1999-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Agreement of December 1990 which restrict such The "Committee" Chairman did in 1999 write to development until(i)there has been final action on the Robert L. Whritenour seeking the position of the option granted to the Town as to whether it will or will Board of Selectmen on this matter. not accept or reject the New Town Beach (Facility) and (ii) "DEM" has allotted funds reasonably suffi- TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT ROTARY cient to construct the remaining improvements as designed. The "Committee" has been considering the advis- ability of recommending to "DEM" that a traffic sig- An Article relating to the Option was presented at nal be located at the rotary so as to inform the public the Town Meeting on October 2, 1995 and although a seeking to go to the "Park" as to whether or not the majority of the voters favored transferring ownership parking lot at the"Beach Facility"is filled to capacity. of the current Town Beach for the "Facility", the This would make it unnecessary for motorists to go all Article did not pass as it required a two thirds vote. the way to the"Facility"and then turn around if it was fully occupied.It would thus avoid unnecessary traffic A similar Article was placed in the Town Warrant in the area. "Committee" member Lance Lambros for consideration at the Town Meeting on May 5, informed the "Committee" that upon contacting the 1997. However, the Article was tabled and no action Highway Department for such purpose he was told taken. that there was no need for such a signal at this time, but that they would study the issue during the summer The "Committee" and others have always sup- season. ported the exercise of the option for the reasons set forth in its 1995 annual report. The current Town OTHER MATTERS Beach is located on a dune and subject to erosion and destruction, and the Town could be left without a The Committee and I personally express our grati- Town Beach. tude and thanks to Tom Cahir and want him to know that he will be sadly missed. A report dated April 25, 1997, received from R. Gregory Taylor, Director of Public Works emphasizes The "Committee" Chairman did in 1998 recom- the need for the Town to exercise the option. He mend the reappointment in office of those members of reports "that the parking lot of the existing Town the "Committee who are appointed by the Mashpee Beach has lost about 20 parking spaces of 200 over the Board of Selectmen. past several years; that the repairs that the Department of Public Works completed in the fall of 1996 were Lance Lambros is now the representative from temporary. At high tide during storms the ocean is Sandwich; Bruce McHenry is the Town of Barnstable undermining the existing pavement. That even with representative and Carey E. Murphy is the newly beach nourishment he is of the opinion that the Town appointed representative from the Town of Falmouth. will eventually lose the entire parking lot and that within the next ten to fifteen years the Town may be Forrester Tim Clark has assumed the role of without an ocean beach. He is strongly of the opinion Assistant to the Director of the Division of Forests and that the option should be exercised to ensure an ocean Parks. He now attends "Committee" meetings and beach for the Town in the future." enters into discussion on various matters. His partici- pation is greatly appreciated. There is however, substantial opposition to the Town relinquishing its title to the current Town Beach. Regular meetings of the "Committee" are held on the last Tuesday of each month as designated, at 7:00 The option granted to the Town must be exercised P.M. As in the past, the public is urged to attend and within a five year period from the date of the comple- express its opinions and views as to all phases of the tion of the "Facility" which was mid summer 1995, overall use and development of the "Park". otherwise, it is forever lost. Furthermore in such case, the provisions of paragraph fourteen and fifteen of the Barbara Gannon has been the secretary of the "Agreement" between the Town and "DEM" relative "Committee" for the past fourteen years. She is an to land exchanges within the"Park" would be deemed excellent secretary and has most efficiently and capa- to be waived, and each the Town and "DEM" would bly performed all her responsibilities. Her interest and retain their respective property interests within the performance on behalf of the "Committee" have been "Park"as they existed as of December 27, 1990 (date outstanding. of the South Cape Beach Development Agreement). 147