MEETINGS
Cotuit Water Commissioner’s Meeting Today
Cotuit Fire District Board of Water Commissioners
Wednesday, August 16, 6pm, Freedom Hall
View Agenda HERE
August 17 Town Council Meeting
2017 Open Space & Recreation Plan Update
TODAY is the Deadline to Submit Your Survey
Please take a moment to fill out the 2017 Open Space and Recreation Plan Survey HERE. This short survey is meant to better understand the importance of parks, trails, conservation areas, recreation programs and other opportunities to the Barnstable community. The information gathered will help update the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan. In addition to the above survey, the Town invites you to participate in one or more of the upcoming discussion sessions, designed to engage key community members and local officials in a discussion of issues relevant to the plan. Your participation and input will allow for your thoughts, concerns and priorities to be incorporated into the updated plan.
The Town of Barnstable is updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan, last adopted in 2010. The plan (view HERE) allows the community to identify and evaluate goals, challenges, opportunities and priorities for open space protection, land management, and the provision of recreational opportunities. Planning for our Town’s “green infrastructure” of water, land, forests, wildlife habitat, parks, recreation areas, and trails is important to our economic future, community identity, and quality of life.
The plan is being developed to comply with guidance from the Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services and will be submitted to that agency for approval. An approved plan is necessary for the Town to qualify for certain land acquisition financial assistance provided by the Commonwealth. It is also an important opportunity to re-assess community needs and priorities for open space protection and the provision of recreational opportunities.
Session I: Land Management: The Functions of Open Space
DATE/TIME: July 6, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
Location: Selectmen’s Conference Room, Town Hall
Topics: Management issues and challenges, working landscapes, disposition/purchase of properties, protecting ground and surface waters, resource needs.
Session II: Recreation: Fields, Facilities, Trails, Parks and Programs
DATE/TIME: July 10, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
Location: Hyannis Youth & Community Center
Topics: Highlights since 2010, planned facilities and programs, programs and partnerships, outreach to improve access for all residents, use or maintenance issues, beaches and coastal access issues.
Session III: Resource Protection: Conserving, Preserving and Restoring Open Spaces
DATE/TIME: July 27, 3:30-5:30 PM
Location: Selectmen’s Conference Room, Town Hall
Topics: Highlights since 2010, priority acquisition goals, use of creative tools for land protection, habitat protection, connectivity, climate change and resiliency, improved access for all residents, stewardship issues, resource needs.
Please email Anna at Anna.Brigham@town.barnstable.ma.us to let us know which meetings you will be able to attend.
Cotuit Prudential Committee Meeting Today
SPECIAL MEETING
Historical Commission
Requesting Demolition of 56 High Street, Cotuit
Cotuit Fire District Prudential Committee
Tuesday, August 15, 4pm, Town Hall
View Agenda HERE
Cotuit Fire Commissioner’s Meeting Today
Cotuit Fire Commissioner’s Meeting Today
Cotuit Prudential Committee Meeting Today
SPECIAL MEETING
Cotuit Fire District Prudential Committee
Wednesday, August 2, 9am, Freedom Hall
View Agenda HERE
Cotuit Water Commissioner’s Meeting Today
SPECIAL MEETING
Cotuit Fire District Board of Water Commissioners
Wednesday, August 2, 9am, Freedom Hall
View Agenda HERE
Meeting TONIGHT on Proposed Electric Rate Increase
On January 17, 2017 Eversource filed a rate case with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) which is going to increase everyone’s electric bills starting in January on the distribution side of the electric bill. This is the first fully litigated rate case since the 80’s. Eversource then filed revisions to their proposal on June 1st which is proposing to shift $30 million in costs from Western MA electric customers to Eastern MA residential customers (which includes the Cape and Vineyard). The proposal also includes shifting costs from Eastern MA commercial customers to Eastern MA residential customers. Cape Light Compact is opposed to this as the costs borne by those customers should be paid for by those customers and not subsidized by other customers.
The DPU has reopened the public comment period through August 31, and will be holding a public hearing on Wednesday August 2 at 7pm at Cape Cod Community College – Tilden Arts Center.
If you are able to attend that would be great, but at a minimum we are encouraging you to submit written comments either by mail or email to the DPU opposing this shift in costs. If you are able to attend the hearing, your comments will not be made part of the record unless you are sworn in (just to keep that in mind). To submit via email you may send it to: dpu.efiling@state.ma.us and marc.tassone@state.ma.us. To submit via US mail, please visit our website to see filing instructions outlined in the Notice.
HERE are some talking points that you may use for the public hearing or for submitting written comments. Feel free to add additional information to the letter that you feel is necessary.
For more information and for the notice of filing you may visit our website www.capelightcompact.org/ratecase
Please send this information along to everyone you know who has Eversource for electricity. I know that the majority of people in Eversource’s territory are not even aware that this is going on, as the media has hardly covered it, so it is important for people to speak up in opposition to these increases.
If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Henderson
