbents before interviewing the challengers, the Board effectively told the challengers that they were second-class citizens.

How many times have we lamented the lack of volunteers and the many vacancies on our various boards, committees and commissions?

By favoring the incumbents the way the Board did over the past month, we've essentially said, "Volunteers need not apply."

By changing the way we do business - by ignoring the charter and our policies- we have redefined town government to be one of men, not laws.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is wrong, and there is no justification for it.

A simple thank you

2011-05-23T16:48:00.001-04:00

Two months ago I got an email. It was addressed to a large number of individuals with a simple request that we pitch in and help out a veteran who's water heater kicked the bucket. As I've done before, I wrote a check.

I knew the check had been received. I'd sent it to the Falmouth Military Support Group, and they acknowledged and thanked me for the donation. I had no expections of any additional thank you.

Two months later, I got this letter.

I've received all sorts of acknowledgements for the donations I've given, and a great many thanks for my work as a selectman, but of all the kudos I've ever received, this one touched me the most.

It is my hope that this anonymous vet sees this post and knows that I've received his thanks, and that it touched me as much as my donation touched him.

Thank you.

It's official

2011-05-21T19:30:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't heard, there was a brief moment on Thursday when I found out that I might be in limbo for a few weeks.

The town charter - our local "Constitution" - states that selectmen will serve a three year term. That's it - three years. There's no provision in there to serve after an election, even if that election is contested, as it is in this case.

For a few hours this past Thursday, it appeared as though the charter, combined with the recount, would prevent me (and Mr. Murphy) from taking office on Monday. The town would have had three selectmen for the next several weeks while the recount was done.

In the end, it was determined that as the top vote getter with a comfortable margin, my win was not contested. The contested part of the race is between the second and third place finishers.

So, for the next few weeks, Falmouth will have four selectmen.

Congratulations

2011-05-20T16:42:00.005-04:00

"Congratulations! Sometimes we are so surprised, happily surprised these days, when we realize other people see what we do! Obviously their are others who see your qualities that we need in leadership, honesty and straight forward approach to keeping Falmouth a great community. It gives most of us a little hope. Best of everything to you and your family on your journey. Wow!! How good is this!" -- Mr. H

"Hello Brent! All our best CONGRATULATIONS for your win! We are so happy for you & your family - God bless! Much success ahead!" -- Mr. & Mrs. D

"I want to say a most sincere congratulations on your win. You EARNED my vote because I watched you become a true leader over the past year. You listen; you think well on your feet; you find ways to try to keep a difficult board moving forward; you challenge fellow selectmen to look for a compromise; and you still seem to have the Big Picture in view. Three years ago, I didn't feel that way; but going in to this election, you were the only one I felt good giving my vote. I hope you can find a way to get the Board to give up the unnecessary discussions and keep the focus on the big issues. Again, congratulations!" -- Mrs. S

"We'll never know how much greater the landslide would have been if the Enterprise even mildly liked you." -- Mr. G

"Congratulations on your impressive win last night! Obviously a lot of the stuff you've been trying to do has paid off. Keep up the good work..." -- Mr. A

"Congratulations on your win yesterday, and best of luck in your new term." -- Ms. S

"Congratulation for winning, but even more important the top vote getter. People do pay attention to all comments made and votes." -- Mr. N

"Congratulations on your re-election to the Board of Selectmen. You deserved re-election." -- Mr. C

"Congratulations on your re-election - it is well deserved...I have been impressed with how you have managed to bridge many of the divisive issues before the board this year (wastewater, wind turbines). I also appreciate your seriousness with my tax dollars, as well as your political courage to advocate for more town revenue, when needed, for long-term investment in Falmouth. Anyway, please keep up the good work." -- Mr. L

"Congratulations!" -- Mr. D

"Congratulations on your re-election as a Falmouth Selectman." -- Mr. L

"Congratulations, Brent, on the successful outcome of your election! Best wishes for a most productive year!" -- Mr. F

"Congratulations, I'm glad not only did you win, but were the top vote getter with room to spare. I think it says a lot about how people feel about your time on the board." -- Mr. M

"So happy with the outcome. Falmouth is in good hands with, at least, one person." -- Mrs. R

"CONGRATULATIONS!!! The work goes on...." -- Ms. H

(as noted elsewhere, each comment comes from a different individual)

Thank you

2011-05-17T23:38:00.003-04:00

Thank you to my wife, who has supported and encouraged me. It would be impossible to do what I do without her.

Thank you to my children, who have tolerated the intrusion of this public life into their private lives.

Thank you to my volunteers, who - among other things - stood in the pouring rain to help the campaign.

Thank you to the voters of Falmouth who cast votes for me. The work I do as a selectman, I do for you.

(unofficial) Election Results

2011-05-17T23:31:00.003-04:00

BRENT VW PUTNAM.....3127
KEVIN E MURPHY.....2919
PAUL D BRODEUR.....2913
DAVID R MORIARTY.....1397
Write-in Votes.....1414

Best wishes and kudos

2011-05-17T17:23:00.004-04:00

"I thought you were brilliant last night. I hope the whole Town was watching." -- Ms. L

"We wish you all the very best & hope you are re-elected...you have our votes & our admiration - God bless & all the very best to you, Rebecca & your family" -- Mr. & Mrs. D

"Good luck tomorrow." -- Ms. M

"Good luck on Tuesday." -- Mrs. B

"Brent...lets keep a licensed Ham Operator in the Selectmens Office....they all have such good sense Right? Good Luck" -- Mr. D

"Good luck [we] are bullet voting for you." -- Mr. W

"Good afternoon Mr. Putnam, You MUST win on Tuesday! Best of luck!" -- Mr. H

"GO BRENT!!" -- Mrs. D

"I believe you're the best man for the job." -- Mr. D

"Good luck today Brent. While our politics often don't jibe, you have been the one Selectman with an open mind on the waste water stuff. I have encouraged people not to go with the write in candidate because we don't know her position of the issues and you have been out front showing your concern for the citizens of Falmouth. I admire you for your leadership." -- Mr. P

"Brent has my for support for his re-election as selectman. I worked with Brent when he was president of the East Falmouth Village Association. As selectman I continue to see a man who is dedicated and devoted to our community with a clear vision of how we can be better by enhancing our individual lives while keeping an eye on preservation of our precious environment. Brent's important work for the Town of Falmouth has just begun." -- Ms. H

(note...each Mr. D or Mrs. D is a different Mr. D or Mrs. D)

Vote Tuesday, May 17, 2011

2011-05-17T00:01:00.002-04:00

Be a part of the process.

Make your voice heard.

Stand up and be counted.

Vote.

If you don't, someone else will - and they will make decisions for you.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN HEALTH INSURANCE ELIGIBILITY POLICY

2011-05-16T18:15:00.000-04:00

Town of Falmouth
Board of Selectmen
BOARD OF SELECTMEN HEALTH INSURANCE ELIGIBILITY POLICY
DRAFT, May 16, 2011

Definitions

Applicability

This policy applies to the Board of Selectmen.

General Policy and Responsibility

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 32B, no member of the
Board of Selectmen of Falmouth shall be eligible for participation in the Town's contributory health insurance plan.

2. Individual selectmen who elect to pay one hundred percent of the cost of the health insurance plan may be deemed eligible to so participate.

3. Nothing in this policy shall affect the ability of any selectman who, as a former town employee, participates in the Town's contributory health insurance plan as part of their retirement benefits.

Board of Selectmen Agenda for May 16, 2011

2011-05-15T22:52:00.001-04:00

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MONDAY, MAY 16, 2011 – 7:00 P.M.

SELECTMEN’S MEETING ROOM

1. 7:00 P.M. ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROCLAMATION – ROTARY GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE DAYS
PROCLAMATION – FALMOUTH ENGLAND – 350th CHARTER ANNIVERSARY
PROCLAMATION – POLICE WEEK
RESOLUTION –SENATE BILL 1687 - VERIZON

2. 7:05 P.M. MINUTES OF MEETING – MAY 2
EXECUTIVE SESSION APPROVE & RELEASE: MARCH 19, 2007, APRIL 30, 2007,
NOVEMBER 16, 2009, NOVEMBER 5, 2007,
EXECUTIVE SESSION APPROVE; NOT RELEASE: JULY 12, 2010, MARCH 22, 2011

3. 7:10 P.M. FALMOUTH HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE – COMMENDATIONS AWARD
PRESENTATIONS

4. 7:15 P.M. DISCUSS AND APPROVE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR USE OF
FULLER FIELD

5. 7:30 P.M. DISCUSS BEACH CLOSING TIMES AND VOTE FALMOUTH HEIGHTS
MANAGEMENT PLAN – BEACH COMMITTEE

6. 7:50 P.M. PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON ROOM OCCUPANCY TAX FOR HOME RENTALS

7. 8:10 P.M. APPOINT TOWN MANAGER SCREENING COMMITTEE

8. 8:30 P.M. DISCUSS AND VOTE TO SECTION 32B ELIGIBILITY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO RECEIVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

9. 8:40 P.M. DISCUSS AND VOTE CONSTABLE APPLICATION

10. 8:50 P.M. POLICY DISCUSSION
ON-LINE POSTING POLICY
LIAISON POLICY
APPOINTMENT POLICY
REVIEW CALENDAR AND LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS LIST

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS:
1.Sandwich Road Field Equipment Shed: Accept Donation from Babe Ruth Organization; Officially Name Ball Field “Sandwich Road Field”
2.Request for Special One-Day Liquor License – Fresh Pond Holy Ghost Society – 5/12/11, 6/25/11, 6/26/11
3.Request for Special One-Day Liquor License – Salt Pond Bird Sanctuaries - Bourne Farm – 6/11/11
4.Request for Special Event Permit – 31st Annual Paul E. White Memorial Road Race – 6/19/11
5.Woods Hole Golf Club, Inc. – Request for 10:00 a.m. Sunday Opening
6.Request for Wedding Permit – Stephanie Estrela – Bristol Beach – 6/12/11
7.Request for Special One-Day Liquor License – Falmouth Youth Hockey League – 5/29/11
8.Approve 2011 Annual Innholder’s License Renewal
9.Memorandum of Understanding – Together We Can, Inc. to Falmouth Dog Parks, Inc.

INDIVIDUAL SELECTMEN’S REPORTS
REVIEW OF TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT
CORRESPONDENCE

BRENT PUTNAM, CHAIRMAN
BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Putnam has boosted integrity of Falmouth board

2011-05-15T11:50:00.002-04:00

It seems somewhat disingenuous that a now former Falmouth selectman would suggest that an addition by subtraction is needed in Tuesday's Falmouth town election (Letters, May 10).

It was almost one year ago when Falmouth voters took advantage of an addition-by-subtraction opportunity and changed the composition of the board of selectmen. That change brought a number of very positive improvements to the board of Falmouth's town government, including more civility, integrity, transparency and accountability.

I urge all Falmouth citizens to exercise the precious right to vote in next week's election and to choose to re-elect Brent Putnam for another term. He has demonstrated that he is a hardworking, thoughtful and skilled leader for our community. Let's vote to continue his work of making Falmouth government better. I will vote to continue Mr. Putnam's good work to get the job done!

Margaret Finnell
North Falmouth

(this letter was published in the Saturday, May 14, 2011 edition of the Cape Cod Times)

Good problems

2011-05-06T22:06:00.003-04:00

For those of you who asked for - but have not received - a sign, we haven't forgotten you.

We just ran out.

The good news is that we just got more, so we'll be delivering those over the next few days.

Astronomy Day Proclamation

2011-05-06T07:31:00.000-04:00

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS
Astronomy Day was born in California in 1973. Doug Berger, then president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, decided that rather than try to entice people to travel long distances to visit observatory open houses, they would set up telescopes closer to where the people were - busy locations - urban locations like street corners, shopping malls, parks, etc.

WHEREAS
Astronomy Day is a grass roots movement designed to share the joy of astronomy with the general population - "Bringing Astronomy to the People." On Astronomy Day, thousands of people who have never looked through a telescope will have an opportunity to see first hand what has so many amateur and professional astronomers all excited. Astronomy clubs, science museums, observatories, universities, planetariums, laboratories, libraries, and nature centers host special events and activities to acquaint their population with local astronomical resources and facilities. Many of these events are located at non-astronomical sites; shopping malls, parks, urban centers—truly Bringing Astronomy to the People. It is an astronomical PR event that helps highlight ways the general public can get involved with astronomy - or at least get some of their questions about astronomy answered. Astronomy Week encompasses Astronomy Day starting on the previous Monday and ending on the following Sunday.

WHEREAS
Today, Astronomy Day has 14 organizations that cosponsor the event internationally.

WHEREAS
Astronomy Day events take place at hundreds of sites across the United States. Internationally, England, Canada, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, the Philippines, Argentina, Malaysia, Iran, Ireland, New Guinea plus many other countries have hosted Astronomy Day activities.

WHEREAS
Astronomy Day is supported in Falmouth by such organizations as the 300 Committee and the Falmouth Astronomers to encourage local interest and participation in the science of astronomy, and the preservation and enjoyment of our natural environment.

NOW THEREFORE
We, Brent Putnam, Ahmed A. Mustafa, Mary Pat Flynn, Melissa C. Freitag and David Braga, as Selectmen of the Town of Falmouth do hereby PROCLAIM Saturday, May 7, 2011 as

“ASTRONOMY DAY”

IN WITNESS THEREOF, we have hereunto set our hand and caused the great seal of the Town of Falmouth to be affixed.

Meet Brent...again!

2011-04-24T20:49:00.003-04:00

In case you missed the kick-off party at Liam Maguire's, I'll be hosting a couple of other meet and greet events this week.

Start off your week with coffee at Betsy's Diner on Monday, April 25, from 7am-9am and,

Unwind after work with a cocktail (hors d'oeuvres & cash bar) at JR Brody's on Tuesday, April 26, from 5:30-7:30pm.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T19:54:00.000-04:00

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." --John 11:25-26

Town Report, 2010

2011-04-14T22:03:00.004-04:00

For those of you who haven't seen it, what follows is the report of the Board of Selectmen from the 2010 town report. In prior years, I've not posted this on my blog. However, in prior years, I didn't write the report.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Early in fiscal year 2010 the town was faced with the need to hold a special town meeting to balance a $3 million deficit, the result of an unanticipated drop in both state aid and local receipts. Although technically the end of the national recession, it was the beginning of a challenging financial year for Falmouth, which would include still more cuts at the spring town meeting.

As the town moved through the process of developing the FY2011 budget, we received a wake-up call from our outside auditor. Just five years ago, Falmouth had more free cash than almost every other Massachusetts municipality, but now we had next to nothing. One of the town's bond ratings slipped a bit, a reflection of those dwindling financial reserves.

There are controversial issues every year, and this year was no exception. The paving of the Falmouth Heights beach parking lot divided residents in the neighborhood and across town as finances, hours of operation, erosion and other issues were debated.

Plans were approved to build a new sidewalk in front of the Mullen Hall School on Katherine Lee Bates Road. With the renovation of the library and the school, the already heavy pedestrian traffic between the two became an evengreater concern. However, as FY2010 drew to a close, the issue was revisited because of an outcry over the loss of trees and playground space at the school, and the project's future was placed in doubt.

As in other towns, street light reduction was contemplated as a means of helping to close the budget gap. A series of meetings between selectmen, town engineers, police and others outlined a plan to “red cap”, or temporarily turn-off, many lights. The plan was ultimately shelved due to strong public opposition, and the availability of funds generated by the new wind turbine.

The riprap encroachment on the sliver of beach at the end of Maravista Avenue was given a license by the Board, putting to bed one of the town's long unresolved issues. Although many were unhappy with the decision, the alternative – to require the removal of the riprap – had the potential of pitting the town against itself, as the conservation commission had originally permitted the project.

Water pressure – or the lack thereof – in the Ballymeade neighborhood again came to a boil as residents sought elief for the decade-old problem. Unfortunately, progress continued to be slow, and the issue remained unresolved as FY2011 began.

FY2010 also brought significant accomplishments. Due to the diligent efforts of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, the Planning Department and the Historical Commission, the town earned the Preserve America designation – the only one thus far on Cape Cod.

The Housing Production Plan – Falmouth's blueprint for achieving the state-mandated 10 percent inventory of affordable housing stock – was approved. The first steps taken under this plan included the identification of town-owned land on Glenwood Avenue and Teaticket Highway for new affordable housing.

After many years of delays and court cases, the New Silver Beach sewer plant was finally completed – on time and on budget. This brought to a close one of Falmouth's longer, more controversial issues.

Falmouth's tradition of preserving land was continued as the 300 Committee helped the town acquire the Bartolomei parcel in the Coonamessett River watershed, and the Pacheco property on Little Pond in Teaticket with a combination of donations, state grants and Community Preservation Act funds. Better known to many as the Little Pond Landing 40B project, the latter acquisition brought a favorable end to yet another of the town's long-standing controversies.

Seeds of transformation began to sprout. The Board began working on policy more frequently, and discussions about delegating routine agenda items began.

The annual town election in May brought more change as 3-term selectman Carey Murphy lost his re-election bid to a challenger, life-long resident and Falmouth police officer David Braga, in an election year dominated by change at all levels of government.

Efforts were made to resolve conflicts within the Board itself. Chairman Mary Pat Flynn recommended that the entire Board attend the Massachusetts Selectmen's Association Leadership Conference, a suggestion that was wholeheartedly embraced by all five selectmen.

Fiscal year 2010 proved to be challenging in many ways. There are still issues to resolve, but there always will be. Progress was made because of the hard work of many individuals who worked together toward the common purpose of serving our community. The Board thanks the many town employees and volunteers – and I thank the past and present members of the Board of Selectmen – for their efforts, and more importantly, the results achieved by those efforts.

Respectfully submitted,
Brent Putnam
Vice-Chairman, FY2010
Chairman, FY2011
Falmouth Board of Selectmen

Meet Brent!

2011-04-02T22:34:00.003-04:00

You - yes, YOU - are invited!

There are two opportunities to meet me this week:

1) Wednesday, April 6, the Falmouth Young Professionals After Hours is at The Beach House Restaurant (7 Nathan Ellis Highway, Routes 28A & 151, North Falmouth), from 5:30-7:30pm.

2) Thursday, April 7, Campaign Kick-Off Party at Liam Maguire's (Main Street, Falmouth, across from the library) from 5-7pm. Hors d'oeuvres will be served, and there's a cash bar. Come early (or stay late) and have dinner; the food and entertainment is great.

Feel free to join me. Come, have some fun, meet some people, and share your opinions and concerns with me. I'm here to represent you; I hope to see you there.

Waste: A Resource Not to be Wasted

2011-03-22T20:25:00.000-04:00

FCAT invites you to join this slide show and discussion which promises to be of great interest to homeowners, homebuilders, restaurant managers and other businesses as well as educators, town officials and everyone interested in saving money, creating locally-based jobs, and living in a clean, green and sustainable world.

'Waste: A Resource Not to be Wasted'
Slide Show and Discussion

Wednesday, March 23, 2011
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Falmouth Public Library, Main Street, Falmouth
Free and Open to the Public

Lynne Pledger, solid waste expert with Clearn Water Action, is the featured speaker. Her slide show presentation will cover zero waste practices such as source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting/digestion. Lynne is solid waste director of Clear Water Action, Massachusetts. She is also coordinator of the Massachusetts Product Stewardship Council and is a member of the national Sierra Club Zero Waste Team.

For additional information, contact fcat2011@aol.com or call 508.566.5980.

Sponsored by: FCAT and the Falmouth Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC); Co-sponsored by CIRenew and Sierra Club - Cape Cod Group.

The Falmouth Climate Action Team (FCAT) is a grassroots group that formed in 2007 to call attention to climate change and in support of the goal of the "Climate Protection Action Plan for Falmouth" to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent. FCAT action outreach presentations, workshops, and demonstrations encourage community efforts to shrink our carbon footprint, save energy, create locally-based jobs and promote equity as we transition to the Greening of Falmouth. Thank you for your continuing interest in and support for a sustainable future.

Spring 2010 Precinct Meetings

2011-03-16T21:30:00.001-04:00

The following is the schedule for Precinct Meetings for the April 4th and 5th Town Meeting.

Any boards, commissions, dept., or committees that have Articles on the Warrant are asked to schedule a representative to attend for questions and/or information.

All meetings begin at 7pm.

By Precinct:
Precinct 1 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 2 Wednesday March 30th at the Morse Pond School Library
Precinct 3 Thursday March 24th at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Precinct 4 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 5 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 6 Thursday March 31st at the West Falmouth Library
Precinct 7 Wednesday March 23rd at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Precinct 8 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Precinct 9 Wednesday March 30th at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg

By Date:
Wednesday March 23rd: Precinct 4 & 7 at the East Falmouth Elementary School.
Thursday, March 24th: Precinct 3 at the Great Harbors Clubhouse
Wednesday March 30th: Precinct 1 & 2 at the Morse Pond School Library
AND Precinct 8 & 9 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Admin. Bldg
Thursday March 31st: Precinct 5 & 6 at the West Falmouth Library

Eco-Toilet Summit

2011-03-15T17:36:00.000-04:00

A Working Group of Concerned Citizens invites you to attend Cape Cod’s first Eco-Toilet Summit to be held on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 12:30pm at the East Falmouth Elementary School (33 Davisville Road)

Falmouth and many towns on the Cape are faced with spending many hundreds of millions of dollars on fixing their wastewater problems. This is an environmental as well as social justice issue.

This summit is a unique opportunity to learn about a wide range of affordable solutions that improve the environment and provide local, sustainable jobs.

Participate in workshops with demonstrations on how alternative residential scale waste treatment systems work and talk to people who use these systems in their homes.

Become an informed decision maker. Together we can save water, energy, recover resources, and become a resilient community.

Sponsored by The Green Center, and co-sponsored by Clean Water Action, FCAT (Falmouth Climate Action Team), GreenCAPE, Nature’s Circle, Cape & Islands Group Sierra Club, Water Alliance

For more information, email capecodalchemists@gmail.com or call 508-563-3101

Workshop for Shellfish Culture Research and Demonstration

2011-03-14T17:50:00.001-04:00

Workshop: Regulatory Requirements for Full-scale Shellfish Culture Research and Demonstration in Estuaries

Purpose: The purpose of this meeting is to focus on how regulators can provide temporary exemptions for research, or some other mechanism, if needed, to allow for full-scale research demonstration of shellfish culture as a nitrogen removal strategy to improve the environmental health of estuaries as proposed below.

Sponsors: Falmouth Board of Selectmen; Coonamessett Farm Foundation
Date/Time: Friday, March 18, 2011; 1-4 PM
Location: Hermann Room, Falmouth Public Library, Main Street
Format: Roundtable Discussion; open to the public

Invited Attendees:

Town:
Board of Selectmen, Falmouth
Cfarm Foundation: Ronald Zweig, Ronald Smolowitz
Town Shellfish Constables: Charles Martinsen, Rick York
Harbor Master: Gregg Fraser
Conservation Commission: Courtney Bird

Industry:
Falmouth Shellfish Coop: M. Weeks, E. Matzen, S. Adams, S. Kirk, P. Chase

Academic:
WHOI: Hauke Kite-Powell
Marine Biological Laboratory: Hugh Ducklow, Scott Lindell
Roger Williams Univ: Dale Levitt, Roxanna Smolowitz, Stephan O’Shea
WHRC: Eric Davidson

County:
Cooperative Extension: Bill Clark, Diane Murphy

State:
Environment: David Cash, Mary Griffin
DMF: Paul Diodati, Mike Hickey, Gerome Moles, John Mendes
DAR: Sean Bowen
MDEP: Brian Dudley
Mass Waterways: Ben Lynch

Federal:
EPA: Matt Liebman
ACE: Kevin Kotelly

ENGO:
CLF: Peter Shelly

Giving the People a Voice

2011-03-10T18:22:00.005-05:00

Critics of what happened at Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting are saying that chaos now rules. By allowing an unruly crowd to force the selectmen into an impromptu discussion, the Board has effectively tossed the Open Meeting Law, and given its agenda over to whatever vocal group might show up on any given Monday.

Not really.

The Open Meeting Law is flexible. Agendas must include those topics that the Board reasonably expects to discuss. In this case, the Board was notified that some Wind I neighbors would be attending and petitioning the Board to speak. However, that notice arrived on Monday - too late for this item to be added to the agenda when that was posted last Thursday.

Furthermore, given the distress exhibited by the neighbors of Wind I, it could be argued that the action taken by the Board - to shut down Wind I in high winds - constituted an emergency. Again, the Open Meeting Law allows for this.

The critics reply, "Even if the Board's actions can be justified under the Open Meeting Law, there is still the question about who's in charge. What's to stop other angry mobs from doing the same thing? Should the Board have a police presence just in case?"

Take a breath folks.

Who's meeting is it, really? The Board meets to conduct the people's business. We are elected to act in the best interest of the people, but that doesn't mean we have a monopoly on intelligence and common sense. The First Amendment gives the people the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and that is exactly what happened on Monday night.

However, a case can be made that a precedent has been set. Rather than fight it, I say we should embrace it.

Many of the commonwealth's cities and towns give their citizens the opportunity to publicly address their executive boards. Indeed, I'm told that at one time, Falmouth did too.

Why not now? Are we afraid of being embarrassed by an unexpected revelation, or asked a question for which we have no answer? Hogwash! We serve the public. The gavel is meant to keep order, not silence the very people who elected us.

Frankly, I've been mulling over some sort of "open mic night" for some time now, but was never quite sure of the value, or how to make it work. As we saw on Monday, there is value.

This is how it will work:

1) At the first meeting of every month, the Board will set aside time on its agenda to allow for public comment.
2) This agenda item, PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND COMMENT, will always be at 8:30pm.
3) All speakers will have no more than 5 minutes.
4) Civility matters. Rude, inappropriate or slanderous comments will not be tolerated, and the chair will enforce the provisions of M.G.L. Ch. 30A, Sec 20(f).
5) The Board will have no discussions, and make no decisions, other than to make sure that issues are appropriately delegated, and/or to schedule a properly advertised public discussion for a date certain.

As I have done throughout my tenure as chair, I will be proposing that the Board adopt this regular agenda item. For me to impose this upon the Board - without their buy-in - would only resurrect the rancor and divisiveness that we left behind last year. It is my hope that the Board will agree to this - that we will turn lemons into lemonade, and give our citizens a voice where they may not have had one before.

(This editorial was also published in the Friday, March 4, 2011 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise under the title, "Selectmen Will Give Citizens Forum For Expressing Concerns")

Facebook

2011-03-06T21:42:00.002-05:00

It's now easier to follow me on Facebook! Use this URL...

http://www.facebook.com/FalmouthSelectmanPutnam

Yes.

2011-03-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

Leaving the party

2011-01-17T19:37:00.005-05:00

I was a Democrat once. And a Republican. These days, I'm independent; "unenrolled" is the official term.

A few years back, during a conversation with a registered Republican, I told him that I changed my party affiliation to unenrolled. He replied, "You never leave the party."

Recently, I was reminded of this when our now former-state repsentative Matthew Patrick said in his farewell speech, "The unwritten understanding here in the House is to never speak badly of the institution. We don't want to damage its standing with the public by being openly critical of it. But we must face facts...The Massachusetts House is now deeply wounded in the public eye. Its reputation is at an all-time low. The institution has suffered three major broadsides in the 10 years that I have been in office."

There seems to be a lot of this in government - the desire to protect government. It's as though once our "representatives" are elected, they cease to represent we, the people, and begin to represent the institution to which they belong. Whether it is the local, state or federal level, those who try to change government from within are often viewed negatively and treated as outcasts.

Indeed, I've experienced that first-hand.

As Mr. Patrick noted, protecting government because we don't want to sully the reputation of the institution has the opposite effect. It's not the scandal, but the cover-up which does the damage. We are human, and most folks will accept a sincere apology for an honest mistake. Unfortunately, and for reasons for which I can only speculate, too many politicians try to cover their tracks and hope the scandal goes away. In the process, they destroy their credibility and that of the institution they are trying to protect.

Party politics makes exacerbates this problem, as each of the two major parties tries to gain advantage over the other.

Mr. Patrick went on to say, "Now is the time to make a change." I disagree. The time to make a change is before government's reputation has been sullied. Push for change. Challenge the status quo. Leave the party. The reputation of the institution - be it a local board, the General Court, or Congress - is not nearly as important as the people's faith in our government as a whole.

Fine Lines and the Law

2010-12-26T22:39:00.001-05:00

A recent Cape Cod Times article (I've no link here because the Times now requires a subscription to view it online) stated that I wrote a personal letter to the state on behalf of Constable George Morse. The only "personal" part about it was that I personally wrote the letter.

Here's an excerpt: "It is my understanding that Mr. Morse filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination...Based on my admittedly cursory knowledge of Massachusetts law, I believe that M.G.L. Ch. 276 § 100C, and M.G.L. Ch. 151B, § 4, and 804 CMR 3.01 may have been violated."

I've no intention of pointing fingers or fanning flames, so this is the extent of what I'm willing to share at this point.

As a selectman, I must look out for the best interests of the town, and a state investigation or judgment against the town is clearly not in Falmouth's best interest. However, before I could take office as a selectman, I had to take an oath. I swore to uphold our laws.

What do you do when upholding the law may not be in the best interest of the community? Do the town's interests trump possible violations of the law?

The short answer is no, but we can handle the situation discretely.

I am sworn to uphold the law, and if the town did something wrong, the state needs to know. In this case, I saw what I thought was a violation of the law, so I reported it to the appropriate authorities. Withholding information or covering-up is never in our town's best interest. Hence, the letter.

Yet, few knew of the letter - written almost a year ago - until recently. Why? Shouting this from the treetops - telling everyone far and wide that we may have goofed - isn't the best way to handle this either.

It's a fine line, but one that leans toward the side of the law. As it always should.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2010-12-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

'Tis the reason for the season! Merry Christmas, Falmouth!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T14:40:00.003-05:00

So I learned today that the turkey is the "game bird" of Massachusetts, which would explain why it's on the interstate border "welcome" signs.

For me, the important thing is that they taste good with cranberry sauce.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brent's Town Meeting Votes - Article 1

2010-11-21T18:50:00.005-05:00

Report of the Board of Selectmen
November Town Meeting
November 15, 2010

Slide 1: Introduction
Thank you Mr. Moderator. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As chairman of the Board of Selectmen, it is my honor and pleasure to present to you this report from the Board.

We will review three major topics: Actions the Board has taken since the April town meeting, our budget policy statement and the major courses of action the Board is recommending at this town meeting.

Slide 2: Actions of the Board – Concerns
Just six months ago, there were concerns throughout town about the Board's ability to work together and to get things done. We recognized this, and we addressed it. This is perhaps a simplistic equation, but it highlights the major steps we took.

On the recommendation of then-chair Mary Pat Flynn, the Board, in June, attended a Leadership Conference sponsored by the Massachusetts' Selectmen's Association.

At our annual retreat in July, we put our time and energy into the Leadership and Public Trust section of the five-year strategic plan.

In August, we established the Board's first ever Code of Conduct.

We have actively worked to resolve our differences, and to work together, better. This is not to say that we agree on everything. We discuss and debate issues – sometimes vehemently – but the Board has moved past the strife that marked prior years. We may not always agree – indeed, many of things the Board is supporting at this town meeting were not unanimous decisions – but we now agree to disagree, and to support the decision of the Board, whatever that decision may be.

And for that, I would like to thank the members of the Board for their efforts. It has been a pleasure working with you.

Finally, as you all know, our now-former town manager Robert Whritenour tendered his resignation this past week, and the Board accepted it. We thank Mr. Whritenour for his years of service to our community, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

As per Section C5-13.B. of the town charter, the Board has confirmed the appointment of Assistant Town Manager Heather Harper as Acting Town Manager, and we thank her for stepping up into this role.

Slide 3: Actions of the Board – Results
The result of these changes has been most visible in the way the Board conducts its business. We no longer meet for the sake of meeting. We devote one meeting per month to a discussion – a workshop – of a major issue. The budget, waste – both solid waste and wastewater – and coastal resources have been addressed thus far. Joint meetings and policy discussions have become regular items on our agendas, and we have even gone so far as to review, update, and – where needed – retire old policies.

In short, we are putting our time and attention on the big picture items, and moving away from the minutia.

Slide 4: §C8-3.C. - FY12 Budget Policy
At one of the recent precinct meetings, a town meeting representative asked, “What's the plan?”

How is the town going to continue to provide services – police and fire, snow plowing and water, inspections and education – in the face of a slow economy, continued cuts in state aid, and rising expenses?

Well, there is no white knight.

We will manage this by addressing the shortfalls, improving the financial stability of the town, and becoming more efficient in the delivery of services.

You'll notice as we go through the next several slides that there are common, overlapping themes in our policy.

Slide 5: FY12 Budget Policy – Shortfalls
The state has reduced Chapter 70 school funding. They've slashed the PILOT payments for the 2400 acres of state-owned land in Falmouth. They've eliminated regional library funding. As you can see from this graph – which shows our state revenues over the past six years – we can't count on the state.

At the local level, receipts of local taxes such as excise taxes have also fallen.

Although Falmouth has not suffered such drastic cuts as some communities in the Commonwealth, these cuts have, nevertheless, created budget shortfalls. The budget policy addresses these shortfalls in three ways:

The first is to limit growth. There is no plan to ask for a Proposition 2 ½ override. In fact, budget growth for Fiscal Year 2012 is limited to 1.5 percent over Fiscal Year 2011. Although it might seem like an increase, 1.5 percent is hardly enough to keep up with our expenses. For example, this year, we must provide $250k to meet the state-mandated contributions to the town's retirement fund, and – if nothing changes - $800k for health insurance premium increases.

The second piece is to begin costing of services. This policy requires program budgeting, which is the first step in that process. Program budgeting looks at the cost of individual programs, providing us with a yardstick by which we can determine if any program is receiving too much, or too little, funding.

Finally, we seek to add additional sources of local revenue. Very simply, the less dependent we are on the whims of the state, the better.

Slide 6: FY12 Budget Policy – Stability
Earlier this year, our outside auditor presented the Board with some rather sobering facts. In 2003, Falmouth had more free cash than 95 percent of the communities in Massachusetts. At the end of Fiscal Year 2010, we had just $32k. At around the same time, one of the major bond rating agencies reduced Falmouth's bond rating. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get our attention.

A strong bond rating and an adequate safety net are not optional. We must maintain our ability to borrow at reasonable rates, and have rainy day funds available for emergencies.

In order to improve Falmouth's fiscal stability, we recommend new local options taxes. However, our policy requires that any new revenues will NOT be immediately factored into the operating budget. A minimum of 25 percent of new revenues shall be allocated each to the Stabilization Fund, and for Capital Expenses.

Slide 7: FY12 Budget Policy – Efficiency
It is not enough to ask for new taxes. We must also develop more efficient ways of doing business, and our policy seeks to improve efficiency in number of ways.

The first is health insurance. There are new, less expensive health insurance plans available to our employees, but these plans must be adopted by the unions. The Board encourages this. These plans would save town employees hundreds of dollars in premiums annually, and give them more control over how they spend their health care dollars. If adopted by every union, the aforementioned $800k increase in premiums would be unnecessary.

As previously noted, this policy requires program budgeting so that we can fully understand the cost of town services. Only when we know the cost can we determine if there is waste, or a cheaper alternative.

Which brings us to the last bullet. The Board is encouraging the ongoing exploration of regionalization, consolidation, outsourcing, and/or privatization of town services. For example, the town and the schools both have human resources, finance, library and janitorial services. Towns such as Plymouth and Barnstable have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by merging these duplicate departments. Falmouth could too.

Slide 8: Major Courses of Action
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the warrant.

Each of these articles mentioned is recommended by the Board as part of a larger plan. For example, the affordable housing fund dovetails into the town's housing production plan. It will help facilitate the production of affordable housing so that we may meet the state-mandated 10 percent.

There is direction here.

Slide 9: Report of the Board of Selectmen
Just a few weeks ago, one town meeting representative told me, “I feel like this Board is listening to us.” It was a wonderful compliment.

There is perhaps no better example of this than Articles 25 and 26. In years past, petitioner's articles were the red-headed step child of the warrant. Prior Boards would place them at the end, and recommend only Indefinite Postponement based on an unwritten policy.

This time, the Board specifically placed these articles in the middle, listened carefully to the petitioner's arguments, and made recommendations based on the facts, not unwritten policy.

In summary, we are working together, on major issues, and are listening to you. We hear your concerns, and we are making every effort to address them.

That should give you something to smile about.

Mr. Moderator that concludes my presentation. I would be happy to take questions.

Precinct Meetings!

2010-11-02T17:30:00.003-04:00

For the upcoming Town Meeting on November 15. Ordered...

...by Date:
Wednesday, November 3: Precinct 3 @ Great Harbors Clubhouse at 7pm
Thursday, November 4: Precincts 1 & 2 @ Civil Defense Room at Falmouth Town Hall
Tuesday, November 9: Precincts 4 & 7 @ East Falmouth Elementary School, and
Precincts 8 & 9 @ Barnstable County Fairgrounds Administration Building
Wednesday, November 10: Precincts 5 & 6 @ North Falmouth Elementary School

...and by Precinct:
1 & 2 - Thursday, November 4 @ Civil Defense Room at Falmouth Town Hall
3 - Wednesday, November 3, @ Great Harbors Clubhouse
4 - Tuesday, November 9 @ East Falmouth Elementary School
5 & 6 - Wednesday, November 10 @ North Falmouth Elementary School
7 - Tuesday, November 9 @ East Falmouth Elementary School
8 & 9 - Tuesday, November 9 @ Barnstable County Fairgrounds Administration Building

All meetings begin at 7pm.

Decisions, decisions

2010-10-31T21:00:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year, I decided to avoid the endorsement game. With yet another Tuesday election drawing near, I think I'll again pass on providing my personal opinions about who or what should be given the nod, but I will offer some thoughts.

As always, I put integrity - adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty - at the top of my list.

A close second is fiscal responsibility. The most disturbing thing about this round of elections is the negative ads - not only the negative ads about the candidates, but those ads predicting the end of life as we know it if taxes are rolled-back.

Hogwash.

When most of us find our expenese exceeding our income, we cut back. We might eat out less, find cheaper after school activities for our children, or brew the morning cup at home instead of stopping at the coffee shop. When the government finds its expenses exceeding its income, the result is all too predictable: Raise taxes. Borrow money.

Raising taxes does two things, it raises revenue and changes behavior. The latter is why the former is always less than originally predicted. When you raise taxes, people spend less on what you've taxed, so the resulting revenue never meets expectations. If you don't think raising taxes changes behavior, consider that every year Massachusetts has had a sales tax "holiday", thousands upon thousands of consumers across the state go on a spending spree to save just five or 6.25 percent.

Borrowing money is no better. Look at your mortgage statement and you'll notice that most of your monthly payment goes to the bank - in the form of interest - rather than paying off your mortgage. That happens in government too. All that government borrowing is making someone rich, and it's not us taxpayers.

No matter who you are, when your expenses exceed your income, cutting expenses is the best option. Believe it or not, there are things we can do without, things that can be done less expensively, and things that we just shouldn't have been doing at all.

If government had less to spend, it would get its priorities in order. It would have to.

Now go out and vote.

No Time to Waste

2010-10-25T17:21:00.001-04:00

A citizens' forum entitled "No Time to Waste" will take place on October 26th at 7pm at the Main Public Library in Falmouth, MA. The meeting is a follow-on to the town's wastewater management planning forum held at Morse Pond School last month.

This citizens' forum is organized in response to many questions about environmental/ecological issues and fiscal costs of various wastewater management systems. The purpose of this follow-on forum is to broaden the discussion and present additional information on wastewater management options that may provide faster, better and more cost effective ways of restoring the health of our estuaries and environments.

The forum will begin with an introduction and several 5-minute presentations that provide basic overviews on:

* Sources of nitrogen into estuaries
* Wastewater treatment options
* Estuary management approaches
* Customized residential wastewater planning
* Costs and scheduling
* Proposed Falmouth warrant articles

After the overview presentations there will be an open discussion and all are welcome to participate. A number of technical experts will be available to answer questions.

We urge you to participate in this discussion on this most important issue facing Falmouth and the Cape - improving the health of our waters at a cost that is affordable for all, now and in the future.

This event is cosponsored by Cape and Islands Self Reliance, Clean Water Action, Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment, Falmouth Climate Action Team (FCAT), GreenCape, The Green Center, Sierra Club Cape Cod & Islands Group.

For more information, e-mail: fcat2010@aol.com or call 508-457-5988

I'm still writing the checks

2010-10-23T22:13:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, I unsuccessfully argued against giving taxpayer dollars to Operation In From The Streets. At the same time, I wrote a check to support the efforts of this worthy cause.

The cause continues, supported by the Cape Cod Council of Churches. Every year they send a request for funds. Every year I write a check.

If you're reading this, odds are you're better off than the average homeless person. As I did back then, I urge you to write a check too.

Falmouth Cranberry Harvest Festival

2010-10-14T21:16:00.002-04:00

Celebrate Cape Cod's Cranberry Farming Heritage on Saturday, October 16, 2010, from 10am - 3pm at the annual FALMOUTH CRANBERRY HARVEST FESTIVAL on the town-owned Coonamessett River Bogs off of John Parker Road in East Falmouth.

Watch a wet harvest; enjoy musical entertainment and children's activities; listen to the tale of Clarence the Cranberry Who Couldn't Bounce; make a miniature bog in a cup; examine old cranberry scoops, historic photos & cranberry crate labels; join a guided walking tour of the bogs; lunch at the Portuguese-American Club tent; take home cranberry cookies, candies, jellies and breads; jewelry, soap, candles, and decorations; local berries, organic and standard, fresh and dried; and much, much, more!

Rain date is Sunday, October 17, 2010, same time, same place!

Admission is FREE

The Falmouth Cranberry Harvest Festival, Inc. is a nonprofit group dedicated to providing opportunities for the public to learn about and preserve the cranberry farming heritage of Falmouth and Cape Cod. The festival is supported in part by the Woods Hole Foundation and the Cape and Islands Farm Bureau.

There is no manual

2010-10-09T13:03:00.001-04:00

No doubt about it, this is the most difficult job I've ever had.

The lack of a manual doesn't help. Sure, there is the accumulated knowledge of those who used to serve in the same role, but not all of that knowledge is good or useful. After all, these are the folks who "used to serve." It's hard to know who's mistake was truly a mistake, who's success was earned or accidential, what's still good, and what's outlived its usefulness.

For my part, I've my own naivete to deal with. There's an old saying, "It takes a thief to know one." The premise behind this saying is that we all look at the world through rose-colored glasses - that is, we see the world from our perspective.

I'd always assumed that people would work hard and do the right thing - it's the way I've lived my life. Indeed, as selectman, I have the option to join the state's retirement system and get health insurance through the town. I didn't, even when I lost my own job last year. I even donate my $3,000 stipend. As I see it, if I were to take anything, it would compromise the very principles that drove me to run for office in the first place.

It never occurred to me that some people in public service are either not serving the best interests of the public, or are serving themselves outright. Yes, I've run across this. Coming to grips with this truth has kept me awake at night.

The hardest thing to fathom is the picture some people paint about you. Don't misunderstand me, I know that perceptions can overwhelm reality. What bothers me are those who aren't willing to hear my side of the story, or who willingly repeat myths. For example, I've previously written about the conservation commission meetings I missed, yet there are those who, from time to time, still raise the issue, painting me as some kind of slacker.

Recently, several newspaper articles suggested that on my first day as a selectman I told our town manager that he should find work elsewhere. Again, this is false. Unfortunately, it not only has legs, but some folks take the papers as gospel and won't even give me the opportunity to explain. It's frustrating, probably because I've always given others the chance to set the record straight with me.

This is not to say that I've not made mistakes. On the contrary, I've made my fair share of mistakes, and I've taken a well-deserved few knocks for them. However, I've always tried to do the right thing. Although I've lost some sleep over the reality of human nature, I can still look myself in the mirror every morning.

catalyst

2010-10-01T18:17:00.000-04:00

cat·a·lyst

noun \ˈka-tə-ləst\

1 : a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible

2 : an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

An opinion about Article 25

2010-09-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

The parking lot at the Falmouth Heights Beach has been a bone of contention for some time now, and it is still unresolved. One question is a town meeting article from the early '70's which defined exactly how the lot would be managed. Does this still apply?

What follows is an email to town counsel, and the corresponding reply...

Frank,

I've a copy of Article 25 from an early 1970's town meeting (1973, I think, the page number is 34, but there is no year) which states that the hours of the Falmouth Heights Beach lot will be determined by a joint vote of the Selectmen, Beach Committee and Public Works Commissioners. It further notes that the use "shall be temporary".

Obviously, the latter no longer exists, but the question remains: Does this town meeting (which did pass) article still apply? Should the hours of operation be set during a joint meeting? What does it mean by "temporary"?

The Board has a request by the Heights Association to revisit this issue; we need to know if this article should govern the process.

Brent: In 1973 there was an elected Board of Public Works, an elected Beach Committee and an elected Board of Selectmen. The Falmouth Home Rule Charter abolished the Board of Public Works in 1991 and its powers were vested in the Board of Selectmen. The Beach Committee survives to this day, but now it is an appointed body with its members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. In 1973 the town meeting vote made sense because there were three elected boards meeting in joint session. That is no longer the case. The Board of Public Works does not exist. The charter has reduced the Beach Committee to an advisory role. "The Committee shall be responsible for recommending policies to the Board of Selectmen regarding the use and maintenance of all public town beaches." See s. C7-12B FHRC. Beach parking lots are an integral part of public beaches.

The 1973 vote has effectively been superseded by the charter. It would be improper for an elected board (BOS) to meet in joint session with a board it appoints (BC) under circumstance where a majority of those present prevail. Under the present governmental structure, the Board of Selectmen votes the matter with a recommendation from the Beach Committee.

Temporary implies that something is limited in time as opposed to perpetual or indefinite. Perhaps at one time there was a vote as authorized by Article 25 which contains a time limitation. If it can be found, it may contain an answer. If not, then the answer is that the last vote survives until it is superseded by the next vote.

Liaisons

2010-09-13T17:50:00.000-04:00

What follows is an email sent to the Board at 10:49am on Sunday, September 12, 2010:

All,

Attached are the draft liaison assignments. I use the term "draft" only because it may not be complete - there could be more assignments to come.

According to the charter, "The Board shall maintain liaison with all boards, commissions and committees..." (§ C3-7. E.) However, as I was reviewing the list, it became apparent that some were missing. For example, the Council on Aging and the Library Trustees.

Last year's list had 30 committees listed; this list has 38, but there may be still more, as I've heard that we had upwards of 60.

If so, the assignments listed won't change, it will simply have additions.

For the most part, everyone got their requests. Where there were conflicts, seniority took precedence. You'll note that I have liaison to the other elected boards; we should consider making this an established practice.

I apologize for the various emails and attachments. I've been working with Carole to establish our agendas earlier so that all of the information can be provided at once and far enough in advance so we've time to review it. I hope to establish some procedures around this soon.

--
==========================
Brent Putnam
Chairman
Falmouth Board of Selectman
508-444-0222
www.FalmouthLocal.com
==========================

Remembering September 11, 2001

2010-09-11T11:15:00.002-04:00

What follows is the text of a brief speech I made this morning at the observance of September 11, 2001 held at the Falmouth Fire Station Headquarters:

On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. Many of those individuals did so in the line of duty; firemen and policemen who put their own safety at risk to save others. People we call heroes.

What is it that makes a hero? It is often a call to something higher, something greater than ourselves: Duty, honor, helping others.

The Boy Scout oath begins, "On my honor I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country..." It goes on to say "To help other people at all times..." Honor, duty, helping others - the things that make heroes.

For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts have instilled these principles in our boys and young men. Principles that are practiced daily by our police, and fire and rescue departments. Principles that on September 11, 2001, gave men and women the courage to become heroes.

It is fitting, therefore, that as we honor the memory of those who died on September 11, 2001, we have with us today members of Falmouth Cub Scout Packs 41 and 43, and Boy Scout Troops 38, 40 and 42. These scouts will present to the Falmouth Police Department and the Falmouth Fire Rescue Department, flags, donated by the Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, and by the Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings. The Flag of Honor and the Flag of Heroes.

What!?! No meetings?!?

2010-09-05T14:20:00.006-04:00

The lack of formal selectmen's meetings over the past several weeks doesn't mean that we've not been meeting. For my part, I've had quite a few meetings, including...

- Met with office staff to review future agendas and schedule agenda items;
- Met with the town manager and vice chair to review open issues and future agendas;
- Went to the Conservation Committee meeting, which was postponed due to improper public posting;
- Met with a resident who had some complaints about the Conservation Commission, and then - by accident - ran into a resident and discussed various town issues;
- Met with the chair of the Board of Health;
- Had an emergency executive session to discuss the Retirement Board court action;
- Attended a budget subcommittee meeting;
- Attended the Bikeways Committee meeting; and
- Met with several members of the Affirmative Action Committee.

This doesn't include the emails read, responded-to, and filed, or the phone calls taken or returned.

Comcast public meeting

2010-08-24T22:25:00.002-04:00

Comcast is holding a public meeting with subscribers on Thursday, August 26 at 7pm in the Selectmen's meeting room at Town Hall.

A Comcast representative will hear customer concerns and answer questions regarding Comcast service.

November Town Meeting schedule

2010-08-20T20:19:00.000-04:00

Selectmen Announce Annual Town Meeting: Monday, August 16, 2010

Close Warrant: Friday, September 3, 2010

Selectmen Vote Articles and Execute Warrant: Monday, September 20, 2010

Publish Articles Only: Friday, September 24, 2010

Selectmen Vote Article Recommendations: Monday, October 4, 2010

Publish Warrant with Recommendations: Friday, October 29, 2010

Town Meeting: Monday, November 15, 2010

Zip Trip! Woods Hole!

2010-08-15T20:09:00.002-04:00

In case you missed it, I've posted some information about the Fox 25 News Zip Trip to Woods Hole on my Facebook page.

Code of Conduct of the Board of Selectmen

2010-08-15T19:47:00.002-04:00

1. A member of the Board of Selectmen, in relation to his or her community should:
a) Realize that his or her basic function is to make policy, with administration delegated to the Town Manager.
b) Realize that he or she is one of a team and shall abide by, and carry out, all Board decisions once they are made.
c) Be well informed concerning the duties of a Board member on both local and state levels.
d) Remember that he or she represents the entire community at all times.
e) Accept the role of a member is a means of unselfish service, not to benefit personally or politically from his or her Board activities.
f) Abide by the ethics guidelines established by the State and not use the position of Selectmen to obtain inside information on matters that may benefit someone personally.

2. A member of the Board of Selectmen, in his or her relations with the Town Manager, should:
a) Endeavor to establish sound, clearly defined policies that will direct and support the administration of or the benefit of the staff and residents of the community.
b) Recognize and support the administrative chain of command and refuse to act on complaints as an individual outside the administration.
c) Give the Town Manager full responsibility for discharging his or her disposition and/or solutions.
d) Not give instructions to Town department heads, but rather channel all such activities through the full Board and the Town Manager.

3. A member of the Board of Selectmen, in his or her relations with fellow Board members, should:
a) Recognize that action at official legal meetings is binding and that he or she alone cannot bind the Board outside of such meetings.
b) Not make statements or promises of how he or she will vote on matters that will come before the Board until he or she has had an opportunity to hear the pros and cons of the issue during a Board meeting.
c) Uphold the intent of executive session and respect the privileged communication that exists in executive session.
d) Make decisions only after all facts on a question have been presented and discussed.
e) Refrain from communicating the position of the Board of Selectmen to anyone unless the full Board has previously agreed on both the position and the language of the statement conveying the position.
f) Treat with respect the rights of all members of the Board despite differences of opinion.

4. A member of the Board of Selectmen, in his or her relations with Town staff, should:
a) Treat all staff as professionals, with clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual.
b) Limit contact to specific Town staff; questions of Town staff and/or requests for additional background information should be directed only to the Town Manager, Town Counsel, Assistant Town Manager, Administrative Assistants in the Town Manager & Selectmen's office, or Department heads. The office of the Town Manager should be copied on all requests or correspondence.
c) Never publicly criticize an individual employee. Concerns about staff performance should only be made to the Town Manager through private conversation.
d) Limit requests for staff support, and insure that all requests go through the Town Manager's office.
e) Insure than any materials or information provided to a Selectmen from a staff member be made available to all Selectmen.

5. The Chair of the Board of Selectmen, in his or her relations with the public, the Board and Town staff, should:
a) Develop an agenda based on the Town Charter, the Strategic Plan, and the Town bylaws.
b) Facilitate the requests of the other selectmen, including agenda items and requests for information.
c) Run the meetings according to an agreed upon set of rules so that everyone understands how to conduct business, and all are treated fairly and equally.
d) Understand that the Chair serves at the pleasure of the Board to run the Board's meetings and develop the agenda. In all other respects, the Chair is an equal member of the Board who possesses no special authority or privilege.
e) Act as the voice of the Board and represent the decisions of the Board when requested from the media.

Note: This code of conduct was developed based on similar codes used by other elected boards and committees in other communities.

Budget Workshop preparation

2010-07-27T21:51:00.002-04:00

What follows is an email sent to the selectmen on Sunday, July 25 @ 9:51pm:

Shortly after my election as chair, Gary Anderson extended an offer to meet, asking that we build on the relationship between the selectmen and FinComm. As Pat was former chair, I asked that she attend in order to maintain the continuity of the relationship.

He, Pat and I did so this past Tuesday, and we discussed a great many items. From that meeting, I developed this list (below) as a guide for our budget workshop on August 3.

Please, scan the list and let me know 1) which items you wish to address first, and 2) any items you think should be added. I will compile the responses and provide them later this week as a guide for our agenda.

Please, reply only to me - do not reply to all - so that we avoid getting tangled in any open meeting law issues.

FY10 close-out
FY11 balance/$400k state cut/5-day furlough details
FY12 planning & budget policy statement
Combining Treasurer/Collector positions/departments
Finance Director
Outside auditor to document Treasurer's role, responsibilities, etc.
Bond rating
Budget policies
Costing services, i.e., What does it cost to run town government?
Program budgeting
Performance management & measurement
Fees - Water/sewer, Enterprise funding
Grants - grant writer for town?
Grants - analysis of long term cost, i.e., Are grants a foot-in-the-door proposition?
Department consolidation - school & town have building maintenance, janitorial services, HR, Finance; town & county have Weights & Measures, Human Resources
Strategic Plan needs to tie-in with Local Comprehensive Plan and budget
Combine capital & operating budgets (interest for the capital budget is already included in the operating budget)
New finance software
Debt exclusions - combinations vs. separate, prioritization
Regionalization - Weights & Measures, Collector

Also, as a primer, you may want to visit http://www.seagov.org This website is a compilation of financial reports & efficiency efforts of a number of towns.

Don't feed the trolls

2010-07-25T11:58:00.003-04:00

I was on the Interent before most people knew that it existed. Back then, there was no www (World Wide Web), but there was email and Usenet. Usenet was a text-based bulletin board system where you could post thoughts and questions about just about any topic you can imagine...politics, computers, science, hobbies, etc.

"Troll" is double entendre, a term intended to be interpreted in two ways. It came into use on Usenet to describe people who posted just to upset others. Troll never made it into common use, but it's email counterpart, "flame" has been used here and there.

What does "troll" mean?

It refers to someone who posts something inflammatory, something that is obviously intended to upset someone else. A troll is fishing (i.e., trolling), casting something into the waters with the hope of hooking someone. The troll is looking for a fight. Troll also refers to the work of the troll - the post, email or letter.

We all know the other definition of a troll - an ugly, evil creature that cannot live in the light of day.

Not everything inflammatory is a troll. There are always controversial topics, but a troll seems unusually harsh or vague. It lacks specifics and is strong in emotion. It is intended to generate strong feelings, to get the reader to avoid thinking logically about the issue.

How do you get people to think about the facts when there are trolls out there formenting trouble?

1) Just don't respond - don't feed the trolls. As I've told my children, it takes two to fight, and if there's no response the troll won't be able to say anything more without looking the part.

2) If you insist on responding, remember that trolls make sweeping arguments based on emotion. Your response should ask for specifics. If they're sincere, you'll get specifics. If they only wish to get a response, you'll get more sweeping arguments and emotion.

Or silence.

What was he thinking?

2010-07-15T23:20:00.001-04:00

It was probably ten years ago when my wife and I and some friends were returning from a night out in Sandwich when we ended up behind an erratic driver on Route 130. We called 911 and were connected to Sandwich, Mashpee, Barnstable, and back to Mashpee as each police department asked us to follow the car if we could do so safely.

"Safely" was the operative word here. It was nighttime, so we couldn't see if the driver was male or female, old or young. What we could see was that they were crossing the line, nearly hitting several cars head-on. We kept our distance, but stayed close enough to give the police a description of the car and an eye on its direction.

Mashpee arranged a road block near the rotary. We were on the phone with them when we passed the police cars. We flashed the cars even as we were shouting, "That's us with the lights! He's right in front of us!" The police pulled onto the road, threw on their lights as they passed us, and pulled the driver off the road.

And so, when George Morse was taken to task for doing the exact same thing - following an erratic driver while on the phone with the police - I found myself scratching my head.

Another issue that was raised was Mr. Morse's red light permit. Again, things didn't add up. The permit was issued by the fire chief. Clearly, Chief Brodeur thought that Mr. Morse would use the light responsibly. Indeed, when Mr. Morse's term as constable ended, he immediately returned the permit without being asked. Is that not a demonstration of good character?

After the Monday vote, someone took me to task for allowing Mr. Morse to explain these. But why wouldn't we allow that? If we are going to accuse someone of doing something inappropriate, do they not have the right to rebuttal?

Some have taken issue with Mr. Mustafa's statements about the Constitution, but I agree with him. We cannot accuse someone of doing something inappropriate, nefarious, or illegal without giving them the opportunity to defend themselves. Not only is it common courtesy, it's the law.

Think about it...What if you were the one being accused?

A few years back, my wife had her license suspended.

If that was all you knew, what would you think?

In fact, she forgot to pay her excise tax, so the registry suspended her license. However, because she was never stopped by the police - it's fair to say that she's a good driver - we didn't learn about this until she went to renew her license.

Now what do you think?

As I noted during the meeting, Mr. Morse was required to provide only five references, one of which must be a lawyer. All told, he provided nearly four dozen. Most were in writing, some were in person, and a few were over the phone - calls that came directly to me and other members of the Board. Instead of just one lawyer, four stood for him, including two retired judges. Businessmen, retired women and even the father of a woman he arrested provided glowing references.

Only at funerals have I seen more people speak so highly of a man.

Now you know what I was thinking, and why I voted for Mr. Morse.

Agenda

2010-07-05T18:52:00.002-04:00

Conventional wisdom tells us that every politician has an agenda. Usually, it's a secret - if not nefarious - plan that, if revealed publicly, would result in the politician being run out of town at the end of a pitchfork.

I've previously written about my own agenda, which is neither secret, nor nefarious.

The charter is the town constitution. It outlines how our government is structured and provides a blueprint for how it should be run. Regarding the latter, there are a lot of things the Board is required to do, but for whatever reason, it doesn't do them.

So, if you want to know my agenda, read the charter.

[an aside...for those unfamilar with the § character, this is the legalise abbreviation for "section", so §C3 = Section C3]

Under §C3-2.A. the Board sets policy. Basically, this is the Board's way of making law. We began attacking this last week, but there is much work to be done. A lot of our policies haven't been reviewed in more than a decade, and there are a number of draft policies that need to be reviewed and acted-upon.

§C3-3.C. and §C8-3.C. is the oft neglected budget policy statement, due by November 1st. There is a lot of interest to do more with the budget.

§C3-3.A. requires the Board to develop a long-range plan. This is the 5-year strategic plan which is the object of the Board's annual retreat. Last year, we started this, but didn't finish.

§C7-2. defines a number of boards, committees and commissions, including the Board of Assessors, Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Council on Aging, Historical Commission, Recreation Committee, Waterways Committee, Beach Committee, Human Services Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Historic Districts Commission. §C7-2.C. requires that these boards meet with the selectmen at least once a year. Last year, the selectmen talked about issues-based meetings; since we must meet with these boards, they are good candidates for such meetings.

Meetings are also required by §C3-3.B. - in this case, the Planning Board (at least two meetings/year).

§C3-7.E. Requires that the Board keep liaison with all boards, committees and commissions. These are the liaison assignments that the Board discusses every year.

One piece of unfinished business is §C5-9.A., the town manager's evaluation. Several months ago, the Board agreed that the current evaluation process is inadequate. So, our procedures and criteria for the evaluation will probably be adjusted in the coming months.

Speaking of the town manager, there was that proposal a few months back to combine the treasurer and collector positions. §C5-7.A. requires approval of the Board for any establishment, reorganization, consolidation or abolishment of "any division, department or position under the Manager’s direction and supervision." Likewise, §C5-7.B. requires the approval by the Board for the "creation of any additional permanent, compensated position." As with the evaluation, we'll likely revisit this, but in more depth.

There is also §C5-3.B.(4) which requires the town manager to keep the Board appraised of "all departmental operations, fiscal affairs, general problems and administrative actions..." Note that it refers to all departments. Frankly, there have been deficiencies here. During my tenure on the Board, we've heard from some departments, such as the DPW, as many as four times a year. Other departments, such as Inspectional Services, have never been before the Board at all.

There are a few parts of the charter, such as §C9-9.A., which aren't typically invoked. This particular section requires that a Bylaw Revision Committee be appointed every five (5) years beginning in 1990. Do the math...it's 2010.

The last part of the charter worth mentioning is §C3-2.B., which directs the selectmen to recommend "major courses of action to the Town Meeting."

In other words, provide leadership.

Happy Birthday to the United States of America

2010-07-04T08:07:00.001-04:00

It's worth noting that The Falmouth Fireworks Committee has managed to develop a nationally recognized fireworks show while using "no taxpayer money."

This year, because of Falmouth's budget constraints, the Committee has been asked to help cover the cost of the police department's overtime budget - something the town usually handles.

If you can, send a check (for any amount) to:

Falmouth Fireworks Committee
PO Box 500
Falmouth, MA 02540

I did.

A done deal?

2010-07-01T20:31:00.004-04:00

Some folks seem to think that the decision to put Mr. Morse on Monday's agenda was a railroad job, intended to just slide him in without a proper interview. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, but I'll let you decide.

What follows is an email - which speaks for itself - that I sent to the Board on Thursday, June 24 at 10:22pm.

All,

There have been a few questions about Monday's agenda; this email is intended to clarify those.

Bob contacted me on Wednesday with a request that we remove Ballymeade due to the recent boil water order. He felt that with the recent events, the Water Department wouldn't be ready. Because of this, I had to fill the time slot at the last minute. I operated under the assumption - and I hope you all agree - that it would be better to have consistent 2-3 hour meetings than to have a 1 hour meeting this week, and a 4 hour meeting next.

As to the specific questions:

CONTINUED INTERVIEW & VOTE FOR CONSTABLE

Yes, this is for George Morse. I received a letter from Mr. Morse requesting that the Board, "take a vote in regards to my constable status..." I want to avoid any discussion or deliberation via email, so I'll say only that nothing is cast in stone and we can discuss how to proceed with this on Monday.

POLICY REVIEW & DISCUSSION

Yes, I've ordered copies of the policy binder (at my expense); they should be ready and in your boxes (in town hall) early Friday evening. If you'd prefer, I can deliver them to you personally some time this weekend. Yes, there are a lot of policies, but I don't think any of us expects to get through them all in one night. As to the specifically itemized policies, most are not "new" (some were originally drafted more than a year ago) but are perhaps new to us.

Brent

Special Selectmen's meeting, Thursday @ 5pm

2010-06-22T22:45:00.000-04:00

Board of Selectmen
Thursday, June 24, 2010 – 5:00 P.M.
Selectmen's Meeting Room

1) To consider appointing an independent third party to investigate the events surrounding the boil water order.

2) To consider taking additional actions as needed, including - but not limited to - the distribution of water, in response to the boil water order.

BREAKING NEWS: Boil water order lifted

2010-06-22T22:38:00.003-04:00

The Falmouth Water Department in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has lifted the Boil Water order for the entire Town of Falmouth. the most recent analytical data has indicated that the complete schedule of water samples was free of total coliform and E-Coli for two consecutive days as required. Having met this standard, the Massachusetts Department of environmental Protection has determined that the water is safe for consumption in the Falmouth community.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR POST-BOIL ORDER

Residents are advised to “flush” their water following the lifting of the boil order in order to clear plumbing of potentially contaminated water. Flushing your household and building water lines includes interior and exterior faucets; showers; water and ice dispensers; water treatment units, etc.

Please follow these guidelines:

Cold Water Faucets: Run tap water until the water feels cold, 1 minute or more, before drinking, tooth brushing, or using for food preparation.

Hot Water Faucets: To clear hot water pipes and water heater of untreated water, turn on all hot water faucets and flush for a minimum of 15 minutes for a typical household 40-gallon hot water tank and 30 minutes for an 80-gallon hot water tank or larger. Never use water from the “hot” faucet for drinking, cooking, or other internal-consumption purposes. After this flushing, hot water is then safe to use for washing hands, and for hand- washing of dishes, pots and pans, etc.

Refrigerators: Water dispensers from refrigerators should be flushed by at least one quart of water.

Dishwashers: After flushing hot water pipes and water heater, run dishwasher empty one time.

Humidifiers: Discard any water used in humidifiers, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), oral, medical or health care devices, and rinse the device with clean water.

Food and baby formula: Be sure you have discarded any baby formula or other foods prepared with water on the days of the boil order. (If unsure of the dates contact your Water Department.) When in doubt, throw it out!

Ice cubes: Automatic ice dispensers should be emptied of ice made during the boil order. Then, discard ice made over an additional 24 hour period to assure complete purging of the water supply line. Discard any ice cubes made manually, wash dispenser and refill.

Water Treatment Devices: Some types of water treatment devices and filtration systems may need to be disinfected and flushed to remove any contaminated water. Some types of water treatment devices may need to be disinfected or replaced before being used. If in doubt, discard used filter and replace with new filter. Check with the manufacturer for details.

Due to the flushing of the lines by residents and the flushing of the hydrants, some customers may experience a lack of water pressure and/or discolored water. However, this is an expected result and does not pose a health risk. Contact the Water Department at 508-457-2543 if you have any questions.

The information for the post Boil‐Order instructions are provided by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Department of Public Health.

For more information, visit the Town of Falmouth website.

Special Selectmen's meeting, Friday @ 5pm

2010-06-16T22:56:00.000-04:00

In response to citizen concerns, the Board will be holding a public meeting on Friday, June 18 at 5pm in the Selectmen's Meeting Room of Falmouth Town Hall.

The object of this meeting is two-fold:

1) To inform the public of the events (i.e., a timeline) leading to the discovery of coliform and e coli in the Falmouth water system, and the subsequent DEP boil order, and
2) To outline the town's response to the situation, including efforts to notify the public, and address any deficiencies therein.

The public will be given the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

BREAKING NEWS: Boil water order issued for Falmouth

2010-06-15T23:20:00.002-04:00

Falmouth residents ordered to boil water

From the MA DEP: "We just declared a boil order for the Town of Falmouth.

We were notified yesterday that there were Total Coliform and E Coli positive samples at 5 locations collected on June 7th. Repeats have been clean (no coliform) with the exception of two locations since June 9th. The two locations North Falmouth and Woods Hole, have been positive for total coliform but negative for E. Coli. We have asked Falmouth to increase chlorination and to flush the two problem areas. It is likely that these areas are somewhat dead ends and quite a distance from the treatment plants.

This will be a Tier 1 public notice with radio and TV coverage. Newspaper notice will be tomorrow. We will be telling folks to through out ice, beverages, etc made with tap water since June 7th.

The suspected problem is related to a heavy rain event on the weekend prior to June 7th. It was noted that there was increased chlorine consumption at the Long Pond surface water treatment plant."

Day 1

2010-06-15T23:11:00.000-04:00

I spoke with five constituents and one of the other selectmen today - all before 7pm. This was not an unusual day, but it's instructive.

Some folks raised concerns about me being chairman. The stated reasons were becuase of my day job; that because I commute 1-1/2 hours off-Cape, I would not have the time to take on the additional responsiblity.

However, modern electronics keep me in touch. Indeed, all those phone calls were done while I was commuting home. No, I don't text. Yes, I use a hands-free headset.

Nor can we forget that three other members of the Board work in town or are retired, so there is always someone around if the need arises.

Of course, all of this was even before I got home. After was another story entirely.

Priorities

2010-06-10T20:35:00.000-04:00

I must admit to some disappointment with Falmouth's budget priorities - or lack thereof.

On Monday evening, the Board received a rather sobering report about staffing at the police department. Shortly thereafter, the Recreation Committee provided a glowing report of the Recreation Department's activities over the past year.

The difference between "soberting" and "glowing" is all about priorities. On the one hand, the Rec Department appears to have an adequate amount of funding to complete it's mission. On the other, the police clearly do not.

At the heart of this are questions that are not being asked. What is more important, recreation programs, or body armor for the police? Should the Rec department be fully self-funded, i.e., by user fees?

Critics will remind me that as a selectman, I am part of the problem. That is true. While I have put much effort into addressing budget issues, I won't make excuses. The buck stops here. Although the budget problem was growing and festering for years before I came along, it is now up to me - and the other four selectmen - to fix this.

It won't be fixed overnight, but I am hopeful. Over the past three years, the people have elected four new selectmen. Clearly, there is a message here: the status quo is unacceptable.

For your information, this is the memo which Police Chief Riello read to the Board on Monday evening:

Due to the current budget reductions and severe staffing shortages I am compelled to make several changes to best serve the town with available resources. Many of these changes are contrary to our mission but are necessary given the critical shortages we are experiencing.

The following set of circumstances have resulted in the "perfect storm"

1. Budget reduced $751,000 for FY 09 and FY 10.

2. Only 48 officers of our 09 authorized strength of 66 are available for duty. This number includes Sergeants and command staff.

This represents a reduction of 18 officers or 28% less available for duty. The status of the 18 is described below:

a. 5 officers eliminated from budget
b. 4 officers deployed in the military, some overseas
c. 11 line of duty injuries. Five of the ten are long term /possible retirements. The remaining 5 will return to duty within the next 3-12 weeks

Due to this situation, we are forced to adapt our mission to focus on responding to 911 emergency calls and non-emergency calls for service. Consistent with this change in mission and to insure we are able to respond to emergencies all calls will be prioritized and many will require citizens to come to the station to file complaints or report certain crimes and incidents.

In order to insure we accomplish this limited mission it will be necessary to re-assign specialists and limit services. The patrol force is the backbone ,the first line of defense, and must be staffed first.

Steps taken to enhance the patrol function are as follows;

1. The School Resource Officer will be reassigned to the midnight patrol shift.
2. Three Detectives will be re-assigned. One to patrol, one as an Acting Sergeant, and one as the court officer.
3. Drug investigator will be assigned detective duties in addition to drug investigations.
4. The second drug investigator will be assigned to patrol.
5. The court officer currently on injured status will be assigned to patrol upon his return.
6. Due to officer burnout from mandatory overtime we will have to reduce the number of officers on the street.

The programs and services that will be curtailed or eliminated are:

1. Bike patrol
2. Walking beats on Main St
3. Wood Hole coverage.
4. ATV patrol.
5. Bike path patrol.
6. Neighborhood liaison program
7. Special event coverage.

Trash talk

2010-05-25T20:28:00.002-04:00

Problem: Trash haulers licensed to do business in Falmouth are taking their garbage directly to Bourne or SEMASS.

Why? Those venues charge $45/ton, whereas the Upper Cape Regional Transfer Station (UCRTS) charges $89/ton.

The result? Falmouth has had to pay more than $50,000 because we're not delivering enough trash to the UCRTS meet our contractual obligation.

The solution? Use a stick: Fine the haulers, forcing them to bring their trash to the UCRTS.

A better solution? Use a carrot: Have the UCRTS charge $45/ton.

Problem solved.

No easy answers

2010-05-25T00:03:00.000-04:00

There are those Monday's - and this was one - when I walk away from the meeting thinking that there are no easy answers. On the one hand, one never wants to be a stick-in-the-mud by saying "no". On the other hand, trying to please everyone by saying "yes" all the time is no better.

Consistency is another thing. It would be really easy to say "yes" here, and "no" there, so that people think you are being fair, but firm. I've seen that sort of willy-nilly voting. Eventually, people figure out that the only consistent thing about you is that you are inconsistent. That's usually when you end up losing an election.

Tonight it seemed as though there were several of these difficult situations. We had the business sign variances, and then the new sidewalk on the north side of Katherine Lee Bates Road, adjacent to the Mullen-Hall Elementary School and across from the library.

As to the former, I have, on several occasions, shared my philosophy about business signs. Variances are, in my opinion, too subjective; too open to interpretation. Personally, I think we could avoid most variances by tweaking the sign code so that it maintains the character of Falmouth AND is business-friendly. It is unacceptable to force a business to rely on the good graces of the Board to get a variance, or - in the reverse - to hope that the Board respects the town code and the character of the town by granting variances sparingly, if at all.*

Regarding the latter, there are many, varied issues here. There are obviously concerns about how the plan was put together, but there was a public meeting, publicly noticed, and reported in the paper. The town's financial situation has changed - drastically - over the past six months, but this particular project is not particularly large or expensive, and the money is earmarked for projects such as this. There is the desire to preserve the trees, but most of the trees to be removed (five of eight) are either dying or are considered invasive in Massachusetts.

And then there is the issue of publc safety. There are obvious dangers in this area, but have we created a complex solution to a simple problem? It would be really easy to just elminate some parking, but doing so would exacerbate the summertime parking issue.

Like I said, there are no easy answers.

*For those who are interested, Chapter 183, Article III, Section 183-20, paragraph A, of the town code states, "In those rare and particular instances where the strict application of this chapter would be impractical, impossible or create undue hardship, a majority of the Board of Selectmen may permit variances from this chapter. Such variances shall only be permitted when it is determined that the architecture of the building(s), the location of the building(s) with reference to a street or the nature of the use being made of the building(s), is such that a variance would be in the public interest. In granting such variance, the Board of Selectmen shall specify the size and location of the sign(s) and impose such other terms and restrictions as deemed to be in the public interest."

BREAKING NEWS...Election results

2010-05-18T22:09:00.004-04:00

These are preliminary results (final results are certified in a few days to a week), and I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but...

Selectmen's race:
Mary Pat Flynn ~3100
David Braga ~2700
Carey Murphy ~2500
David Moriarity ~2100

Ballot questions:
Question 1 - Capital projects - No
Question 2 - School roofs - Yes
Question 3 - Harbor bulkheads - No
Question 4 - Term limits for the Zoning Board of Appeals - Yes

Thoughts on Tuesday's election

2010-05-16T22:24:00.004-04:00

You've by now noticed that I did not endorse anyone for selectman this year. In the corporate world where I work, it is not uncommon to recommend a potential hire to your boss. In other political arenas, endorsing candidates is also quite common. However, here in the world of Falmouth politics, such a move seems to be - like putting one's signs out before the spring town meeting - taboo.

Taboos are typically hard to break, and as both friends and my mother (God rest her soul) have said to me, I will be better off picking my battles. This year, I'm going to stay away from the endorsement game.

The Friday edition of the Falmouth Enterprise opines that we should "Vote For The Qualified Candidates." I disagree with that logic.

For those unfamiliar with the name, Warren Buffett is one of the richest men in the world. He has made a fortune buying businesses - in whole or in part - and yet he is perhaps one of the most down-to-earth men in the world. He lives in a small house in Omaha (Nebraska), has a Diet Coke and a steak for dinner, and hates Wall Street bankers.

Buffett's success is due to his careful selection of companies, each of which must be run by good managers. He once said, "In looking for someone to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But the most important is integrity, because if they don't have that, the other two qualities, intelligence and energy, are going to kill you."

He further explained his statement as follows, "When you hire someone to run your business, you are entrusting him or her with the piggy bank. If these people are smart and hardworking, they are going to make you a lot of money, but it they aren't honest, they will find lots of clever ways to make all your money theirs."

When I cast my votes on Tuesday, I will be voting for integrity.

Brent's Town Meeting votes - Monday, April 5

2010-05-16T22:06:00.003-04:00

My apologies...I am a little tardy with this post.

One of the reasons why this wasn't done sooner is because there is so much to cover. With that in mind, I'm going to break it down into bite-sized pieces.

As in the past, we'll cover only those articles which involved any discussion. Those articles which passed on a voice vote - in this case, 3-7, 19, 20, 22 and 24 - won't be discussed. I voted "aye" for these; all passed.

ARTICLE 1 was to elect Town Officers, i.e., members of the Finance Committee. Nominated by the Moderator, I voted "aye" and the vote to appoint them was unanimous.

ARTICLE 2 was to hear reports from Committees and Town Officers. We heard several reports from several committees, including the newly formed Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan Review Committee and the High School Building Committee. The former had just been created, so there wasn't much to report, and with the high school project under control, there wasn't much for the latter to report. I voted "aye" to accept the reports; the article passed unanimously.

ARTICLE 8 was to vote to authorize continued use of the following Revolving Funds previously established by Town Meeting votes:
a.Code of Falmouth Revolving Fund;
b.Falmouth Recreation Department Revolving Fund;
c.Emerald House Revolving Fund;
d.Shellfish Propagation Revolving Fund;
e.Falmouth Historical Commission Revolving Fund;
This one also passed without discussion, requiring only some changes to the language (exchanging the word "may" for the word "shall" in several lines). Again, I voted "aye" and it passed unanimously.

ARTICLE 9 was another crack at what had been Article 10 during the fall town meeting. At issue are a number of properties in Falmouth which have multiple dwellings on one lot. They are "pre-existing, non-conforming" and until last year any such dwellings which had been inhabited since 1959 were legal. However, because of a recent lawsuit, a court ruled that such dwellings were illegal - period. More than 200 such properties in Falmouth became illegal overnight, with a whole host of other issues with mortgages, titles, taxes and such.

The Zoning Board of Appeals had asked town meeting to correct this last fall, but that article failed in part because of too many unanswered questions. This time around, the ZBA had the support of the Planning Board, and specific language that should have addressed any concerns.

It did not, however, satifsy Ed DeWitt, the individual who had filed the suit in question. He again raised a number of concerns and suggested also that this article wasn't necessary, as homeowners were protected as long as they had documentation in the form of occupancy or building permits.

That resonated with me, so I stood up and spoke - in favor of the article.

Not long ago, I had asked for a copy of a town contract. This contract was several inches thick and less than a decade old, yet we managed to find only one copy. That copy was locked in a cabinet that was itself hidden in a corner of town hall and for which no key could be found. If it was this hard to find something so recent, I argued, how would a homeowner hope to find a one-page occupany permit that was 50 years old?

I voted "aye", and the article passed easily.

Afterwards I learned that there had been a fire in town hall many years ago, and many of the old records - occupancy permits, building permits, and the like - were destroyed. It was a good thing that the article passed.

ARTICLE 10 and 11 were attempts rezone a Residential B parcel at 28 Nathan Ellis Highway (Route 151) to either a B-2 or B-3 Business District (respectively). The owner has tried to get this zoning change through town meeting three times now. He has failed every time.

I feel for the current owner, but he made some fatal errors:

1) You should never buy a property without knowing the history of the area. You need to know why the land is zoned that way and what objections the town might have to changing the zoning.

2) You should never develop and market a property as commercial when it is not zoned as such. This was rather presumptuous, and it has upset many people who feel as though you are openly defying Falmouth.

3) You should never threaten to come back over and over again until you get your way. If this isn't the definition of childish behavior, I don't know what is.

I voted "no" on these two articles; they failed.

ARTICLE 12 was to amend the Classification Plan for the Human Services Department, combining two part-time positions into one full time. When the Board of Selectmen was discussing our recommendation for this article, I had asked about the cost of combining two part-time positions into one. Specifically, full-time employees are eligible for insurance and benefits, whereas part-timers are not. However, it so happens that - in Falmouth, at least - working for 20 hours qualifies as full-time and you get health insurance. So, there was no overall change in the cost.

I voted "aye"; it passed on a voice vote.

Stay tuned for the rest of my town meeting votes...

Spring Kudos

2010-05-16T12:45:00.001-04:00

Far too much time has passed since I last mentioned those in town who are, in my humble opinion, worthy of recognition for the actions they have taken.

Kudos to...

Falmouth's police and fire departments. These are jobs which, by their very nature, put one's life in harm's way to protect others. My father is a retired firefighter, and he has seen some pretty gruesome things. At the Police Week memorial on Friday, May 14, FCTV producer Kevin Lynch asked me for a few comments, so I told him that these men and women are true heros. It cannot be said enough.

Town Meeting, for overwhelmingly supporting an updated noise ordinance. In spite of what some opponents say, it is not about impinging on rights, rather it is about protecting them. The town code specifically says we are entitled to the "quite enjoyment" of our property, and excessive noise is like a swinging fist. As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said, "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins."

Town meeting representatives Joe Netto (Precinct 9), and Marc Finneran (Precinct 6), for reminding us that the emperor has no clothes. Mr. Finneran put a petitioner's article on the warrant, asking selectmen to revisit the dump issue, and Mr. Netto made a presentation that exposed some alarming numbers. Those numbers included 0 (the revenue from the metals recycling for several years), and an operating deficit that was far less (hundreds of thousands of dollars less) than we were originally led to believe. In fact, the dump may have actually been making money, but someone wasn't minding the store.

Chairman Mary Pat Flynn for voting to appoint John Checklick to the Cape Light Compact (CLC) Board of Governors. What the public did not see during the interview process was Mr. Checklick's extensive resume, which included years of work in the power industry. The Board of Governors is the Board of Directors, and given the complaints about the CLC, having someone of Mr. Checklick's stature and experience there would have been invaluable to the CLC's customers.

Unfortunately, Ms. Flynn and I were the only two members of the Board who recognized this, and Mr. Checklick was not appointed. Indeed, the outcome of this vote is definitely a candidate for one of the more disappointing decisions that the Board has made during my tenure.

Selectman Melissa Freitag for voting to get the job done. Ms. Freitag was very vocal about making sure that Town Manager Whritenour got his review before the election - which includes the potential for a change on the Board.

Ironically, although one member of the Board suggested that two weeks was not enough time to do a review, that is exactly how much time has been given in the past. Every year, Mr. Whritenour has provided the Board with the review documents and a cover letter that concludes, "Please try to complete these materials in the next two weeks and forward them back to Chairman..."

David Moriarty and David Braga for running for selectmen. Democracy works only when 1) people vote, and 2) there are choices on the ballot.

Family Astronomy Night

2010-04-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

UPDATE...postponed to Saturday due to cloud cover.

As one of its 25th anniversary events, The 300 Committee Land Trust is teaming up with the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers to hold an astronomy night for families, Friday, April 23 from 7 to 10 PM at Peterson Farm.

The Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers are an informal group of amateur astronomers dedicated to sharing the night sky with the public. The 300 Committee Land Trust is celebrating 25 years of preserving and protecting open space for conservation, recreation and water protection in Falmouth.

Families are encouraged to come to Peterson Farm and enjoy views of the April night sky, its moon, planets and stars. Telescopes and binoculars will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own, if they have them. Children as young as 5 or 6 can really have fun exploring the heavens. In case of rain, this event will take place on Saturday, April 24.

Directions to Peterson Farm: Go southwest on Locust Street/Woods Hole Road about one mile from Main Street, Falmouth. Turn right onto McCallum Drive and then turn immediately right into the driveway to the farm. Parking is available at the end of the driveway near the small barns.

About the "Group formed to oppose Falmouth noise bylaw"

2010-04-21T21:27:00.001-04:00

A constituent emailed me with a question about this meeting. What follows is my reply, based on my observations of the meeting...

This is my second attempt at a reply, my first having been eaten by the ether when my email session decided to timeout without warning, dooming 30 minutes of writing to oblivion. Frustrated, I've now spent even longer trying to remember what I wrote.

As to your question, "As a friend, Falmouth taxpayer, QRA member and Selectman - in that order - is it appropriate that taxpayers subsidized a meeting (Gus Canty Center) of a group dedicated to the repeal of a bylaw?"

First, thank you for referring to me as a "friend". Although I am honored to have been chosen by Falmouth's residents to serve as one of their selectmen, the title of "friend" means far more to me.

At least some of the attendees/organizers were Falmouth residents, and they are entitled to request and use public spaces. I had not heard that the press was specifically excluded; I didn't see any reporters, but that doesn't mean none were there.

Obviously, I went. The meeting seemed well attended, with upwards of 40-50 present. There were two individuals I recognized, but I don't know if they saw or recognized me. However, I did arrive late and was confined to the standing room only section at the back. Of those who could see me, none seemed to recognize me as a selectman. Certainly, no one called me out.

Speaking was largely done by three individuals, but as I was late, I missed the names. One was with the Falmouth classic car club. Noting that he had spoken with Chief Riello about his concerns, he stressed courtesy and avoiding hard acceleration. He also stated several times that the car club and the MMA are in the same boat and "need to stick together."

The primary speaker (I think he identified himself as the head of the MMA) also stressed courtesy, and throttling back around, and avoiding confrontations with, the police. He reminded everyone that many of the scenic routes were in residential neighborhoods, and stated several times that, "If you've got straight pipes, you're on your own."

Unfortunately, he also repeated a number of misconceptions:
1) There are only 20 people in the Quiet Roads Association;
2) The QRA "snuck this in";
3) Motorcycles are banned from those roads with the noise enforcement signs;
4) The bylaw targets motorcycles;
5) This is all about money, i.e., Falmouth needs more revenue, so we are using noise as an excuse to write more tickets.

The third major speaker identified himself as the MMA's legislative head. He focused on how to avoid getting ticketed, and how to beat a ticket if you got one. The MMA is providing free legal aid to those who get noise-related tickets, and he noted that those who challenged the tickets in Sterling had their cases dismissed. Those cases were based on Ch 90, Sec 16, upon which Falmouth's bylaw is based. Also noted was the Boston bylaw (based on the EPA sticker), which has survived court challenges.

There was talk about how much it would cost to enforce the Falmouth bylaw, and the fact that with recent budget cuts, and officers on disability and on military deployment, it was not likely to be strongly enforced. They were pretty much echoing the statements Chief Riello made on town meeting floor.

Others spoke, but most seemed to perpetuate ill will. One man talked of how a state police officer near Waltham detained and harassed him and several others for 30 minutes, but didn't charge them. Also mentioned was the volume of town meeting itself, which someone measured at 90+ dB. Frankly, that seems incredible.

Clearly there is a need for a dialog, and I considered saying something, but this wasn't the time or the place. It was a charged atmosphere, sponsored by an organization (the MMA) which is clearly hostile to noise abatement. The format did not lend itself to clarifying issues or challenging misconceptions - especially when some of those misconceptions appear to be strongly held. On the other hand, a more public forum managed by a more neutral party would be a good idea. Indeed, I wouldn't mind debating the primary speaker on FCTV.

A common theme was the lack of a clear standard, i.e., it is believed that the "harsh, unreasonable or objectionable" language is too vague and can't be enforced. Time will tell, but it would seem that town meeting representative Ron Smolowitz was correct when he suggested that Falmouth could become a magnet for legal challenges.

That said; perhaps Falmouth should draw up a bylaw that has specific limits and methods for measurement.

An unpublished letter

2010-04-14T18:22:00.003-04:00

I submitted the following to the Cape Cod Times a few weeks back, in response to two editorials they published. At this point, I don't think they'll publish it, so I'm publishing it here...

Recent dueling editorials present the same old arguments about the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear power.

Uranium-based nuclear power is a relic of the Cold War, used because the plutonium by-product can be used for weapons. A better option is thorium. Safe enough to hold in your hands, it requires no expensive processing and is more abundant than uranium. Thorium reactors can be self-regulating without risk of melt-down, and the by-products are limited, useless for weapons, and radioactive for just a few hundred years.

If thorium is so promising, why don't we have these reactors on every street corner?

Concerns about nuclear proliferation and global warming have rekindled interest in thorium, but the nuclear industry has been built around uranium. It takes time and money to build an infrastructure. Tax dollars would be better spent encouraging investments in thorium instead of Cold War technology.

There is a path to the future. "Seed-and-blanket" reactors are traditional nuclear plants which use rods that have a mix of thorium and uranium oxides. These hybrids provide a safer, longer reaction with less waste - waste that is unsuitable for weapons.

Nuclear power is the way to go, but there are better alternatives to uranium.

Red tape

2010-03-29T18:35:00.001-04:00

No matter how clear I think something is, there are time when things require a little more explanation.

For example, my recent letter to Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray, in which I wrote, "For example, here in the town of Falmouth, businesses which apply for a sign must appear before a committee in order to get a permit. Defenders of this practice note that the committee has helped businesses navigate the town's regulations...However, it would be better to simplify those regulations so that there is no need to navigate anything. Entrepreneurs who work 60, 80 – and more – hours a week cannot afford to spend yet more time before a committee defending a sign application. Indeed, one applicant told me that the committee questioned the color of a sign - something the town does not regulate, and over which the committee has no jurisdiction."

In response, an anonymous poster wrote, "Great idea on the sign code! I am sure business will increase if East Main Street looked as good as Rt 6 in Wareham! If Falmouth's businesses could only put up huge, colorful signs their business would be at least as good as it is in Wareham!...While you are at it, why don't you suggest the State increase East Main street to 4 lanes wide! That would surely draw in the tourists!"

So, for the record, let's clarify my statements about signs.

I've never suggested that we toss-out the sign code. What I did say was that there is too much red tape.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to do business in Falmouth. One must navigate zoning, building, Historic Districts, the Historical Commission...there is one thing piled on another. The sign code - the example I used with President Murray - is so difficult to understand that one must have a committee interpret it, which adds yet another layer of red tape. The rules seem to be a moving target, intended not to protect the people, but to make it difficult to get anything done.

Believe it or not, business owners are reasonable people. Like any reasonable person, they are OK with following the rules. However, if those rules are not clear and easy to follow, or if we put up one roadblock after another simply because we don't like what someone is trying to do....well...that is simply not fair.

Life is not fair, but government should be. The Declaration of Independence tells us that we are all entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; the Constitution states that we are entitled to equal protection under the law. If I want to put a sign over my business here in Falmouth, I should be able to fill out a simple application, pay my fee and get my sign.

So, anonymous, please explain, Why can't the process be that simple?

License enforcement policy

2010-03-23T20:37:00.001-04:00

Madam Chair, and members of the Board;

On Monday evening, Mr. Murphy suggested a policy with teeth to deal with the recent (and sometimes repeated) late payments by license holders; I present the following draft for consideration.

Purpose:

To address late payments and renewals by license holders.

Process:

1) a) All license holders wishing to renew their licenses shall submit their applications no later than 60 days before the expiration of said licenses;
b) Failure to submit applications and fees prior to 60 days before expiration shall constitute a de facto lapse of said license, and the license holder shall be required to submit an application for a new license;
c) If the applicant submits an application for a new license, but fails to get the new license prior to the expiration of the old license, all activity related to the license shall cease;

2) If approved, all license payments shall be due and payable to the town within 30 days of the approval;

3) a) If a license fee remains unpaid after 30 days, it shall be automatically suspended;
b) All activity related to the license (e.g., sale of alcohol) shall be suspended and the police shall have the authority to enforce said suspension;
c) If required by law, relevant state agencies shall be notified of the suspension;

4) a) If a license fee remains unpaid after 60 days, it shall be automatically revoked;
b) All activity related to the license (e.g., sale of alcohol) shall cease and the police shall have the authority to enforce said suspension;
c) If required by law, relevant state agencies shall be notified of the revocation;

5) a) If a license is revoked, the applicant may apply to the Board for a new license;
b) License holders who have had a license revoked shall pay a fine of 10% of the cost of the license.

Payoff:

Timely submission of license renewals by license holders;
Timely payments by license holders;
Continuous, legal operation by license holders.

Madam Chair, Please consider putting this item on our agenda for discussion by the Board.

Facebook

2010-03-20T15:44:00.000-04:00

I have a Facebook page.

When our eldest children insisted on getting their Facebook pages, my wife and I made a deal - they would be our friends. This way we could keep an eye on their online activity.

It provded to be a good deal. From time to time they've had to remove things. Usually it was a picture or post from one of their friends - something which fell into our "inappropriate" category.

That is one problem with Facebook; anyone of your "friends" can post anything and anyone of your other "friends" can see it.

Another is the definition of "friend". Since becoming selectman, more than a few folks have requested to be my friend. Some I hardly know. While I appreciate the thought, I like to cultivate my friendships the old fashioned way - in person.

A Facebook phenom now (and an aspiring politician*), my son offered a solution - Facebook's "Fan Page."

So, I have a fan page now on Facebook; look for "Falmouth Selectman Brent Putnam".

*If you are so inclined, feel free to become a Facebook fan of my son, Andrew Putnam. He's running for Falmouth Town Meeting in Precinct 9.

Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers gather

2010-03-16T22:58:00.002-04:00

Celebrate spring with the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers, as they gather again in front of the Falmouth Public library (near the Katherine Lee Bates statue) to share the night sky with the public.

The FSA will meet Friday, March 19 and/or Saturday, March 20 from dusk (about 7pm) until 9:30pm or so. Everyone is welcome to join us and view the Moon, Saturn and Mars through our telescopes, and to bring their own equipment for help and instruction.

For further information, contact Brent Putnam at 508-444-0222, email us at falmouthastronomers@yahoogroups.com, or visit us on the web at www.FalmouthAstronomers.org.

Please feel free to share this with others!

Precinct Meetings

2010-03-16T22:07:00.002-04:00

It's time for precinct meetings!

If you're not a town meeting representative, you can still attend your precinct meeting (or any precinct meeting, if you can't make yours). It gives you an opportunity to meet and influence those people who represent you in town government. It's Democracy at its best!

Precincts 1 & 2: Thursday, April 1st, 7:00pm at the Morse Pond School Cafeteria

Precinct 3: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00 PM at the Great Harbors Clubhouse

Precincts 4 & 7: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00pm at the East Falmouth Elementary School.

Precincts 5 & 6: Wednesday, March 31st, 7:00pm at the West Falmouth Library

Precincts 8 & 9: Wednesday, March 24th, 7:00pm at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Administration Building

A letter to the President (of the Massachusetts Senate)

2010-03-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

97 John Parker Road
East Falmouth, MA 02536
February 28, 2010

The Honorable Therese Murray
Office of the President
Massachusetts Senate
State House
Boston, MA 02133-1007

Dear President Murray;

A belated thank you for your letter dated January 21, 2010 inviting me, as a member of the Falmouth Board of Selectmen, to attend the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Forum in Hyannis. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the February 12 meeting.

According to the invitation, the goals were to answer any budget related questions, to review the budgetary process and discuss funding requests. However, with the Commonwealth's ongoing budget issues, I hope that some time was given to discuss ways of addressing the shortfall, especially as it relates to the municipalities.

Therein is the purpose of this letter.

I was heartened to read your recent editorial in the Cape Cod Times. Your statement, "...we have to make a better effort to encourage business development in Massachusetts," hit the nail on the head.

Business passes its costs onto the customer, with a margin - profit - attached to reward the entrepreneur for their risk. The unspoken truth is that the cost of business is always paid by the individual. When government increases the cost of doing business, it increases the cost paid by the customer. When that cost exceeds the reward, business will cease to exist; entrepreneurs will not work for nothing. As you noted, the average size of businesses in Massachusetts has been steadily decreasing, and jobs have been lost. This trend is reflected in the exodus of Massachusetts residents who have sought work and lower costs of living elsewhere.

Taxes are not the only cost. Complying with rules and regulations - i.e., "red tape" - levies an indirect cost. For example, here in the town of Falmouth, businesses which apply for a sign must appear before a committee in order to get a permit. Defenders of this practice note that the committee has helped businesses navigate the town's regulations.

However, it would be better to simplify those regulations so that there is no need to navigate anything. Entrepreneurs who work 60, 80 – and more – hours a week cannot afford to spend yet more time before a committee defending a sign application. Indeed, one applicant told me that the committee questioned the color of a sign - something the town does not regulate, and over which the committee has no jurisdiction.

There are similar barriers at the state level which hamper businesses; you have identified several and I applaud you for it. Please follow through, cut the red tape, and make it easier and less expensive to do business in Massachusetts. Doing so will put more people to work. As you know, when more people are working, more taxes get collected.

At the local level, municipalities need more control over their own destiny. With every cut in local aid or the Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT), cities and towns struggle to balance their budgets.

Ironically, you describe tourism as "one of our top industries in this state," yet the only mechanism the Commonwealth has given municipalities to compensate for these cuts is the ability to increase local options taxes. Communities such as Falmouth are caught between a rock and a hard place. Increasing the rooms and meals taxes might help us balance our budget in the short term, but in the long run we are hurting the competitiveness of one of our top industries.

A better option would be to plug loopholes, such as the boat excise tax. As you may know, the excise tax on boats is not based on value - as it is with autos - but rather on age. There are 50-year old boats in pristine condition that are taxed at a rate lower than 10-year old boats that have been neglected and abandoned. The boat owners benefit, but the Commonwealth, and the common wealth, suffer.

Increasing costs - be they direct taxes, or indirect regulation - only makes it more difficult for individuals and businesses to survive here. The citizens of the United States have choices, and Massachusetts residents have voted overwhelmingly - with their feet - to find work and a lower cost of living in other states. Your mantra of "reform before revenue" is the key to solving the Commonwealth's current budget woes and improving its fiscal health.

As a footnote, please note that I offer these comments as an individual; they do not represent the collective opinion of the Falmouth Board of Selectmen.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,

Brent Putnam
Vice-Chairman
Falmouth Board of Selectmen

cc: Representative Matt Patrick
Representative Tim Madden
Falmouth Board of Selectmen

Proposed policies for the execution of our agendas

2010-03-07T13:32:00.000-05:00

Madam Chair, and members of the Board;

I propose the following, interrelated policies related to the execution of our agendas.

Purpose:

To make better use of the Board's time during our weekly meetings, and to ensure that all of the Board's business is finished.

Process:

1) The Board of Selectmen, and every town board, committee and commission which falls under the jurisdiction of the Board's policy making authority, shall utilize Robert's Rules of Order as the final governing authority for all public meetings.

2) There shall be on the agenda at every regularly scheduled selectmen's meeting an opportunity for the Board to review, discuss and plan upcoming agendas.

3) The Town Manager shall submit to the Board every Friday, in writing, a weekly report of his/her activities. The Town Manager shall be prepared to address any questions from the Board during the selectmen's meeting, but shall not read his/her report unless specifically requested by the Board.

Payoff:

To prevent and avoid confusion and/or conflict over the rules;
To provide town committees and the general public with a clear understanding of how public meetings will be run;
To better prepare the Board for upcoming meetings and agendas;
To better manage and complete the Board's unfinished business;
To make more efficient use of the Board's time during meetings.

Madam Chair, Please consider putting this on our agenda for discussion by the Board.

Committee reports

2010-03-06T11:38:00.002-05:00

Madam Chair, members of the Board;

Please note the email attached below.

Every year, the Board has required from its appointed committees an oral report. However, according to this email, "This year you will only need to submit a written report of your committee’s activities and attendance..."

The Board has never had any discussion or any vote to change this practice. Moreover, because these committees are appointees of the Board, no town employee has the authority to change this practice.

Who issued this directive, and on what authority?

Brent

================ begin email ================

From: "Diane Davidson"
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:31:31 -0500
To: Edward Schmuhl; Sheryl Kozens; Don Hoffer; Edward Gross; Kevin Lynch; Ernest Mayberry; John Magnani; Carey Murphy; Megan Amsler; Carey Murphy; Sheryl Kozens; Karen Cardeira; Leslie Morrissey; Edmund Nolan; Helen Kennedy; Ruth Brazier; Kate McHugh; Nancy Quigg; Jay Hill; Michael Kinney; Gregg Fraser
Subject: Committee Reports to Board of Selectmen

To: Committee Chairs and Administrators

Attached is the list of committee reports to be submitted to the Board of Selectmen for 2010. This year you will only need to submit a written report of your committee’s activities and attendance to the Board of Selectmen, due on March 31, 2010.

Thank you,

Diane Davidson
Administrative Assistant
Town Manager and Selectmen's Office
Town of Falmouth
59 Town Hall Square
Falmouth, MA 02540
(508) 495-7321
(508) 457-2573 FAX

================ end email ================

CWM-PRC Applicants - Round II

2010-03-05T23:30:00.001-05:00

On Monday (March 8), the Board will be conducting the second round of interviews for the Comprehensive Wastewater Management - Plan Review Committee. Here are the individuals on this week's agenda:

Barry B. Balan
Douglas C. Brown
John B. Waterbury
Eric T. Turkington
Kenneth H. Foreman
Patricia Favulli
Marc Finneran

Once again...Do you think any or all of these individuals will serve the taxpayers well?

CWM-PRC Applicants...What do you think?

2010-02-28T18:02:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow (March 1), the Board will be conducting the first round of interviews for the Comprehensive Wastewater Management - Plan Review Committee. Here are the individuals on the agenda:

Peter Boyer
Virginia Valiela
Matt Patrick
Priscilla Moor
George Heufelder
Stephen Rafferty

Current estimates are that this project - resolving the nitrogen problem - could cost as much as (if not more than) half a billion dollars. Even at the low end of the estimates, it could total more than twice the cost of the high school renovation. It will be the most expensive public works project Falmouth has seen.

With that in mind, do you think any or all of these individuals will serve the taxpayers well?

Request to revisit unfinished policies

2010-02-25T22:05:00.003-05:00

This particular post has been edited; it should've been given more explanation when originally posted.

There is a lot that happens behind the scenes in government. Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not saying that behind the scene stuff is purposely hidden, or that open meeting laws are being disobeyed. What follows is an example of this - a memo that I sent to the Board. It is simply a request. There is no discussion amongst the board members, so it is not something that falls under the open meeting laws.

There are limits to what can and cannot be shared, and what is and is not worthy of sharing. The minutes of executive sessions won't be posted. Nor should you expect to see emails from other selectmen notifying the rest of the Board that they will be away on such-and-such a day.

However, the public doesn't always see everything that I'm trying to accomplish as a selectman.
That is something I need to work on.

Madam Chair;

The Board has some unfinished policies which need to be discussed and voted.

1) The Memorial Naming Policy, drafted almost a year ago in response to a request from a constituent, remains in draft form.

2) The On-Line Posting Policy, drafted last year at the request of a constituent, also remains in draft form. As per our last discussion, it was to be presented to several committees - the Conservation Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Historic Districts Commission - for preliminary review and comment. However, my understanding is that this has yet to be done.

In conjunction with this policy, the Board was to receive an opinion from town counsel regarding the extent of the Board's policy making authority. Specifically...Does this authority extend to all town boards and departments, or is it limited to only those direct and indirect appointees (committees and employees) of the Board?

We have not yet received that decision.

3) Finally, last Fall the Board was presented a revised Whistleblower policy; discussion was shelved pending an opinion from town counsel regarding any potential overlap between the policy and state and federal laws.

Again, we do not yet have that opinion.

Please consider this request to get these items back on our agenda as soon as possible.

Brent, I heard that you are against...

2010-01-28T22:00:00.002-05:00

A question from a resident: I heard that you are against paving the Heights parking lot, and I'm wondering what your reasons are?

My answer: It would be more accurate to say that I am against paving the Heights parking lot at this time.

As I said during the last meeting on this subject, I am in favor of the project. There are clear benefits - improving handicap access and drainage, controlling dust, etc. The problem is that Falmouth doesn't have the money for this at this time.

Last fall, I was one of 150 people laid off from my now former employer. My wife and I immediately made changes to our budget. We discontinued memberships, stopped automatic withdrawals from our accounts, turned down the thermostats, etc. We had no idea how long I would be out of work, but we took every precaution to make sure that our priorities - food, the mortgage, utilities, etc. - would be covered.

In contrast, when Falmouth was initially faced with the current economic downturn, we were repeatedly assured that everything was just fine. However, just a few months after passing the annual budget, we were informed that there was a $3 million shortfall. Now we're facing yet another potential shortfall.

The knee-jerk reaction to this is to increase taxes, furlough employees and grasp at "low hanging fruit" in order to make ends meet. The appropriate reaction would be (among other things) to cut unnecessary expenses, put a freeze on hiring, and halt projects which do not relate specifically to public health and welfare - projects such as paving parking lots.

I'd be happy to discuss this further over the phone or over a coffee.

Ways To Save Town Money

2010-01-24T19:49:00.000-05:00

The following also appeared as a letter in the Friday, January 22, 2010 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise.

The January 15, 2010 edition of the Falmouth Enterprise defends the 2011 budget, asserting that, "The easier solutions have been exhausted and now the only way to balance the budget is to make hard choices." I disagree. There are no hard choices in this budget.

The consolidation of the collector and treasurer is, in fact, a very easy decision. The treasurer is retiring, so no one needs to be laid off. The two roles were once one position, separated many years ago. The logic behind this plan appears to be, "It was done before, so it can be done again, and we save an easy $130,000."

The paper goes on to suggest that I, "would better serve the town by considering how best to measure the town manager’s performance."

I already have.

There is no unified purchasing system in town. Orders for things as basic as cleaning supplies are done on a department by department level, with some departments using entirely different products than others. Even within departments, purchasing is often fragmented. The high school uses different toilet paper dispensers - and therefore, toilet paper - than the other schools. Common sense tells us that if we have to buy two different kinds of toilet paper, then we are losing out on a larger, bulk purchase that could save us money.

Moreover, without a purchasing system, there is no way to track what we have purchased. There are no inventory controls to protect the town against loss, or prevent duplicate purchases. A perfect example of the latter is town hall, where almost every department has its own refridgerator.

Indeed, with all the talk of regionalization, one has to wonder...Why has Falmouth not taken the lead and reached out to our neighbors to develop an upper Cape purchasing block?

Combining the collector and treasurer is not, as the paper suggests, a "hard choice," but rather is an easy step to take; "low hanging fruit" is a term often used. Anyone can reach for the low fruit, but most of it - like a purchasing system - is out of reach, higher up in the tree. Getting there requires focus, forethought, preparation, planning - it requires leadership.

Rather than emphasize the low hanging fruit, a good manager will have ladders ready so his team can also pick from those higher branches. Perhaps it is just me, but I haven't seen any ladders.

Consolidation plan not well thought-out

2010-01-23T18:42:00.003-05:00

The following also appeared in the Thursday, January 21, 2010 edition of the Falmouth Bulletin.

The January 14, 2010 edition of the Falmouth Bulletin incorrectly states that I do not support the merger of the collector's and treasurer's postitions. I support any and all efforts to reduce the cost of local government, as long as they do not adversely affect the services provided to our residents.

This plan is apparently being put forth based on the coming retirement of our current treasurer. As far as I know, there has been no study to determine if consolidation will be cost effective. The treasurer's and collector's roles were once one position, separated many years ago. Why do we believe that they can be recombined? What has changed?

Moreover, we do not know if the current collector is qualified to be the treasurer. If not, additional training will probably be required. What will that cost? How long will it take?

These are the kinds of details that should have been discussed before we developed a budget that leans heavily on the anticipated savings. Unfortunately, this plan was presented as part of the budget, without any forewarning, or opportunity to deliberate the pros and cons.

A supermajority - 4 out of 5 - of selectmen must approve any appointments made by the town manager. This would include the new combined treasurer/collector. If the town manager can show that this consolidation has merit, I will support it. However, as presented, it appears to be one of convenience and opportunity, rather than a well thought-out plan to reduce overhead.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T07:19:00.002-05:00

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."

-- Luke 2:9-12; 13-14

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:07:00.001-05:00

Monday, November 23

2009-11-22T20:09:00.000-05:00

My friends and neighbors,

I ask that you forgive my absence this Monday evening. My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, so I won't be attendng the selectmen's meeting.

I'll be back to work for you all on November 30th.

Brent

Brent's Fall Town Meeting Votes

2009-11-15T19:30:00.002-05:00

Articles 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 passed on the blanket vote, meaning that town meeting agrees with the recommendation in the warrant booklet.

Article 1 was to hear and accept reports. This time around, we had three reports from 1) the Historical Commission about Falmouth's designation as a Preserve America community, 2) the High School Building Committee about progress on the high school renovation and, 3) the Finance Committee about the financial outlook. I voted "aye" to accept the reports; the article passed.

Article 2 was last year's unpaid bills. The last minute addition of $48 for Falmouth Printing gave us a total of $25,797.87. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 6 would have added the definition of a boarder to our bylaws; there currently isn't any definition. During the precinct meetings there was some speculation that this article was about a home-based business in the Maravista neighborhood, but this was just a definition. By right, a homeowner can take in as many as four boarders. For any number over that, a permit is needed, but there is nothing in our bylaws which define a boarder.

Falmouth resident Craig Martin spoke against the article, raising questions about the consistency of our bylaws with respect to boarders. His concerns seemed more related to the existing bylaws than this definition, but it was apparently enough to convince town meeting to vote against the article. I voted "aye" but on a standing count of 84-114, it failed.

Article 10 generated a lot of discussion at some precinct meetings, which continued during town meeting.

Prior to 1959 it was possible to have two dwellings - two homes - on one piece of land. In 1959, the town voted to prohibit this, but existing properties were grandfathered. That is, until recently, when a land court decision declared Section 240-66D of our bylaws (which grandfathered these properties) null and void.

Article 10 would have made these properties prexisting, nonconforming, which is exactly what they are. However, in spite of an excellent presentation by ZBA Chair Matt McNamara, most town meeting representatives, myself included, were not satisfied with the lack of information. Many questions and concerns were raised, but there were few clear answers - if any - from the very town employees who should have had those answers.

Part of problem was the absence of specific language (currently in 240-66D) which expressly prohibits the conversion of seasonal units into year-round units. Precinct 2 representative Richard Latimer proposed a number changes - including the reintroduction of this particular language - via an amendment, but it was too complex to follow. I voted "no" on the amendment; it failed.

Given that the land court decision may have made between 100 and 200 properties illegal, we will undoubtedly be revisiting this decision in the spring. On a count of 90-110, this article failed. I voted "no".

An addendum...on Tuesday night, Precinct 2 representative Jim Fox asked for reconsideration of this article, noting that we did not get all of the answers. I voted "aye" for the reconsideration; we needed those answers. Unfortunately, reconsideration failed.

Article 12 was yet another proposal to rezone the 31+ acre CLSV parcel on Route 151. In prior years, town meeting had seen articles which attempted to rezone the entire parcel, or create a senior care retirement district bylaw - when we already had one. This year, CLSV received the blessing of the Planning Board by asking to rezone only seven acres, and providing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which detailed an agreement with Salmon Health and Retirement, an operator of senior care centers.

Given that this dealt with Route 151, concerns were raised about traffic. It's a reasonable concern, but we must put this into context. The current zoning would allow for approximately 15 homes. If this facility generates no more traffic than 15 homes, traffic is a mute point. As my wife pointed out during the debate, during the past two years, my father has lived in two such facilities. It's only anecdotal evidence, but my own experience is that these kinds of facilities generate little traffic. Residents rarely have cars and the support staff required is either minimal, or comes and goes on regular shifts. My opinion? Traffic won't be an issue, and if it is, a stoplight could be required as a condition of the permit.

Another objection was the loss of agriculturally zoned land. However, Precinct 8 representative Jude Wilbur spoke in favor of this plan, noting that when he was a member of the Planning Board, they tried - and failed - to get the town to create agricultural-only zoning. Just because land is zoned for agriculture, doesn't mean that it can or will be used for agriculture.

Much of the rest of the debate centered around the need for this kind of facility, and (again) from experience I believe it is needed. However, I wanted some assurance that we were going to get a senior care retirement facility and not a restaurant. I asked why CLSV had not gone further in the permitting process before asking for the rezoning. Was the rezoning really necessary; could they not get a special permit? Our town planner answered that a special permit wasn't possible; it had to be zoned for this.

Some folks might have thought my choice of words offensive - I said that I was concerned about the sincerity of the request to rezone the parcel - and in hindsight I probably could have phrased it differenetly. I do apologize if anyone was offended, but I'm just looking out for my constituents.

I would like to have seen the MOU myself, but was willing to accept the word of the Planning Board. I voted "aye"; it passed, 163-37.

Article 15 was to lease the old North Falmouth Fire Station for a period of ten years or more. Since 1979 this building has been leased and maintained by the North Falmouth Village Association. One town meeting representative questioned why the town was in the real estate business and suggested that we should be selling the building instead of leasing it.

While I agree with the logic, this was not the time to develop such a policy. The selectmen should ask the town manager to do a thorough inventory of town properties and review what can be sold. Not only could this raise revenue, it would return these properties to the tax rolls (assuming they are not purchased by a non-profit) and eliminate any cost of maintaining them.

I voted "aye"; it passed.

An aside...At this point the moderator made an editorial comment about the need for board and committee members to be present at precinct meetings and prepared to answer questions. Apparently some felt that board and committee members were inadequately prepared to address the issues raised. Having been at several precinct meetings myself, I concur with this observation. We need to do a better job.

For that matter, the selectmen need to implement a policy prohibiting boards and committees from meeting one or two weeks before town meeting. This would ensure that board and committee members are available to attend the precinct meetings.

Articles 16 though 19 dealt with the town's new wind turbine. Before these articles, any revenue the town received (such as renewable energy credits) would go directly into the general fund. That created the potential for these funds to be used for something other than the debt, operations and/or maintenance of the turbine.

Article 16 created a stabilization account to hold these funds until we need them. Article 17 put the bulk of the money we've received to date ($953,623.00) into this fund, leaving $57,000 in the general fund to pay this year's debt. Article 18 asked the legislature to allow us to create a special account for the turbine revenues; once approved, this will replace the stabilization fund, which is just a temporary measure. Finally, Article 19 authorized the $57,000 payment from the general fund to the debt.

I voted "aye" on all; all passed.

Article 21 was this year's capital budget. As the town's reserves dwindle, more effort is being put towards funding capital expenses (tangible projects which have a useful life of 5 years or more and a cost of $25,000 or more) via overrides. For example, last year the town approved the purchase of new fire trucks as a capital exclusion (in this case, a 10-year tax override).

Town meeting saw a presentation from our town manager in which he proposed annual overrides to fund various projects. Planned for the spring is a $1.15 million capital exclusion to fund water quality, coastal drainage, facilities maintenance, coastal structures, public safety and communication and technology projects.

One such project is the replacement of police cruisers, a $110,021 expense which was cut from this budget. Police Chief Riello noted that they are downsizing the administrative fleet (i.e., smaller cars) to help reduce the operations expense, but the cruisers will need to be replaced as they accumulate 100,000 miles a year.

Also removed from this budget was $7,000 for monitoring the Bourne's Pond inlet. This was a condition the conservation commission had placed on the Menhaunant Beach nourishment project. It begs the question; Is the town exempt from adhering to these conditions? It's possible that this will be funded in the spring, but I'm looking into this.

This year's capital budget was pretty slim, just $191,227. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 22 would have approved $2.9 million for bulkhead repairs and a 50 percent expansion of the town marina. It was originally planned to use a 15-year bond to fund this construction, to be paid off using the additional revenue from the expanded marina. However, it was learned that state law limits bonds on marina projects to 10 years, which made this financially impossible.

The recommendation was now indefinite postponement, so "yes" meant "no". I voted "aye"; the article was indefinitely postponed.

Article 23 is an regular article which moves money from the general fund to the school department. These funds are reimbursements from the federal government for Medicaid-related expenses in the schools.

Some folks noted that the reimbursements (something around $250,000) were greater than the amount being moved (just $50,000); they questioned whether this was legal, whether the town was denying the schools mandated money. However, several indivdiuals, including members of the school board, noted that there was nothing illegal here. As I understood it, although this was a separate, specific article, the school department was still getting more than the reimbursed amount via the annual budget.

Some folks wanted to offer amendments to add to the $50,000, but with virtually no money left in the general fund, these didn't get off the ground.

I voted "aye"; the article passed.

Article 31 generated more discussion than some expected. A bylaw which would ban smoking on our beaches, some folks raised concerns about making this legal activity illegal, and thereby treating smokers like second-class citizens.

Few folks know that I enjoy a pipe from time to time. Growing up, my dad smoked a pipe regularly, and I'd always enjoyed the smell of pipe tobacco. There have been occasions when I've found myself lamenting the lack of a place to smoke, but I accept that what I might enjoy, others might not. For example, my wife can't tolerate the smoke, so I've never smoked in our house or cars. Like light or sound, smoke is difficult to contain. In crowded situations - such as a beach in the summer - we have to be respectful of others. Unfortunately, not every smoker is.

The other half of this equation are the cigarette butts. These are not biodegradable, and as one town meeting representative noted, some folks don't think twice about turning our beaches into ash trays.

Smoking is not illegal, so banning it seems oppressive, but when we cannot practice common courtesy and common sense, what else can we do? Suggestions included smoking sections (difficult to manage, given the wind) and identifying specific beaches were smoking would be allowed. This isn't a bad idea, given that some of our beaches are underutilitzed.

I voted "aye"; on a standing count of 128 to 60, it passed.

Article 32 reduced the membership of the Historical Commission from 7 to 5. Although some concerns were raised about concentrating authority in fewer appointed individuals, the hard, cold reality is that there simply are not enough volunteers for the job.

Between 1979 and 2002, the commission operated with five members. This number was raised to seven in 2002, but since 2006 the commission has been effectively a 5-member board. This creates a quorum problem, since you must have a majority to do business. Right now there are just four members of this 7-member board, so if somebody misses a meeting, there can be no meeting.

I voted "aye"; on a standing count of 125-60, it passed.

A few folks remarked to me that those 60 people who opposed the reduction in membership should stop by town hall and take out applications.

Article 33 was the housekeeping article. In total, town meeting voted to spend $3,298,149.87. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Upcoming precinct meetings

2009-10-29T22:24:00.002-04:00

In preparation for the upcoming fall town meeting on Monday, November 9, the various precincts will be holding informational meetings as follows:

Precinct 7: Tuesday, November 3 at the Waquoit Congregational Meeting Hall

Precinct 4: Wednesday, November 4 at the East Falmouth Elementary School

Precinct 5 & 6: Thursday, November 5 at the North Falmouth School Library

Precinct 8 & 9: Thursday, November 5 at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds Administration Building

All meetings begin at 7pm.

Precincts 1, 2 and 3 have already held their meetings. If you missed them, you can attend any of these.

SIDEWALK ASTRONOMERS PARTICIPATE IN GALILEO NIGHTS EVENT

2009-10-20T18:45:00.000-04:00

(Falmouth, MA, October 15, 2009) – Weather permitting, the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will be participating in the International Year of Astronomy 2009 Cornerstone Project, Galilean Nights, to be held Thursday, October 22 through Saturday, October 24.

As part of the event, the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will be holding public viewing sessions from 6pm to 9pm, near the Katherine Lee Bates statue on the Falmouth Public Library lawn. A goal of the Galilean Nights event is to get as many people as possible to look at the wonders that Italian astronomer Galileo observed 400 years ago through his telescope.

The focus will be the objects that Galileo observed, including Jupiter and the Moon. Everyone is welcome to come and get free views of the moon, planets and stars through telescopes, and if they have them, to bring their own telescopes and binoculars.

"We are hoping for good weather," said Peter Cook, one of the founders of the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers, "As long as the sky is reasonably clear - with less than 50 percent cloud cover - and the winds are calm, we will be out there." Acknowledging that it could be a little cold, he said that temperature is not much of an issue, "We can bundle up if needed."

Declared by the United Nations, and sponsored by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Year of Astronomy marks the 400th anniversary of 1609, in which significant advances were made in astronomy. In that year, Galileo was the first to use a telescope for astronomy.

For additional information, contact Brent Putnam at 508-444-0222, or visit the web sites www.FalmouthAstronomers.org or www.galileannights.org.

About the Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers:

The Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers are an informal group of amateur astronomers dedicated to sharing the night sky with the public. Instead of seeking out dark sky locations to practice the hobby, sidewalk astronomers bring their telescopes and knowledge to where the people are.

Contact:
Brent Putnam
catboatbrent@yahoo.com
508-444-0222
508-540-5662
FalmouthAstronomers@yahoogroups.com
www.FalmouthAstronomers.org
###

September Special Town Meeting - The Background

2009-10-03T12:15:00.000-04:00

If it was as simple as putting my votes online, these posts would've been done days ago. Votes aren't much good without an explanation; most folks appreciate (if not expect) knowing why I cast that vote.

This time there are also my notes. Most town meetings are regularly scheduled affairs in April and November, but this one was specifically scheduled to balance our books. We began with presentations by the town manager and chair of the Finance Committee (and Precinct 7 representative) Gary Anderson; the latter's statements in particular were worth repeating.

The Finance Committee, he said, is, "frustrated and distressed" over the current situation, noting that the current recommendations to cut expenses are "at best, a short-term solution." He went on to say that, "this town has a systemic financial problem which we've been warning about for three years."

The systemic problem?

We spend too much. Between FY'07 and FY'10 Falmouth experienced a budget increase of $14 million. 34 percent of this was the debt service (i.e., interest payments on projects like the library and high school), 39 percent of this is attributed to salaries, and 27 percent to benefits (i.e., health care, retirement). To resolve this, the FinComm chair noted that "we must either pass a substantial Proposition 2-1/2 override, or cut costs."

Mr. Anderson outlined a four-step process:

1) Closely monitor hiring
2) Fix budgeting and forecasting
3) Fix salary and benefits problems
4) Implement a performance management program

The last step was particularly appealing to me, as the chair's explanation of performance management included a) holding department heads accountable and b) making them justify their costs. As you all know, those words are music to my ears.

He concluded, "the only other alternative is to increase taxes and proceed with the status quo."

That's not my cup of tea.

September Special Town Meeting - My Votes

2009-10-03T12:04:00.002-04:00

Article 1 was to raise money for the Fiscal Year 2009 (FY'09) deficit. A total of $1,058,977.35 had to be transferred from the Stabilization Fund ($500,000), Free Cash ($300,000), and an assortment of unspent funds from other accounts (such as prior year capital budgets).

Kudos to Precinct 4 representative Linda Tobey, who questioned some of the cuts in light of the fact that there was still $14,000 in out of state travel in the budget.

Precinct 3 representative Robert Donahue expressed his frustration over the lack of information - a frustration felt by the entire body - to those of us on the stage, "You guys have all tied our hands behind our backs."

I voted "aye"; in spite of the frustration, the article passed unanimously. After all, we had no other choice.

Article 2 would have increased the local meals tax by 0.75 percent, from 6.25 percent to 7 percent. The motion on the floor was for indefinite postponement. I voted "aye"; indefinite postponement passed without discussion.

Article 3 would have increased the local room occupancy tax by 2 percent, from 9.7 percent to 11.7 percent. Although the selectmen recommended indefinite postponement, Precinct 8 representative Ed Schmitt put a positive motion on the floor. He made such an eloquent argument in favor of increasing the tax that many town meeting representatives - myself included - broke into applause.

However, the arguments against increasing this tax at this time were more persuasive than those in favor of it. Precinct 8 representative (and Falmouth Chamber of Commerce President) Jay Zavala noted that increasing any taxes should be the last resort. Precinct 4 representative Linda Davis reminded us that a tax increase is just a, "quick fix for fundamental problems." She individually challenged the selectmen to get started on those problems and report to town meeting in the spring.

I spoke up too, reminding town meeting that if we increase taxes now there will be no incentive to control our costs, "You don't go on a diet by eating more."

I voted "no"; it failed.

Article 4 was to address the anticipated shortfalls in the FY'10 budget. Cuts totaling $2,317,127.00 needed to be made. This article generated considerable discussion, including five proposed amendments.

Precinct 9 representative Joe Netto earns kudos for grabbing the torch I had lit back in the spring, proposing to cut the selectmen/administrator out of state travel line item, which had already been cut by $2,000. After some discussion, his amendment to cut it by another $3,600 passed, 114 to 74. I voted "aye" (of course).

While she offered no amendment, Precinct 6 representative Deborah Siegal gets kudos for questioning $14,000 given to the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce. Several years ago, I raised objections to giving the Chamber - a private, member-funded organization - public funds. There is no doubt that the Chamber benefits the town, something that was reinforced when Mr. Zavala was good enough to allow me to partipate in the Chamber's "Celebrity Sundays" event. The good the Chamber does for Falmouth is tempered by the fact that no other business or business organization gets a line item in our budget. The Devil's in the details, and this is one of the sacred cows that needs to go.

Precinct 9 representative Rebecca Putnam raised concerns about the $25,000 cut to the police department's drug investigation expenses. Police chief Anthony Riello allayed some of those concerns by noting that there is $60,000 in forfeiture money (money seized during drug raids) for this purpose, so Ms. Putnam's suggested amendment to restore $5,600 failed.

With budget in hand, Precinct 9 representative Carol Murphy questioned why the personnel office had $8,000 in advertising expenses if we had a hiring freeze in place. Unsatisfied with the explanations she received, her proposed amendment to cut $5,000 from the personnel office failed.

There is out of state travel under selectmen/administrator, police, fire and the DPW. As we got to each of these budgets, Mr. Netto stood up and asked for a justification of the expense. The police and fire chiefs noted that for their departments this travel is public safety training for officers and firefighters. Precinct 4 representative and Fire Chief Paul Brodeur added, "the chief stays in town where he belongs."

This resonated. Precinct 1 representative Richard Latimer noted that we need to focus the travel on what is necessary and will benefit the town, not just someone's resume. "No junkets," he said later.

Of course, Mr. Netto's persistent questioning did start to annoy some people. Precinct 6 representative Robert Antonucci noted, "If this was the April meeting we could discuss and debate every line item." However, Precinct 9 representative Richard Goulart seemed to reflect the opposite opinion when he said, "we need more detail than just 'other expenses'."

Mr. Netto made one last pitch, this time arguing to put the $3,600 cut from out of state travel toward the shellfish propagation. He argued that this put food on the table for many Falmouth residents. Precinct 4 representative Grace O'Gorman disagreed, noting that "we're robbing Peter to pay Paul." The amendment failed.

Precinct 8 representative Leslie Lichtenstein gets kudos for her amendment to put the $3,600 cut from out of state travel into the stabilitzation (i.e., rainy day) fund. I voted "aye"; it earned the required 2/3rds and passed.

For the article, I voted "aye"; it passed unanimously.

Article 5 was a petitioner's article by Marc Finneran (and others) requesting an independent audit of the Department of Public Works.

Taking aim at his detractors, Mr. Finneran pointed out that getting his article on the warrant for this town meeting was not easy. He had to collect 100 signatures in less than 48 hours; he got 138 (137 were verified). He went on to remind us that audits are common practice in the private sector; that an audit of a $30 million division is good business practice.

Unfortunately, some of those detractors repeatedly raised points of order where none existed. While trying to draw an analogy with the high school, Mr. Finneran was unfairly interrupted. Unfortunately, the tactic worked, and he moved on to his next slide.

Reminding us of the Ballymeade water problems heard at the Monday night selectmen's meeting, Mr. Finneran noted that our 5-year old, $5 million water tower is 35 feet too short. If we cannot properly manage a $5 million project, he said, how will this department manage a $500 million sewer project?

Audits are always a good idea, and even the DPW - speaking through acting Town Engineer Peter McConarty - said it had no objections. However, there was no money in the budget for this request. I voted "no"; it failed.

Article 6 was the housekeeping article. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers meet

2009-09-25T17:39:00.001-04:00

The Falmouth Sidewalk Astronomers will be meeting in front of the Falmouth Public library near the Katherine Lee Bates statue on Friday, September 25 and/or Saturday, September 26 from dusk until about 9:30pm. Interested individuals are welcome to join us to view the Moon and Jupiter through our telescopes, and to bring their own equipment for help and instruction.

For further information, contact Brent Putnam at 508-444-0222, email us at falmouthastronomers@yahoogroups.com, or visit us on the web at www.FalmouthAstronomers.org.

BREAKING NEWS - Falmouth loses ARCADD suit

2009-09-25T17:30:00.003-04:00

Earlier today, the jury in the ARCADD v. Falmouth case ruled in favor of ARCADD, awarding the architect $1,530,000. Falmouth was awarded nothing on its $5 million counter claim for negligence in project administration and design.

Misinformation

2009-09-22T21:57:00.001-04:00

Nothing rankles me more than misinformation. Criticism doesn't bother me; everyone has a right to their opinion. However, when someone takes liberty with the facts, it gets under my skin. An editorial in the Friday, September 18, 2009, Falmouth Enterprise, was one such occasion. The paper was good enough to publish my rebuttal in the Tuesday, September 22, 2009 edition. I've posted it here...

The Enterprise's latest editorial, "No Value To Childish Behavior", was so riddled with inaccuracies that it demands a correction.

The paper begins by stating, "We don’t know how Mr. Whritenour’s contract is worded..." For the record, Section VIII of Mr. Whritenour's contract with the town states, "The Town agrees to pay for...the ICMA Annual Conference...subject to the prior approval of the Board."

The Enterprise continues, "...the provision that requires the selectmen to vote on an acting manager in the town manager’s absence surely refers to an incident in which the town manager is incapacitated..." In fact, there is no such provision in Mr. Whritenour's contract.

However, Article V, Section C5-13.B. of the town charter states, "In the event of a...temporary absence of both the Town Manager and the Assistant Town Manager, the Board of Selectmen shall designate...a town employee or other person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Town Manager...at a duly noticed open meeting..." Mr. Whritenour's failure to notify the Board of his absence in a timely fashion put the Board in conflict with - if not in violation of - the charter because we were unable to appoint an acting town manager before Mr. Whritenour's departure.

As for the suggestion that, "Mr. Whritenour could easily have hopped in his car and driven home," remember that Montreal is an eight-hour drive away and any disaster requiring leadership would probably damage our infrastructure. The likelihood of getting back to Falmouth when roads are closed, or contributing anything meaningful via cell phone when phone lines are down and power is out, would be next to zero.

That said; we don't need a disaster to require the services of our town manager. The town meeting warrant needed to be signed this week - a responsibility of the town manager which had to be delegated to the acting town manager.

There is no "sniping and political maneuvering" here, simply a request that we enforce the rules. After all, if we can so callously ignore a legally binding contract and the town's charter, what is next?