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| January 6, 2006 Barnstable Patriot |  |
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C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E
FROM THE CEO
Progress made on Otis AFB,
Exit 6.5
With 2006 appropriately greeted , new opportuni-
ties and challenges are lining up quicker than post-
holiday diet plans. Several days ago we met with
Governor Romney and his cabinet to present goals
of the Cape & Islands Regional Competitiveness
Council. The meeting was crisp, concise and posi-
tive. A grass roots public education project about
keeping our coastal waters beautiful led the list of
accomplishments. After a successful launch this fall,
the Cape Keepers campaign is well under way.
Other items included creation of a Homeland
Security and Defense training center at Otis AFB
and advancing the construction of Exit 6.5 in Hy-
annis. On these topics , we heard very good news.
Progress in establishing a Homeland Defense &
Security training center at Otis has been made.
They praised the work of Congressman Delahunt
and Senator Kennedy to create a center, which
could specialize in maritime tactics. There will be
more info on this, as we review the true economic
impact of such a facility.
Exit 6.5 also got a boost , with a promise from Lt.
Gov. Kerry Healey that a review of the previous
environmental impact and design for the roadway
would be conducted by the Executive Office of
Transportation and Construction in 2006.
The Commonwealth's Office of Business & Tech-
nology has pledged its support to seek grant funding
for the Regional Technology Development Center
being created in Falmouth. And the state pledged
continued vigilance to assure equity in the share of
H2B visas awarded to Massachusetts employers for
peak-season service workers. The wi-fi project for
Orleans village center is the final project on the list
to which the state support will flow for our region
via the Competitiveness Council's agenda.
This was all good news in light of the challenges
\ hat the Cape 's business community sees on the
horizon. The state of the regional economy con-
tinues to be dependent upon the health of New
England and the country 's economy, so national
consumer confidence indices will be important
to watch.
Rising natural gas and electricity prices have
many business owners and managers concerned.
Postage rates are going up on Jan. 8 and certainly
will affect our small businesses , especially as the
seasonal bump in vacation inquiries kicks in this
month. Add to this the intense debate now taking
place on Beacon Hill about how to fund health care
for the state 's uninsured , and the unease grows.
The House 's version calls for a payroll tax that
could in fact dampen the number of new hires
in the coming years by creating a 5 to 7 percent
payroll tax. With the highest health care costs
in the nation , it bodes well for Massachusetts
to look at ways to address the financial burden.
Even the Senate 's version calls for the employer
to pay more.
Yet, we have heard some cautious optimism
among the chorus of concern. Interest rates are
rising, but more slowly than predicted. The retiring
Baby boomers will continue to fuel interest in buy-
ing real estate on Cape Cod. There are 33 million
people who live within one tank of gas away from
the region , and with gas prices stabilizing, that
bodes well for another good tourism season. Now,
if the weather forecast is good , we'll be fine!
Cape Cod's safety net is strained but sturdy
Options available for those
stretching to make ends meet
By Melora B. North
melora@cape.com
Cape Codders of limited means did what
they could to create happy holidays for fam-
ily and friends , but now that January 's mail is
laden with new and familiar bills, what to do?
There is help for those in need. Melissa
Carney Getzie is housing assistance progr am
manager at Community Action Committee of
the Cape and Islands (115 Enterprise Road ,
Hyannis; 508-771-1727 ) , which serves as a
conduit to guide people to aid.
"Most of the organizations we work with
understand that people on the Cape and
Islands don 't make a lot of money, " she said.
"They help everyone. They look at the situa-
tion , not the pay stub. " Carney Getzie shared
her list of organizations set up to ease the
financial burden of those on fixed incomes
and those in desperate situations.
For immediate relief , she recommended the
Cape Cod Times Needy Fund , which she said
offers assistance on car payments and rent .
Carney Getzie also recommended the St.
Vincent DePaul Society, located at St. Fran-
cis Catholic Church in Hyannis , where there
is also a food pantry. She said the services
offered are through the Catholic Church , and
there is one in every town. Catholic Social
Services and Catholic Charities also give fi-
nancial assistance to those in need as well as
Hands of Hope , operated through the Cape
Cod Council of Churches , which provides
furniture , clothing and a thrift shop.
"The Salvation Army (100 North St. in
Hyannis; 508-775-0364 ) gets small grants
throughout the year, which they are able to
use and they have the Dress A Doll program
at Christmas (locals volunteer to assemble
a complete winter outfi t for a child through
this program )." Carney Getzie said.
"I always suggest people call their town
halls ," she said. "Sometimes people pass on
and leave money for specifi c purposes to
help others. People don 't always know about
this. "
The state Department of Transitional As-
sistance is another very valuable resource
for aid. "It 's a welfare system and all about
prevention ," Carney Getzie said. "They want
to keep people out of shelters and in their
homes. " Those who qualify get help with
back rent.
Carney Getzie said the Housing Assistance
Corporation is another usefu l organiza-
tion that supplies "prevention funds " for
families at 50 percent of the median income.
The funds they grant are used to pay rent ,
utilities , and first and last month deposits
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Year closes on flat note
BARN STABLE COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS
The volume of real estate sales in December was
down 20.7 percent from December 2004 and the
total value of sales was down 18.6 percent from
the previous year, according to Barnstable County
Register of Deeds John F. Meade.
The average individual property sale value was
up 2.6 percent from the previous year. There was a
10.8 percent decrease in the volume of mortgage
activity from December 2004 levels.
Year to date sales volume is down 9.3 percent ;
total sales value is down 4.4 percent , individual
sales value is up 5.4 percent , and mortgage volume
is down 11.3 percent.
There were 518 deeds recorded at
the registry in December. Register
Meade reported , representing a stated value of
$192 ,307,786 in county-wide real estate sales.
The average sale price of property in Barnstable
County in December was $371,250.
There were 2,319 mortgages recorded in Decem-
ber with a total value of $490,202 ,584. The average
mortgage amount , commercial, residential or other,
was $211,385.
By way of comparison , in December there were
653 deeds recorded at the Registry of Deeds, rep-
resenting a stated value of $236,289,327 in county-
wide real estate sales.
The average sales price , based on all property
was $361,852.
There were 2,601 mortgages recorded in Decem-
ber 2004 with a total value of $555,217 ,881. The
average mortgage amount , commercial, residential
or other, was $213,463.
The above figures are based on all property sales valued between
S25.000 and $1 million.
County Activity for 05
Business at the Registry of Deeds was good in
2005. This past year saw a total of 124,763 docu-
ments and plans recorded at the registry and in
the Land Court . This number was a 9.7 percent
decrease from the year 2004 , which saw 138.119
C0NTINUE0 ON PAGE 8
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, 1 1 I 3Tfje $arn*tat)le patriot
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Wins Pacesetter
award at convention
By Kathy Manwanng
business@barnstablepatriot.com
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
SINGLED OUT-Kathleen Silvia,co-owner of
The Fair Insurance Agency, Inc.,inCenterville
is the Massachusetts Insurance Agent of the
Year for 2005.
Kathleen Silvia thought
keynote speaker Kerry Healey,
the lieutenant governor , would
be the star of the Massachu-
setts Association of Insurance
Agents convention in Boston
last November. Instead , it was
Silvia herself.
The co-owner of The Fair
Insurance Agency, Inc., in
Centerville received the Henry
F. Barry Pacesetter of the Year
award naming her the state 's
Insurance Agent of the Year
for 2005.
"It was a total shock ," said
Silvia , who was recognized for
more than 30 years of dedica-
tion , service and commitment
to the industry.
In fact , she hadn 't planned
on attending the awards
banquet , as she 'd been busy
teaching insurance courses
and was looking forward to a
break. "I really wanted to hear
Kerry Healey speak , though ,"
she said.
Silvia began her insurance ca-
reer in Natick before relocating
to the Cape after marrying her
husband. She has served on the
board of directors of the'Mas-
sachusetts association and the
National Board of Professional
Insurance Agents.
Her work remains "challeng-
ing, " Silvia said , due in part
to two particularly hot-button
issues: the growing number of
pull-outs from the Cape mar-
ket by insurance companies
worried about potential hurri-
cane damage , and automobile
insurance reform efforts.
Because computer weather
predicti on programs have in-
dicated a strong possibility
of a major storm happening
on the Cape in coming years ,
many insurance companies
are withdrawing coverage.
"Many insurance companies
don 't assume the entire loss
themselves ." said Silvia , who
said that many companies
rely on. "Those costs are
rising, which has companies
pulling out ," she said.
Independent insurance
agencies such as The Fair
Insurance Agency, Inc. are
finding it difficult to en-
courage companies not to
cease covering Cape Cod.
"Independent agencies
represent more than one
insurance company." said Sil-
via. "Unlike a company such
as State Farm which only
represents State Farm , we
represent a number of different
insurance companies. "
In spite of her on-the-job
challenges . Silvia looks forward
to a successfu l future. "I plan
to keep doing what I' m doing. "
she said.
A Fair assumption: Silvia is state's top insurance agent