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| December 29, 2006 Barnstable Patriot |  |
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
angering many homeowners and
politicizingwhatisessentiallyatechnical
process. "That's because there had not
been a revaluation for three years,"
Matheson said.
Fire Chief urges self-
sufficiency in event of
calamity
It was dark-day raining and the
forecasters were warning of a nor'east
coastal storm.
Inside the cozy Barnstable VillageFire
StationonRoute 6A,ChiefRobert Crosby
in white shirt and gold badge sat behind
a semi-cluttered desk.He leaned back in
his chair, brought the fingertips of each
hand together and, in keeping with the
bleak weather forecast , launched into
an animated and informative appeal
for public self-sufficiency in the face of
emergencies.
It can be said that Crosby, who
recently decommissioned the village's
call firefighter force to save money, is
more intent on saving lives than money
and is proving via extra-curricular
responsibility.
The small-village chief was named
in May 2004 as chair of the big-region
Southeast Homeland Security Regional
Advisory Council, a 15-man, 5-county,
96-community assembly of professional
emergency responders charged with
improving the region's answer to various
crises.
"I probably volunteered," he recalled,
"as a way of promoting the good will of
the fire service."
Hyannis Water board
appointed
Movingquicklyafter thetown council's
formal adoption of the Hyannis Water
Board, which will oversee operations of
the new Hyannis Water Division, town
manager John Klimm selected the five
members.
Members are Hyannis residents Deb
Krau, Peter Cross, Allen Goddard , John
Rosario and Bill Elkins.
The groups first meetinghad not been
set by press time.
John Kennedy's back on
track
The Cape's leading advocate of rail
service became president of the region's
only passenger line once again.
John Kennedy of Marstons Mills
and three partners bought Hyannis-
based Cape Cod Central Railroad, Inc.,
continuing its dinner train and scenic
excursion business while considering
options for expansion.
"I thought it was a chapter of my life
that had already passed," said Kennedy,
who left the company in 2003 to start
a transportation consulting business,
CapeLight Corporation. However, "there
was something that kept tugging at my
heartstrings."
KennedyandpartnersChrisPodgursM,
who owns an excavation, utility and
heavy construction company and
summersin Pocasset; Andrew Reardon,
a Quincy CPA who spends summers
in West Dennis; and Ted Michon of
North Falmouth, an international rail
consultant, nought the line from Dr.
Timothy Biliouris of Dennis and Philip
Doherty of Sandwich.
Yarmouth'
s new road meets
roadblock in Hyannis
Regular users of Exit 7 off Route 6 in
Yarmouth couldn't help but notice a
lot of work was being done to improve
traffic flow and safety throughout that
area. What might have been less no-
ticeable was what would happen once
Yarmouth'sWillowStreet convergeswith
Barnstable's Yarmouth Road.
With no immediate plan or funding to
implement same,the solutionforthetime
being was essentiallythe installation of a
"Lane Ends Ahead" sign.
That's not to say nothing was being
done at town hall, but nothing was
approved, either.
Barnstable'sinitialthought afewyears
ago was to create an access road inside
the fence at the airport, but a needed
railroad crossingmade that unattractive
toMassHighway.DPWDirector MarkElls
said that there had been some indication
that such a plan could find a better
reception.
State funds coming for
major Hyannis access study
TheyeartheBeatleshitAmericapeople
started talking about the need for an
exit off Route 6 between Barnstable and
Yarmouth.
Forty-two years later, state Rep. Jeff
Perry (who was born in 1964), Lt. Gov.
KerryHealey,state Sen.Rob O'Learyand
state Rep. Demetrius Atsalis gathered
at Barnstable Municipal Airport to
announce state funding for a Hyannis
Access Studythat willconsider the many
effects of a potential new exit from the
Mid-Cape Highway into the industrial
park.
"Everyone believes there 's enough
traffic to justify" the effort , Healy said,
adding her satisfaction that the study
willtake "a comprehensive approach to
transportation problems in Hyannis."
A variety of short- and long-term
options -including 6 1/2 or 6B -will be
reviewed
/-\
Rectrix still not open,
blames town
RectrixAerodrome's$6.5millionHyannis
facility wasto be the start of anew, luxury
era for thosejetting into Hyannis and the
Cape. While the swankynew buildinghas
impressed those who've toured it, the
operation had yet to go into full swing.
That it hadn't opened was being
laid at the feet of Barnstable airport
officials, accused in aletter from Rectrix
attorneys of "discrimination,negligence,
misrepresentation, unfair and deceptive
acts or practices... and delay tactics
designed to interfere with the ability of
Rectrix to operate its business."
The letter demanded payment of
$540,000 in damages or Rectrix planned
to "take such further action asis deemed
appropriate..."
That wastheupshot of ashe-pageletter
sent to Town Manager John Klimmand
airport commission chairman Arthur
Kimber dated Feb. 16.
Portions of the letter were read into
the record by Kimber at a commission
meeting held Feb. 22.
Bruce Gilmore, counsel for the airport
commission, said," "Dealing with this
particular tenant is like dealing with a
moving target."
Hospital, nurses divided on
stalled contract
Cape Cod Hospital and its registered
nurses hadn't reached an impasse, but
they also hadn't reached an agreement.
The current contract, extended once
from October, was set to expire with and
nofurthernegotiationsessionsscheduled.
At the last scheduled negotiation session
there was no progress. Two offers
were placed on the table by Cape Cod
Healthcare, and both were rejected.
MikeFoley,CapeCodHospital'sgeneral
counsel for employment affairs said of
the eight bargaining units for Cape Cod
Healthcare, the Hyannis nurses are the
only ones yet to settle.
But the registered nurses at Cape Cod
Hospital are unique, with a weekend
premium pay package initiated at a time
of difficult recruitment. The hospital's
proposed eliminationofthispackagewould
put 60nursesintoaregular-shiftstatusand
eliminatethepaypremiumassociatedwith
the all-weekendschedule.
Stephanie CraigFrancis, R.N., associ-
ate director of the MassachusettsNurses
Association is the lead negotiator for
the union. She described that move by
the hospital as an attempt to do an end
run around the union by going directly
to the membership. But she does not
believe it will work.
Shebelievesthat oncethemembership
reads andunderstands it,there willbe no
question as to why it was rejected.
And agreement was reached on the
day it was set to expire and ratified in
March.
Flat deeds revenues leaves
little room for budget growth
For county operations, the 2007 budget
proposalrepresents the status quo, with no
new programs, but also nothing cut.
The recommended $26.7 million spending
planpresentedbythecountycommissionersto
thecountyAssemblyrepresents anincreaseof
just 6/10ths of 1percent over the current year.
Last year's budget saw division between
the Assembly and county commissioners.
The Assembly's replacement budget was
vetoed by the commissioners and the
Assemblycould not muster the votes for an
override. The result was implementation of
thecommissioners'budget assubmitted.All
involved stated a desire not to repeat 2005.
Warmreception for town's
plan to control its growth
The consequences of unchecked growth
were evident at Barnstable Superior Court
House the night of March 1;it was hard to
find a seat as the Cape Cod Commission's
planning committee heard the Town of
Barnstable's request to control more of its
own development.
Theroomwasfullof Commissionmembers
and planners, and also a good number of
representatives of the town's new growth
management department.
Congratulationsratherthanconfrontations
weretheorderof theday,asthecommissioners
praised the quality of the town's proposal
to assume the Commission's review role
up to certain thresholds for residential
and commercial growth. It helped that the
Commission and the town kept in touch
during preparation of its Growth Incentive
Zone plan.
CC Commission asserts itself
on Silvia & Silvia hangars
The Cape Cod Commission has asserted
jurisdiction on the Silvia I and SiJvia II
hangars at Barnstable Municipal Airport.
Thehangarsareunder separate corporate
ownershipandeachisbelowthecommission's
10,000-square-foot development of regional
impact threshold.
As leases for the hangars were brought
into question by the town, the Cape Cod
Commission'sstafflooked attheprojecttoseeifit
wassegmentedspecificallytoavoidcommission
review. The projects were not referred to the
commissionby the Town of Barnstable.
Silvia and Silvia, though their attorney
MichaelPrinci,saidthat allofthe regulations
outlined by the commission with regard to
separation were complied with.
The full commission voted to assert
jurisdiction over the project , one of which
is already in operation.
Portable space approved for
county agencies
ThecountyAssemblyapproved acontract
for $21,000 annually to provide space for a
number of county agencies.
The request came from county health
director George Heufelder, who is looking
to free up some space in his offices in the
Superior Court House.
Thetrailers willbe located near the former
house of corrections where Quonset huts for
inmate overflow once stood.
Thecontract for thetrailersison ayear-to-
year basis and can be canceled if no longer
needed.
Dennis delegate John Ohman said that
it'sprobably timetolook at providing better
space for the county's health office, which
he termed "arguably the most important
office we have."
Trolley tour hoping to roll into
Hyannis
You have to admire a trolley tour opera-
tor who makes Four Seas Ice Cream one
of her stops.
"I've grown up with Four Seas,"said Leah
Schmidt, the energetic owner of Salem
Trolley, Inc. "I wanted quintessential Cape
Cod."
For more than 20 years , Schmidt's
company has operated tours of the North
Shore community noted for its maritime
historyand admired or shunned for itsbrush
with witchcraftand thepunishmentthereof.
Thisyear shewaslookingtoreconnect to her
Caperoots with atroDey-bustourthat would
take in the historic and natural highlightsof
Hyannis and Centerville.
Schmidt said the trolley service would
allow riders to jump on and off all day as
it trundled between downtown Hyannis,
Veterans Beach and Craigville Beach.
S6.1M capital plan heads to
council
A $6.1 million capital improvement plan
for FY'07 was presented to the town council
at a March meeting.
The plan called for funding a total of 20
projects for the town,schoolsand enterprise
funds.
The recommendations were as follows:
$735,000 for the town's enterprise accounts,
including$200,000inwatermainreplacements;
$3.1millionfrom the capital trust fund, with
road maintenancetakingthe largest portion
($2.78 million); and borrowing $2.35 million
for larger town and school projects.
Among the more interesting items was a
$500,000 borrowingrequest to build ashared
co-generation plant for Barnstable's high
and middle schools. The 250-kilowatt gas-
fired turbine would generate electricity to
supply both schools.
A $508,000 renovation of the cellblock at
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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Catch limits close down
Capt. Bob
Call it a forced retirement.
For 45 years, Bob St. Peter of Hyannis
operated a party boat out of the Hyannis
docks. It wasn't a desire to get out of the
game that led him to sell his boat, Capt.
Bob, in January, but the realization that
catch limitswould push him into the red.
"I didn't really want to get out of the
business," St. Peter said. "I loved the
business."
"The business" for the Capt. Bob was
fishing, a "six-packcharter," as St. Peter
sometimes called it. His clients were
usually from the city; not Boston, but
New York.
It was a commitment in both time and
money, but no one particularly cared as
long as the fish were biting, and for St.
Peter, they always were.
St. Peter said he was lucky to break
even in 2005, the result of what he saw as
unwarranted catch limits and declining
charters, and it gave him pause. He told
himself that if limits didn't increase,he'd
sell the boat and call it a career on the
docks. And that'sjust what he did.
From real estate to real
education
On Feb. 21 Realtor Jack Cotton and
his wife. Ann Marie, presented Cape
Cod Community College with a gift of
$100,000 to establish the Cotton Center
for Real Estate Studies at the college.
"His name has been synonymous with
real estate on Cape Cod for decades,"
said college President Kathleen Schatz-
berg. "We're honored , really, that Jack
has chosen to support this center."
Inspired by the success ofthe Zammer
Institute for Hospitality and Culinary
Studies at the college, Cotton felt that
his gift would be a way for him to give
back to the local community.
Cotton's gift and the creation of the
center will allow for the expansion and
augmentation of the current real estate
programofferedbythecollegethroughtheir
Workforce Education Resource Center.
Casual Gourmet purchases
former H'nK Bakery
2006 looks to be a good year for
Olive Chase and her business, Casual
Gourmet.
For starters, it represents her 20th year
ofoperation,whichwillbecommemorated
with the purchase of the former H'nK
bakeryjust a stone'sthrow awayfrom the
current operation at the Bell TowerMall.
The new location will provide about
1,500 more square feet , but more
importantly it will provide ownership.
Chase said that her landlord has been
good to the business, but rent is rent.
"We've been looking for a permanent
home for a while," Chase said.
Casual Gourmet has moved twice
before, each time staying in Centerville
and just a couple hundred feet away.
Openingfirst inthe CentervilleShopping
plaza next to Dowling optical , the
businessmovedtothe cornerspot (what's
now Dunkin Donuts), then in 1995to the
Bell Tower Mall location.
"We've moved 300 feet at a time,"
Chase said.
the
bUSJjieSS section
Enforcement action and
reaction
At Monday night's Visioning
meeting in Centerville, Assistant
Town Manager Paul Neidzwiecki
indicated that enforcement of the
town's regulations on such homes
would be a priority in the coming
year. That is an expected result
of continued complaints from
residents seekingto enjoy the quiet
comfort of their homes. And it is
needed.
What is also needed is some
creative thinking on options for
the people who will be displaced.
In many instances, they are hard
workers and necessary for many
of the jobs the Cape's employers
need filled.
This is a thornier situation than
the Amnesty situation, as that was
the conversion of existing illegal
housing into legal and recognized
units. For these overcrowded
homes, enforcement simply means
a reduction in the number of
people who can live there. The
options aren't clear, but need to be
examined. From what the town's
new Growth Management Office
has shown in the way of creative
thinking in its initial months, that
task is in the right hands.
1 Opinion
Glenn leads four BHS
wrestlers into Div. 1 tourney
Alex Glenn , the Massachusetts South
Sectional Division 1215-pound champi-
on, leads four Barnstable wrestlers into
the state Division 1 individual tourna-
ment at Newton South High School.
Gonzalo Sanz, Thiago Hoffmann
and Mike Amick also advanced out of
sectionals in Weymouth.
Meanwhile, the Raiders dominated
Brockton Wednesday, winning 51-28 to
oust the Boxers from the state's first-
ever wrestling team tournament in the
opening round.
' That was one of the best matches
we wrestled all year," said coach Mike
Magner.
Barnstable, seeded fifth in the South
Sectional, avenged a narrow December
loss to fourth-seeded Brockton.
i i
SPORTS
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