Town Council Meeting – Thursday, February 17, 2022 

The February 17, 2022 Meeting of the Barnstable Town Council was conducted remotely and physically closed to the public.  Alternative public access was provided through Zoom.  Town Council Vice President Paula Schnepp opened the meeting by inviting Councilor Paul Neary to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  Vice President Schnepp offered the Moment of Silence.  Next up was Public Comment which was followed by Council Response to Public Comment.  Prior to presenting his communications, Town Manager Mark Ells provided information on the approaching wind storm as well as information from Barnstable Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Meg Mayo-Brown (more information can be found inside today’s eNews). Town Manager Communications for the period of February 4-17, 2022: 

  1. Elizabeth Jenkins, Director of Planning and Development, shall provide an update on the Local Comprehensive Plan.
  2. We are proceeding with the budget action calendar for FY 2023 as provided at the last Town Council meeting in the development of the proposed capital and operating budgets as per the budget action calendar.  A draft of the proposed Capital Improvement Program for Fiscal Year 2023 has been shared with the Town Council. The program includes funding for 54 recommended projects totaling almost $49 million.  The first reading of the capital program appropriation orders is scheduled for April 7th and public hearings on the program will begin on April 28th. The Town Manager will submit the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan to the Town Council on March 7th.  For information on our fiscal year budgets please view the Town’s Open Budget website at http://budget.townofbarnstable.us.
  3. I reported at the January 20, 2022 Town Council meeting that all abatement application for FY22 Real Estate and Personal Property taxes must be postmarked or clocked into the Assessor’s Office by February 1, 2022 at 4:30 PM; otherwise, the Board of Assessors has no legal authority to consider the application.  The period for filing abatements contesting property values on FY 2022 property tax bills has expired. Total abatement applications including Residential Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate and Personal Property totaled 173 out of a total of 29,335 parcels.  The Board of Assessors has three months from the date of the application to act on said abatements. 
  4. FEMA plans to perform an on-site damage assessment for Sandy Neck and Blish Point from the January 29, 2022 storm event. There will be an online meeting and an on-site visit to discuss and assess the damage at each location.  We will keep you advised of the results of this assessment.
  5. We continue to have regular conversations with Vineyard Wind (VW) regarding the status of the Phase I and Park City Wind on Phase II Projects.  VW continues construction on Phase I and Park City Wind is proceeding with permitting on Phase II.  We awarded the construction contract in the fall of 2021 for the installation of sewers along the Phase I VW cable route and have commenced construction.  We have continued our discussion with Park City Wind regarding an update to the existing Host Community Agreement (HCA) for Phase II and upon receiving approval from Town Council at the end of 2021 for the design and permitting of sewer expansion along the Phase 2 route and we continue with those efforts.  We continue discussions as authorized by Town Council for Phase III (Commonwealth Wind).  We will keep you advised of our progress on this matter.
  6. The Town of Barnstable has launched Discover Barnstable – the official podcast of the Town of Barnstable in our continued efforts to communicate with and engage our public in our local government.  Discover Barnstable speaks to the Town of Barnstable’s Mission to protect the quality of life and unique character, engage our citizens, and enact policies that respond to and anticipate the needs of our community.  Our first episode is an introduction to the podcast and upcoming episodes showcase topics such as:  Town Budgets 101; Beach Stickers; Dog Licenses; Moorings; Doing Business in Barnstable; Having a Career with the Town; Town History; Arts & Culture; and more.  Listeners can subscribe through major platforms, the Town website or from any of the Town’s social channels.  We encourage you to listen in and be sure to drop us a line at podcast@town.barnstable.ma.us and let us know what you would like to learn next.
  7. On December 13, 2021, Governor Baker signed legislation appropriating up to $2.55 billion of the remaining uncommitted Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars in the state’s Federal COVID-19 Response Fund, as well as $1.45 billion in state fiscal year 2021 surplus dollars from the Transitional Escrow Fund. This legislation included $347 million in funds earmarked to specific programs, projects, or organizations. The Town of Barnstable received $330,000 for five (5) projects including: $50,000 for the sewer expansion program; $60,000 for the Barnstable Youth Commission; $60,000 for Cobb-Astro Park Maintenance and Upkeep; $100,000 for engineering and planning study for a sidewalk expansion along 6A in the area of the BWB Elementary School; and $60,000 for a Mental Health Counselor in Barnstable Police Department.   
  8. The Barnstable Youth Commission and Recreation Division will present the 6th Annual Youth Job Fair on Thursday, March 3, 2022 from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center.  This free event will provide job opportunities for youth age 14-18. Locally-based businesses who are hiring youth will be on hand with applications, ready to interview and hire the right applicants.  Professional job coaching will be available during the event to answer questions about labor laws, and offer guidance to students in being successful with their first job. Students from all public and private high schools in the region will be invited to participate in the job fair and transportation is available to ensure students can access this important community event.
  9. Barnstable Town Clerk’s office is the only place on the Cape to obtain nomination papers for the state primary.  Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk’s office for candidates wishing to run for the following offices:
    1. US Representative
    2. Governor and Lieutenant Governor
    3. Attorney General
    4. Secretary of the Commonwealth
    5. Treasurer and Receiver General
    6. Auditor
    7. Governor’s Councilor
    8. State Senator
    9. State Representative
    10. District Attorney
    11. Sheriff
    12. County Commissioner

Please contact our Town Clerk’s office for additional information

  1. The Town of Barnstable is working with the Cape Cod Commission to conduct an assessment of the Low Lying Roads in Barnstable.  The Cape Cod Commission and their consultant, the Woods Hole Group, will present the findings of this effort at a virtual workshop on March 7, 2022 from 9:00-11:00 am.  We urge the Town staff, residents, and users of the roads in Barnstable to join this workshop and provide feedback.  

LINK: https://capecodcommission.org/llr/join 

Passcode: join 

Phone: (929) 205-6099 

Meeting ID: 935 5189 6265 

Additionally, you can find more information on this project by going to the Low Lying Roads webpage (https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/low-lying-roads-project/). Closer to the workshop, we will provide a meeting agenda, a list of the top high priority road segments based on the assessment by the Woods Hole Group, as well as an interactive map viewer of the results.  

  1. Dan Santos, Director of Public Works, shall provide an update on the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.

Mr. Ells introduced Laurel Schaider, PhD, Senior Scientist, Silent Spring Institute, who presented information on the Massachusetts Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Your Health Study.  The Town Council acted on the minutes next which was followed by Communications.  The Orders of the Day began with OLD BUSINESS.  Planning & Development Director Elizabeth Jenkins with Assistant Planning & Development Director Kate Maldonado and Senior Planner Jim Kupfer presented the rationale for AGENDA ITEM 2022-069 Authorizing the Town Manager to execute a major amendment to the original Regulatory Agreement 2019-03 between the Town of Barnstable and Airview, LLC for the properties located at 451 and 467 Iyannough Road, Hyannis.  Attorney Michael Princi representing the applicant Airview, LLC and Stuart Bornstein was joined by Matt Eddy of Baxter Nye Engineering and Alan Cloutier of WorldTech Engineering assisted with providing additional rationale and answering Councilor questions. The item did not pass.  NEW BUSINESS began and Councilor David Bogan recused himself before the next item.  AGENDA ITEM 2022-134 Order pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 5 submitting to the Planning Board a proposed zoning amendment establishing a temporary moratorium on the construction of large scale Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Systems was referred to the Planning Board. AGENDA ITEMS 2022-135 Appointments to a Board/Committee/Commission: Registrar of Voters: Lisa Gage, Barnstable, MA; Michael R. Curtis, Cotuit, MA and 2022-136 Amendment to the Administrative Code to designate members of the Local Comprehensive Planning Committee as Special Municipal Employees for purposes of the State Conflict of Interest Law were referred to Second Readings on March 3, 2022.  AGENDA ITEM 2022-137 Appropriation and Transfer Order in the amount of $68,000 for the purpose of addressing infrastructure and code compliance issues in several buildings within the Golf Operations Division was referred to a Public Hearing on March 3, 2022.  The next regularly scheduled Town Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2022. The public is able to view through Comcast Channel 18 or Live Streaming on the Town of Barnstable’s website.  Real-time public comment may be addressed to the Barnstable Town Council utilizing the Zoom video link or telephone number and access meeting code which will be included on the Agenda.  Written Comments may be submitted to:  https://tobweb.town.barnstable.ma.us/boardscommittees/towncouncil/Town_Council/Agenda-Comment.asp.  The meeting Agenda will be available on the Town of Barnstable’s website (www.townofbarnstable.us).