Letters to the Editor, May 15

Development At Harwich's Expense

Editor:

At Harwich’s expense, the state is willing to allow the developers of Pine Oaks Village 4 to endanger our river and water resources and to destroy 30-plus acres of native woodland in order to build 242 rental units, of which 80 percent would be affordable at varying rates. 

Normally, the state would refuse an application that seeks to violate seriously so many regulations of the Wetland Protection Act. And it should refuse that application now, when it requires us to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to remove 75 percent of the nitrogen that’s already carried by our Herring River.

But because the POV development qualifies as 40B affordable housing, it would be exempt from most wetland regulations. It would be exempt even though it would add greatly to the nitrogen-load and to our expense, especially from Title 5 septic runoff during Phases 1 and 2. It would be exempt from protection even though it lies within the zone of contribution to the river and contains at least four wetland areas and at least one certified and protected vernal pool. 

The North Harwich neighborhood would be left with 10 densely packed and oversized multi-story buildings in its Low Density Residential Zone. It would be left with 242 rental units and 445 parking spaces connected by roadways; with over 20 acres clearcut and heavily graded, where a native pine oak forest now stands; with structures and asphalt that would produce contaminated runoff and would eliminate the natural process of water-absorption and retention.

Besides contaminating our groundwater and costing millions for services and infrastructure, the housing project would destroy the character and integrity of an existing, historic neighborhood.

It’s wrong and unreasonable that the state should order us to decontaminate the Herring River while at the same time ordering us to pollute it further.

Paula Myles
North Harwich

Insulted By Comment

Editor:
I attended the zoning board of appeals meeting and was very impressed how the Pine Oaks Village proposal will be reviewed over a six-month period with numerous hearings. This is a complex development that will not only affect our village of North Harwich, but our entire town as well. The meeting was well run and allowed many of us to express our concerns, and I look forward to future meetings on this project. 

That being said, as a long-time resident of Harwich and commercial property owner, I was not only appalled but greatly concerned about being called a "you people" by an elected representative of the town of Harwich! It was a direct insult to myself and the residents of North Harwich. We are the backbone of our community. With all due respect Elizabeth Harder, you owe my town a formal apology. Maybe you should step down. I am ashamed to have you as my representative as are many who were insulted by your derogatory comment.

Tom Birch
Harwich

Protect Public Health

Editor:
My brother-in-law died of COVID-19 on April 24, 2020 shortly after he was taken off a ventilator because that hideous disease left him in a vegetative state.

Here's what then-President Donald Trump said on April 23, 2020, at a White House press briefing about COVID: "And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs."
My brother-in-law is dearly missed.

Mike Rice
SouthWellfleet


Thanks, Cape Cod Five

Editor:
I would like to thank Cape Cod Five for their generous donation for a scholarship that will enable a Cape Cod public school student to learn how to sail this summer. This award will introduce the life-long sport of sailing and help develop an appreciation of our fragile waters and the need to protect them.  

Eileen Smith
Namequoit Sailing Association
Orleans


Is This What You Voted For?

Editor:
By deporting citizens, crazy tariffs, bullying universities, and ignoring court orders,  President Trump and his cohorts clearly have no respect for any of the basic foundations on which our country was founded. Almost daily, he flaunts the Constitution, attacks anyone who disagrees with him, makes a shambles of our country’s history of freedom of speech, and closes the door marked "give me your tired, your poor." Lady liberty must be hanging her head in shame.

Unfortunately, this plays into the frustrations many of our fellow citizens have about our country and how it’s run. But to use an old expression, "we threw the baby out with the bath water." Our country is great, and has been since its inception. No slogan can take that away. Sure, there were things that frustrated some or all of us.  But this craziness isn’t the answer.
There are thousands of our fellow citizens publicly protesting Trump's approach to governing our country. With any other president these protests would be a clear message to rethink their policies and actions. Not this one! Daily we all experience Trump’s grievances and prejudices that affect immigrants, news outlets, people of color, gays, and anything or anyone that questions his actions, or tries to hold him responsible for his deeds. Nixon had his enemy list. We are all on Trump’s.

So I'll ask again, is this what you wanted when you voted for him? If not, please say, or do something to help save our country from this chaos.

Joe Boro
South Chatham


South Chatham Association Says Thanks

Editor:
Thanks to all the Chatham residents that packed our South Chatham VIllage Hall Saturday, May 3. We were pleased to have all four select board candidates present. In a professional and respectful atmosphere, we were able to provide a forum of questions and answers from the floor.  

Carol Gordon, president
South Chatham Village Association Board of Directors



Grateful For Opportunity To Serve

Editor:
It’s been a tremendous honor to serve the community through my role as a Harwich representative on the Monomoy Regional School District school committee member for the past 6.5 years.

I served as chair during the height of COVID and worked closely with community partners during an unprecedented time. It was also the period when discussions began between Chatham and Harwich regarding changes to the regional agreement. The conversations were difficult, but we were able to reach common ground with Chatham maintaining its elementary school and Harwich receiving some fiscal relief. 

I’m proud of the role I played during that pivotal time and trust that future conversations between the two towns regarding the regional agreement will be rooted in what best serves our students, our teachers and our community at large. 

My time on the school committee has truly been a work of passion, and I’ll always be committed to ensuring high quality public school education for every student.

Tina Games
Harwich


Help For First Responders

Editor:
On May 8, I had the privilege of hosting an event honoring our First Responders at the Chatham Orpheum. The ticket sales and sponsorship money raised will benefit the Emerald Hollow Therapeutic Riding Center in Brewster for its inaugural program for first responders. It was an evening not to forget. 

I want to thank our chief of police, the amazing Mike Anderson, retired Yarmouth Chief of Police Frank Frederickson, State Representative Steven Xiarhos, and Nancy Sheridan. To all of the sponsors, I am so grateful to Mary Beth and Stephen Daniel, Ocean Edge Resort, Holly Amans-Kaiser, Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Foundation, Barbara Bivens, Guthrie/Schofield Group, Christy and Jay Cashman, Frances and Jeffrey Fisher, Dorothy Fernald, Hot Diggity Dog,The Chatham Clothing Bar, The Trading Company,The Impudent Oyster, Hanger B, Cafe Alfresco, Scargo Cafe, Cape Cod 5 and The Chatham Squire. Your donations will give first responders an opportunity to participate in the Equus Effect to help reduce stress and incomprehensible anxiety.

Kim Roderiques
Chatham




Proposes Change To Town Meeting  

Editor:
I heard that there were 600 registered voting Chatham residents at the town meeting on Saturday. The meeting was 6.5 hours long and there were less than 400 people there by the time it was over. I and approximately 5,000 other registered Chatham voters did not attend the meeting. I didn’t want to spend my Saturday before Mother's Day at the meeting. Under 200 people can vote and shape Chatham bylaws and budget with the two-thirds margin. 

I think it might be a fairer and a more democratic process if we have the town meeting let the people there debate and discuss the articles and even vote on them, but have that vote not be binding, then put the articles up to a public vote in the next general election. I think we would get a fairer and more comprehensive result of what the citizens of Chatham want. 

Gill Wilson
Chatham

Who Lost At Town Meeting?

Editor:
We all value the environment in which we live. It's why we love this place and why others love it, too. The vacation-based economy of Harwich is 100 percent based on the quality of our clean, usable seashores, swimmable ponds and the semi-rural nature Harwich offers. But all are in jeopardy and in serious decline due to toxic human inputs.
The question is: What do we need to do to protect our water, woodlands, wildlife and way of life? Town meeting was asked to consider three citizen petitions attempting to deal with Harwich's environmental health.

Town meeting approved $35 million to fix Great Sand Lakes pollution from septic systems. The broader plan for installation of sewering for the town will cost an estimated $2 billion over the next 50 years. These are great steps forward to protect our water resources. 
However, the health and well being of Harwich’s ponds, seashore and woodlands are in serious decline due to toxic human inputs in addition to septic pollution. We can't turn a blind eye on this. Fertilizers and pesticides contribute 15 percent to our toxic waste problem. Reducing and minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides would cost the voters zero dollars. Those two petitions did not pass.

The tree preservation bylaw did not pass. Developers will continue to clear cut 100 percent of woodland acreage to create subdivisions. When a house is complete the owner will have a token tree or two, having completely eliminated nature from their yard and the rural woodland feel of Harwich.
Who lost? The supporters of the citizen petitions did not lose — the entire town lost. Each of us needs to act and work together as part of our community to preserve this place we love. We need to look at things beyond our own personal interests. Let's not lose the Harwich we love.

Patrick Otton
Harwich


Literary, Visual Arts Flourish At Monomoy

Editor:
The Monomoy High School creative writing club, Sandscript, would like to thank The Friends of Pleasant Bay for their generous grant this past year that helped both our writing club and the advanced photography class spend a beautiful October morning on Pleasant Bay beach. The booklets the students made of poetry, prose, and photography (and even a lovely watercolor) have been published and are available for perusal at school and town libraries in the Monomoy district (as well as Brewster). They will also be available in both Harwich and Chatham town halls.  Thank you again, Friends of Pleasant Bay!!

Lisa Forte-Doyle
Sandscript Advisor and English Teacher
Amanda Newcomb
Graphic Arts and Advanced Photography Teacher


Disappointed In Bylaw Failure

Editor:
As a former Chatham resident, summer resident and visitor for over 60 years, it was very disappointing that Chatham voters did not adopt Article 39’s West Chatham protective zoning bylaw amendment. The town’s planning board has worked long and diligently for more than three years to develop Article 39’s modern alternative to what most admit is Chatham’s outdated zoning bylaw for West Chatham. More disappointing and shameful was the fact that not a single town official, board or committee member, who previously expressed support for Article 39, stood up to speak in its favor despite their support for other articles.

Some voters were apparently swayed by harangues from one of Chatham’s most outspoken and perennial naysayers and from a speaker raising, for who knows how many times, the specter of the airport “bogeyman,” irrelevant to the Article 39 bylaw amendment.

Despite their disappointment, those who voted in favor of Article 39 should urge the planning board to resubmit its proposed West Chatham protective zoning bylaw amendment to another town meeting. Those who voted against Article 39 should study the warrant article and any changes before the amendment is submitted to town meeting again. If those voters have any honest disagreement or constructive criticism with any of its provisions, they have an obligation to inform the planning board of their views before town meeting. If they are not satisfied their legitimate concerns are addressed, then and only then should they vote against the bylaw amendment. 

George Myers
Venice, Fla.

Questions Impact On Way Of Life

Editor:
I went to school in Harwich in the 1950s and 1960s and worked in Harwich Center in my father's hardware store. I got to know a lot of the Cape Verdeans who lived on Queen Anne Road and Old Main Street in North Harwich. I remember them as honest, hard-working, family-oriented folks proud of their heritage, a true community then and now. 
As regards to the Pine Oaks Village housing proposal, the density and traffic are major problems, but the real issue is the disruption and negative impact on the history, the culture, and the way of life in North Harwich. Taking such a large area of land from one part of town to make the town comply with state housing goals is unfair. I wonder what two great citizens of Harwich, the late James Marceline, who was a great benefactor of the town, and the late Albert Raneo, who represented the Cape Verdean community, would have to say about this injustice.

Donald Bates
Harwich