Historic Harwich

EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY

            First, just for the record, I thought it might be useful to see how many volunteers are involved in all the boards, commissions, committees, etc. The numbers reflect the max. membership assigned by, I assume, the Town Charter, not the actual number of active participants. I found only a few vacancies. I got the number from the Town web site under Boards and Committees. One thing I noticed is that there are far fewer crossovers than I expected, meaning persons serving on more than one committee.

Also, I include only liaisons where a specific Board of Selectmen's name appears on the web site. The total of 11 indicates coverage. It includes some duplication, e.g. one member is liaison to four entities. I've listed these with the full knowledge that the roles of liaison are quite fluid with respect to what they do with/about an entity.

Note: **The Community Preservation Committee, a special case, is made up of representatives of nine committees.

            The number of committees from my last blog should have been 35. Four are inactive, thus the 31 under Total.

            Here's the breakdown:

What does this mean? Here's my interpretation:

• o As the title of each entity suggests, each, obviously, has its own mission. I have to assume that all of these entities represent the universe of Town problems. Only one entity (the Cultural Council) has posted its mission statement on the web site.
• o There is no way of knowing how changes in the economy or other demands on the Town (like waste water management, regional requirements/management, or Cape Cod management issues) effect the operations or missions of any of the entities, i.e. which are obsolete, which should be combined with another, or which should be created new?
• o Without a mapping device, it is virtually impossible to see, by virtue of their titles, which committees must or are mandated to work with other committees or how this is done. Who needs to know and who wants to know? If anyone has served in the military (or in corporate structure), IT IS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE that appropriate groups are copied whenever an order is issued or something is in the mill. The science of communication is not rocket science. It is done because it is essential and there is commitment. See problem below for example.
• o As far as I can see, there is very little use of technology to enhance communication between the entities, and with the town, except for e-mails. It is almost impossible to track down the minutes of the entities. One suggestion is to have a monitor at Town Hall and in the library to access minutes that could be scanned into the system.
• o The Technology Committee is Inactive.
• o Though the web site shows all the entities, only one committee has posted minutes, last posted in 2007. The following have posted minutes:

Board of Appeals last post 7/29/09

Board of Health    last post 7/7/09

Board of Selectmen          last post 9/14/09

Planning Board     last post 7/14/09

Police Station Building Committee          last post 12/6/07

Conservation Commission            last post 8/4/09

            I have put this up only to show how difficult the problem is to get everyone on the same page. The Planning Board is putting together the Comprehensive Plan. I can see that there is a lot of activity going on collecting stuff. There has been criticism of the vision statement, but the Chair has declared that the vision statement is final and can only be changed by a board member. I have never been afraid to throw out a draft of something to be considered, even a correspondence, and been threatened if someone desires a change. The most poignant critique of the vision came from someone that asked, "What do we think the Town will look like in ten years?" No response. I'm anxious to see, as one board member declared, what the goals and objectives will be.

Problem

            Recently, Bob Bradley, Chair of the Historic Commission, reported a slew of demolition requests affecting historic buildings and that his hands were tied despite the 180 day waiting period. How inconceivable it is to think that eight 18^th and 19^th century homes have been demolished and five applications are pending. What has this Town come to?

            I don't know if this is correct, but it seems to be true. Suppose a homeowner applies for a demolition order of a historic home. There is a 180 day delay, I assume from the date of application. The Historic Commission is put on notice. If nothing happens in that period, the demo order is OK'd. By nothing happens, I mean that no one comes forward, including the Town, to agree to move the building. But, that can't happen because there are no sites "shovel ready" to receive a home. (The chicken or the egg) If the home has historic qualities, the Town rules state that a delay of six months can be put in place. Apparently, there are not enough incentives for owners to renovate/restore than demolish. This constitutes an EMERGENCY.

            This is what I'm not sure about. The original applicant now has an approved demo order. What if that owner does not destroy the house, but sells his house to someone who wants to demolish and build new? Does the new owner now have an approved order without the waiting period? In essence, does the demo order apply to the house or the current owner? If the original applicant can transfer the demo order, how easy is it to game the system. A seller can make the case for a sale by including a demo order, saving the new owner a lot of trouble.

            There are a few things that can be done. If what I've said is true, then the Historic Commission ought to seek an ordinance that prevents a homeowner from transferring a demo order. If not needed, no problem, but more action is needed.

Trigger? (A commonly used word these days)

            As for the "happening", some kind of trigger should be in place for the Town to purchase the home and move it to another location for use as affordable housing. For example, I have been thinking about Historic Harwich Center as a tourist destination. A friend, whom I won't mention, has suggested constructing slabs at appropriate locations in Town to prepare a destination for a moved building.

Just Suppose

            Suppose we find a nice period Cape style home slated for demolition. Suppose we'd like to have a visitor center in Historic Harwich Center. Suppose we want to put that house on the Brooks Academy property across from the church. Suppose we want to create a combination housing/visitor center. (My daughter lives in a studio apartment attached to the Thomas Mann House (a period Cape house) in Scituate. While she has no duties as a docent, she ensures the safekeeping of the property).

            Consider the numbers of boards, commissions, and committees it will take to get this done.

            The Historic Commission takes responsibility to start the program.

            The Housing Authority needs to have a plan in place NOW that jumpstarts a purchase and housing plans.

            The Conservation Commission has to know if they have any issues.

            The Housing Committee needs to know and help with planning for use.

            The Planning Board has to look at it to see if it fits with the Comprehensive Plan.

            The Community Preservation Committee has the power to provide funds for moving the house.

                       There may be more, but you can see that it would take an enormous commitment to make Bob Bradley's dreams come true, i.e. saving some of the historic buildings.

The Point Is? EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY (BELLS AND WHISTLES SOUNDING)

            The point is is that a 180 day demolition application creates an EMERGENCY; there is no mechanism in place that triggers action by the host of individuals who have turfs of their own to protect. There are no orders in place.

            Many years ago, while serving in the Naval Reserve, I had to go on active duty for two weeks each year. During one of those "cruises", I was given the task (by the base commander) of drawing up the Emergency Postal Communications Plan for Naval Air Station South Weymouth (now defunct). This means that I put the order of communications in place (a flow chart), from the Commanding Officer of the base right down to the courier level, so that when an emergency is declared (everything from nuclear to snow), it triggers a response from several layers of command each with a set of orders to carry out within a specified amount of time. I assume we have this kind of thing in Homeland Security, but I assume it is all done by computer. Still, what went into the computer had to be planned.

            Without this kind of thing, we will continue to lose our heritage. An action plan without a commitment from every level in Town is doomed to failure. It is grossly unfair to saddle the Historic Commission with this without appropriate backing.

Orders are issued by the Town's Commanding Officer, i.e The Board of Selectmen. They shouldn't be put out as the Oracle article said, "Selectmen indicated they would be open to discussing changes in the way the commission regulates these issues. " Does that sound like anyone thinks this is an EMERGENCY?  How nice. "Open to discussion?" Why not make it an agenda item? Why not issue an order to the commission to submit what they need in a time certain? 

Emergency Response Team

            We need to establish a Historical Emergency Response Team comprised of the pertinent boards, commissions, or committees that must meet within the 180 days to deal with the demolition issue and/or move on to the six-month scheme. Avenues need to be opened to funding sources so that action can be taken ASAP. It is the money that talks!!!! Knowing how things move in Town, if we begin now, maybe in three years we will have this done. Cynical? Yes. Impatience with indecisiveness? Yes.

Have a great day!