Historic Harwich

Postmortem

             First, I want to congratulate the conservationists, open-spacers, NIMBYs, abutters, et al for their "victory" in shutting down the Harwich Housing Committee's request for a designation of eight acres of land on Depot Road for affordable housing. The democratic process ruled, and that's OK, really OK. What's done is done. But, was the process and the outcome really good for the town or really damaging to the cause of affordable housing?

            In previous blogs, I have been pointing out the "gotcha" mentality and, in my mind, the dysfunctional aspects of the board, commission, and committee operations in town, all under the authority of the Board of Selectmen. So, I reserve the right to do a postmortem on the recent affordable housing vote at the Special Town Meeting on November 12.

            For the record back up a few months: At some point, the Real Estate and Open Space Committee (not commission, not regulatory) openly displayed a map of the Depot Street property which incorrectly showed that it was under their care when, in fact, backed up by Town Counsel, it is directly under the control of the Board of Selectmen for "municipal uses". In short, the BOS can do whatever it wants with the property.

            In my opinion, the Real Estate and Open Space Committee stepped out of bounds when they sent a letter to the BOS and the Housing Committee declaring unsubstantiated reasons why the property (or any part of it) should not be used for affordable housing; and this was allowed to be released by the BOS. The OSC has the duty to "advise" but not to release the claims they made without the consent of the BOS. They said (and published this in the November 11 issue of the Oracle) they want to "reduce the pressure on our drinking water" (without clarifying this. Where else in town is this litmus test observed?) and that the land is in the "state's estimated (whatever that means) habitat for rare species" (without specifying what those species are).

            They also said, "It (the 28 acres) is part of a large parcel of un-fragmented land with linkage, and possible (???) further linkage to other "conservation" land (???). Not clear where these linkages are.

            All this was said without having the benefit of a survey of the land. They really had/have no basis on which to make those claims. They have not made any claims of their own on the propery for change in use. They, and the Conservation Commission used the usual politically correct "conservation-speak" language to make points that were aimed to create fear (the drinking water is in danger). The Housing Committee, truly professionals, made their request so that a survey could be done.

In any event, the Housing Committee scaled down their request to eight acres (roughly equivalent to the size of the Gomes Way area) to accommodate them.

And the point is?

            Here's the point: Standing above the fray, the BOS demonstrated its middle-of-the-road stance on affordable housing, and I think, threw the Housing Committee under the bus. Not surprising since the Board's track record is clear. It has a fleet of buses. In a 3-2 vote, the Board agreed to put the Housing Committee's request on the warrant to have eight acres of land "designated" for affordable housing. Two members (for whatever reasons) voted to postpone. I strongly believe that the three voting positive were sure the measure would not pass. Like a lawyer in court: Never ask a question for which you do not have the answer.

Given no other choice, the Housing Committee stepped into the Roman arena and was gobbled up by the lions. They bravely took the heat, but these true professionals, you can be sure are not giving up. The ridiculous praise they received from the adversaries about their hard work sounded like a Shakespearean funeral service. "I came to praise Caesar, not bury him" (or is it the other way around). We'll see in the future if they are as committed to the buy-down program as they were when they flip-flopped on Nov. 12.

            The word "designation" is an eleven-letter dirty word. Mention "designating" anything shakes the very foundation of Town Hall. It means commitment and no one can really put a handle on what anyone in authority is committed to. The democratic process can be messy, no question about it. We try to get a consensus wherever possible, but there are times when, for the good of the town, the body we have elected should stand up and show commitment once and a while. Either you are for affordable housing or not. I fully agree that land use needs to be correct, but, like all the other decisions made in the past three years, decisions have not come from the BOS but by a board, commission, or committee while the BOS stood idly by.

I can't remember a case in which two or more opposing boards, commissions, or committees were called to meet in a "summit" to appear before the BOS to express oral arguments from which a BOS decision would emerge. The BOS asks for "letters" to make its decisions. They forget that they are our supreme court. They should hear arguments and ask questions to test the matter.

            The BOS should have found a way to have a survey of the land prepared even if it meant "designating" a portion of the land for housing. The Housing Committee's survey would have put the matter to rest on whether the land is viable for housing or not and, if so, what the land can bear in terms of units. The matter would not go before the town meeting without the survey to back it up (or not).

            Not one BOS member got up at the STM to explain the intricacy of the request; to support the effort of their committee, namely, that the land had to be designated for affordable housing before funds could be released for a survey; the chicken or the egg was allowed to take over the debate. No design could be presented without the designation. The silence from the BOS was deafening, all afraid to put their necks in the noose. The least they could have done was to help clarify. Shameful.

The decision rested with the BOS about "municipal use" and they came up wanting. A request came to them from one of its duly formed committees tasked to resolve the ten percent affordable housing problem. The Board could have ended the debate on the matter by bringing the parties together to debate the merits in oral arguments. One of the most effective groups that was formed by the BOS was the Work Group comprised of members of key committees to thrash out details of the RFP for the old rec. bldg. and affordable housing project. In true fashion, the BOS threw that committee under the bus.

After an open debate, the BOS could have decided to support the claims of Open-Space, etc. and that would have spared the Housing Committee their resounding defeat. For the most part, I think every proposal that goes before a town meeting should have good prospects for approval. In the November 12 case, it was an embarrassment and the Board should take responsibility for that embarrassment. Their decision-making process and treatment of their volunteers is outrageous.

The town meeting set a precedent that will be hard to overcome. Now, wherever the Housing Committee proposes use of land for affordable housing, they will face the same opposition regardless of the hollow claims of support by the open-spacers and conservationists and the BOS cannot be depended upon for their commitment.

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Senior is Tired

 I regret that I have to abandon for a while my comments about how the various boards, commissions, and committees communicate in town in order to express some thoughts about the future of Harwich residents if the impending health care bill is passed. I do this with a total revulsion of the Democratic Party and the leaders who desire a government controlled health care system. I do not enjoy writing from frustration and anger. For expression, my thoughts usually turn to teenage cozy mysteries, poetry, and innocent short stories, but now I'm tired.

At age 76, I'm tired because of the energy drained away by anger.

I'm tired from physical problems of old age and a lot of other things, BUT,

I'm tired of our elected officials agreeing to go along with governance out of Chicago, Nevada, and San Francisco, the Obama-Reid-Pelosi way, turning a deaf ear instead of listening to constituencies other than captured audiences. Why did we not have town halls on health care on Cape? Surely, it must be because the Cape is primarily Democratic with a population assumed to fall in line like sheep behind them or was it because our reps feared what might come out.

I'm tired of thinking that we have TAXATION WITH REPRESENTATION and that my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will suffer the consequences of the huge deficits we now have.

            I'm tired from contemplating that our representatives will be re-elected even though they haven't stood up to the uninhibited leadership in Congress when they must know how troublesome the current policies are. I'm ashamed of the approval ratings of Congress of which they are a part. I don't care who runs as long as they show up with a set of values and strong support for the Constitution and oppose obvious House and Senate leadership's jamming through legislation without adequate debate. Only when they heard loud outcries did the leadership respond. They can't be trusted to act on their own conscience. They don't have one.

            On TV, I saw the House Rules Committee in action as they sat back like sacks of flour refusing to allow any Republican amendments. They acted like puppets. The Chair pulled their strings and their mouths opened to say Nay, the only response they had to bi-partisanship.

I'm exhausted after reading House Bill 3962 (the Pelosi Bill) that provides for a government takeover of the health care system and does absolutely nothing to improve health care, relies on taxes on middle class families, punishes small businesses, and unfairly taxes the rich under a "new distribution of wealth plan" and, under the guise of "providing needed health care insurance for all, the bill is loaded with mandates and punitive measures, including jail time, for anyone not joining the government's "exchange." Our Massachusetts contingent could have stopped it, but they didn't.

I'm exhausted from worry over forthcoming cutbacks in Medicare, despite all the promises to the contrary. House Bill 3962 gives the power to a "Commissioner" to cut services if revenue falls short and I'm tired of hearing the promise that $500 billion will be saved through cutting of fraud and abuse. Get ready for rationing all you seniors out there. Why should anyone trust this government (either party) until it demonstrates that it can do more than create Cash for Clunkers and offer extended unemployment benefits in lieu of job creation. If fraud and abuse are going on, FIX IT NOW instead of using it as a foil to fund the huge bureaucracy that will be built over the next three years if the bill is passed.

Having been caught up in layoffs in the 80s, I'm exhausted from having flashbacks of those days when I spent every waking moment looking for a job, taking extra courses of study, trying in vain to manufacture a new career to no avail; similar to what is happening to many people now. The Stimulus Bill has been totally misdirected away from help for small businesses, has inflated government jobs and accomplished little at great cost.

I'm tired of being a shareholder in GM. I want to sell my shares and get out.

I'm tired of the "too big to fail" mentality.

As a senior, I'm tired of the administration's attempts to look compassionate and to buy my vote to curtail my anger by offering my wife and me another $250 in lieu of the no cost of living increase in my Social Security check. I should say "keep it", but it is my money coming back to me. You won't get my vote despite your "generosity".

            Why am I including these thoughts in this blog? Mostly because I sit at home feeling like there is no one listening. Under the current circumstances, why should we send another Democrat to office when we know that he/she will cave in to the leadership in both House and Senate?

I'm ashamed of our Massachusetts contingent like never before in my life. I'm seriously worried about Harwich and its high percentage of elderly citizens. I'm worried about the future of Harwich's small businesses. I'm worried about young people who will struggle to pay the increases in taxes before the health care bill kicks in in 2013 while over 100 bureaucracies are being set up to administer this frightening government plan. If you expect to live beyond 2013, I would worry.

I welcome comments, especially if you are in support of the bill. The Senate version will be different, but I expect the underlying policies will remain the same. Our sleazy leadership will find a way to impose their will and I expect our Massachusetts contingent will sit back, too, like sacks of flour. All of the coming events will affect Historic Harwich in historic ways.

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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!

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Another Gotcha Moment

Gotcha

It seems almost inevitable that any committee reporting to the Board of Selectmen, having been tasked by the Board to come forth with a recommendation, is doomed to a gotcha moment, but I'm not entirely jaundiced about this if you read on.

The latest fiasco involving the Golf Committee is another in the string of committees lacking the correct order of flow I have been talking about. This one was a beauty.

It seems that the Golf Committee was tasked to return to the BOS with a recommendation for a charter change (maybe not) to better define the duties and responsibilities of that committee, since the charter is "ambiguous". Having worked for months on this, the Golf Committee is making a recommendation that the committee name be changed to "commission" to go back to the old order of things before the major change in management occurred over a year ago (by state mandate, I believe); and they want to be given those same control responsibilities and that the request should be included on the warrant for the next Special Town Meeting.

A Rose By Any Other Name?

At the last BOS meeting, some BOS members stated that they did not care what the Golf Committee called themselves, i.e. committee or commission, but that there is a problem with giving fiscal charge and direct supervision to that body since that has been assigned to the Town Administrator.

The Chair of the BOS made it clear that the discussion at this point was moot, since the Golf Committee is/was required to file a warrant six months before the Special Town Meeting in November, i.e. last May in order to get final approval from the citizens. This was the mother of all gotchas. Despite the fact that a BOS liaison person is assigned to the committee, supposedly on a regular basis, that requirement was never brought forward by the liaison, nor sought by the Golf Committee, nor is it obviously spelled out as a matter of course (no pun intended).

The Golf Committee chair looked like he had been hit by a two-by-four. He had no idea about that requirement or deadline. As it stands, the BOS chair has offered to hold another meeting prior to November to help sort out what will be needed for the ATM in May 2010.

In the meantime, a few of the BOS members openly and adamantly expressed their disapproval of the plan. When the Chair of the Golf Committee said that they have been working on this for months, the chair of the BOS declared that he had no idea that they were working on this plan, i.e. to change the charter to give the Golf Committee the responsibility of a commission.

If it means anything, the Golf Committee already has a paid Director of Golf Operations, (a paid insider), a position that looks and acts like the Harbormaster which is more than many of the other committees have (Example: The Housing Committee which deals with extremely complex issues has been seeking an insider position for several years and has finally gotten to the bid stage).

I mentioned the Planning Board in my last blog in terms of their coordination efforts.

 Town of Harwich Organization

By my reckoning, the Town has 9 boards; 1 authority; 26 Town departments; 7 commissions; 34 committees; 3 councils; 2 task forces; 3 partnerships/alliances; and 2 constables. And there is the Legal Counsel, and Town Moderator.

In my management days, it used to be standard practice that one manager should/could reasonably (horizontally on the organization chart) supervise eight people. Do the math. If you count just the "heads" of the above entities, there are 75 "supervisors", "directors", "chairs", etc. The Town Administrator has direct supervision over the 26 departments. He has one assistant and two secretaries. The BOS uses the same secretaries.

Here are a few things that come to mind:

On the matter of "commission" or "committee", I looked up the definitions in the dictionary, but, of course, this may not be the way we do business in Harwich:

•1.      A commission is a group of persons authoritatively charged with particular functions. I looked up authoritative, too. This means having the sanction or weight of authority which in turn means the power to act, judge, or command. (While I was at it, I looked up czar, lest we go that route, which is any person in a position of power, (as opposed to advisory) as a high public official.

•2.      A committee, on the other hand, is a person or group of persons elected or appointed to perform some service or function, as to investigate, report on, or act upon a particular matter.

• 3. A board is a piece of timber (oops). Not. A board is an official group of persons who direct or supervise some activity (which means management responsibility, oversight, and all that good stuff).
• 4. A council is a body of persons specially designated or selected to act in an advisory, administrative, or legislative capacity.
• 5. Liaison means the contact maintained between the units of an organization to ensure concerted action. So far, the charge of liaisons has been to allow the liaison person to perform as he/she sees fit, "using their own style", including not attending any meetings; but look at the number the BOS has to cover. Impossible.
• 6. An authority has legal power to enforce the law.

•7.      A task force is a group or committee formed for analyzing, investigating, or solving a specific problem.

I assume, among other things, that the Town Charter outlines and defines the limits of the power that is invested in each entity and the duration of the duties.

Management

The chief duties of "management" are organizing, directing and controlling, generally hands on, with the aid of management information systems (MISs) to verify activity.

From the BOS' standpoint, I can see four MISs in place that can be seen publicly:

• 1) The Town Administrator's Reports;
• 2) Chief Financial Officer Dave Ryan's reports on the finances;
• 3) Minutes of meetings, if they care to wade through them.
• 4) Occasional staff's or various entity's weekly briefings at BOS public meetings; and
• 5) Reports, if any, usually very few, of BOS liaison persons who ostensibly meet or connect in some way with each committee or commission or other.
• 6) End of year reports for the Annual Town Report.

I have no idea what MIS the Town Administrator uses or what each department head uses.

It seems almost impossible that anything can get done, or monitored, let alone done in a reasonably short period of time (under one year), yet, like the old Model A Ford, it keeps running.

When you factor in policies, directives, rules, and "coordination", you can see how imperfect the system is. No wonder there are delays, ambiguities and ‘mis-coordinations', especially since the committees are staffed by volunteers and many of the committees have no paid professional (insider) to communicate with or seek assistance from with regard to shepherding a proposal through the maze.

The Plight of Volunteers

Volunteers are seriously committed, oft-times highly professional people, sharing what they feel they know best from their previous careers and education. When conflicts arise, the BOS has to be the final arbiter, sometimes without complete information, as is the case in the Long Pond Road bikeways proposal, which now will cost the town $50,000 for a survey at a time when dollars are short.

In other cases, for one reason or another, when there is a lack of commitment by the BOS delay is better (and safer)  than arbitration/decision.

If you go back into the archives of my blogs, all the way back to 2007, you will see similar things happening all during the run-up to the RFPs for housing and old rec. bldg. renovations.

Something wrong?

Don't you get the feeling that something is wrong here? Maybe it's the priority. Another major task of the BOS is to review policies. I've seen meetings where they have spent many minutes/hours debating a single sentence. Maybe the emphasis should be on alignment of the entities into a manageable format with an MIS that makes sense. If this happened, maybe the policies would become clearer.

For one thing, a standard horizontal organization chart doesn't work very well here, except for the Town departments paid staff. Minutes of meetings are a form of MIS, a legal requirement for all duly authorized meetings according to the open meeting law, but have you read any minutes lately? Clearly they are inadequate with no standards for writing. Go on line and read a few and see how ineffective they are for following up an issue. At least something simple should be instituted as an adjunct, like a computerized code which shows when and what decision has been made, deferred, or denied and the vote count. Currently, you have to wade through a maze of discussions to find an answer. The basic up or down vote is the most important data item.

Power to Which People

The commissions are not equal in terms of power or what they oversee; some exert more and some much less than they should. In the most recent BOS Member, Mr. LaMantia asked if the Open Space and Recreation Plan will be part of the Comprehensive Plan or does it stand alone. I didn't hear a good answer; I assume that the Comprehensive Plan is the Master Plan and I think it is unconscionable to even consider any entity of the Town separate from the Master Plan. If a BOS member has to ask the question, who has empowered ANY commission to act on its own?

The committees are all advisory or "investigative" and can't be effective unless they know who to coordinate with, and even more important, what their charge really is. Some take on enormous projects on a wing and a prayer without a hint of support at the end of the line.

To Fix or Not to Fix

Fixing this, I say again, is no small project, but I'm sure there are doctoral candidates out there looking for municipal management projects. One of the vision statements of the Planning Board states something about "efficiency in delivery of town services." I'm not sure what this encompasses, just departments or the whole ball of wax. In any event, who is writing up the plan for this? The Comprehensive Plan is for ten years. Does this mean that the Town government will be using the same methods as today ten years from now? This should be a mandatory part of the Comprehensive Plan.

 What is the Overall Vision?

            In the past month, I have heard more discussion about bikeways than any other topic. I have yet to see or hear one thing about the economics of the town. Who is writing this proposal to reflect the Town's support of businesses other than making a warm and fuzzy value statement?

            And who is writing up a ten-year proposal for saving our historical heritage? The Historic District Commission should at least consider something. Why wouldn't they endorse the efforts of the Historic Harwich Center Initiative or use it achieve their ends, if they have any. Why has the Historic District been relegated to second citizenship when it could be a significant engine to help drive the creative economy?

One step has been taken: A survey of the Historic District is in the mill, but who gets the results and who decides what the next steps are?

I am having a lot of difficulty linking bikeways to having a significant economic benefit. Taking a thought from our former acting Town Planner, you need to be able to measure results. In what way will investing over $1 million dollars in the Long Pond bikeway result in economic benefit, or is the measure simply for enjoyment. Has Falmouth reaped $1.3 million dollars in economic benefit from their pork barrel expenditure?

Synergize or Not to Synergize? That is the Question

I understand now that the Comprehensive Plan will be short, but will have links to the various plans submitted by the various committees and commissions, etc.; reason being not to have a monster Plan with every plan included (like perhaps the 1018 page Health Care Bill that few people read; sorry about getting political). Therefore, as a working document, anyone wishing to consider a topic can link up with the "sub" plans. Hmmm. I looked up the word "synergy" which means "working together" and additionally, "exceeding the sum of individual effects."

This thought came about as a result of the Conservation Commission representative declaring that his commission's inventory of conservation land is woefully inadequate with regard to which land is worthy of high maintenance versus low. What comes to mind is triage. What land is needs most attention, i.e. with flora and fauna on the endangered list, which needs moderate attention, and which land has no immediate concerns? The Town Planner also mentioned in regard to Open Space that acquisition should not be the major goal, but maintenance of what we have. No one has sorted out what land is open for "municipal purposes" and land that is dedicated to "open space for conservation or recreation."

The way things are going, synergy is not the goal, it is the problem. Confusion reigns. 

Can't Believe My Eyes

If you have passed the Sisson Road School (formerly the old rec. bldg.), you will be pleased to see that something is being done about its appearance. I have had many doubts over the past three years and have been screaming about the dilapidated building. Thankfully, the vinyl siding is coming off and the building will get a few coats of paint; and a portion of the foundation has been fixed. I assume the windows will come next. I have to admit, happily, while Humpty-Dumpty isn't all together yet, a few cracks have been repaired, thanks to the CPA money well spent. However, the Historic District Commission is still strangely silent on the matter. You'd think that they would seek some news coverage about this to give a boost to the Harwich Junior Theatre in their fundraising efforts to fix the dilapidated inside. Their silence is deafening.

Here are pics of the activity going on as of October 13 (see above).

 Congratulations to HJT

It was also gratifying to attend a gathering at the Andale Restaurant held by the Friends of the Cultural Exchange Centers, Inc. (spurred on by Barbara Johnson) to celebrate the lease of the building and to hear and feel the positive attitude of Bob Doane, Nina Schuessler, and Tammy Harper, key figures in the HJT's success to date.

Go Sox, Go Pats

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Three Cheers for the Planning Board

If I run out of ideas for a blog entry, I don't have to wait too long. Something always turns up.

Recently, the Planning Board held hearings and will continue to hold hearings in order to firm up the Local Comprehensive Plan which, I assume, will provide us with the vision of the future of Harwich in detail. This is an awesome task to be sure. I haven't seen much in the media about the Planning Board welcoming input from the community. Maybe if the items below are listed with meeting dates to invite public comment would help.

At the risk of being picky, I suggest a revised format of the vision statement with a couple of additions:

Paragraph 2: "Our vision incorporates the following for our residents, non-residents, and seasonal guests:

•o       Safety and security for all

•o       Efficient and effective delivery of Town services

•o       Maximization of the tax base

•o       Optimization of the economic potential of the Town as a whole and, in particular, all Town owned assets

•o       Superlative education system for all age groups

•o       Attention to the needs of seniors

•o       Protection and enhancement of the vitality of our cultural, recreational, and natural assets

•o       Preservation and protection of our historical assets

•o       Expansion of affordable workforce housing for our service providers.

These bullet points are essentially value statements that can act as a guide for the Board's goals and objectives by accepting suggestions under each one. As a working paper, the list of all Town departments and committees should be added under each value statement; input from community members can be targeted under each statement as well. In addition, target completion dates should be added to keep the process moving in an orderly manner. According to the Planning Board Chair, the LCP will be complete for the May 2010 Town Meeting. Robin Wilkins suggested that compliance with the Cape Cod Commission's Regional Plan should be addressed. Larry Cole suggested that there will be a "lot of back and forth" going on between the Cape Cod Commission and the Board. Even the wording of the vision statement will be under review. There seems to be some doubt as to whether the timeline is realistic for completion.

It seems to me that time needs be spent in outlining the planning process with tasks and completion dates for ending input. A Gantt chart would help since several tasks may go on at the same time and take longer. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I highly recommend a Gantt chart so that the BOS can keep abreast of the process at the same time. At the end of the information collection phase, time will be needed to analyze and write the final plan, coordinate it with the Cape Cod Commission and obtain final approval by the BOS and the Town Meeting. Now is the time to assign dates for the many tasks, lay out a timeline, and inform the public.

It might be a good idea to hire a special record keeper during the process to keep the paperwork and files in order. The burden on the Board secretary is enormous.

At the August meeting, someone mentioned that the Local Comprehensive Plan completed in year 2000 essentially ended up on a shelf somewhere instead of being used as a working document. The same thing happened to the Harwich Center Initiative. Although some of the recommendations were completed, the initiative faded. The committee, still listed on the Town web site as a subcommittee of the BOS, failed to get support.

The first topic slated for September 29 was bikeways, trails, and sidewalks. Interesting. I guess the process is not necessarily going according to priorities.

Long Pond Road

Amazing how $1.5 million is tossed around these days as if it was chump change. That is the estimate for building two four-foot wide bike/walkway multi-modal lanes running the entire length of Long Pond Road. A mere trifle "for the population that we're trying to serve" according to the BOS Chair.

Funny thing about this. The same amount of $1.5 million was the estimate for repairs to the old rec. building, now dubbed The Sisson Road School. When this amount surfaced, there was shock and awe. Everyone fled to the hills never to be seen again, except to slide in a few dollars for windows and foundation repair through CPA funds.

I wish the Chair had said the same words back when we needed them. Not to mention that due to Rep. Delahunt's efforts, $1.3 million came in from pork barrel spending for Falmouth's bike trail, and I think another $1.3 for a bike trail in this area to Provincetown. I'm up to my ears in funding for the biker population. I guess we'd rather have a pretty bike trail than to renovate a historical landmark and clean up a dilapidated slum in the middle of the historic district. Instead of being ashamed for leasing the building to the Harwich Junior Theatre, I would have liked to have been proud to hand over a livable space.  Suddenly, someone has the magical fingers to dial up a funding source for the bikeways, but all thumbs for our historical heritage. Where was the Historic Commission when we needed it?

I still don't see the Historical Commission on the list of respondents to the Planning Board's request for input, nor could I find any minutes of meetings at Town Hall. Not surprising.

A Special Shout-out for a Special Friend

            I have had the pleasure of working with Barbara Johnson on a variety of projects over the past four years. There is no one in Harwich more committed to the culture of Harwich. See below for what she is offering;

Adult Classes at Harwich Jr. Theatre: 

Dream Theatre

Tuesdays 7:00-9:00 p.m. 

Class runs 5 weeks beginning Oct. 13

Fee:  $145

Dreams inform our waking journeys.  Einstein dreamed the theory of relativity'. Thomas Edison napped for ideasfrom his dreaming self. This workshop facilitates a dream exploration for each member through expressivearts, psychodrama techniques, and peer participation 

to perform 'on stage' an illuminating dream enactment. 

Fairy Tales for Adults

Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Class runs 5 weeks beginning Oct. 14

Fee:  $145

Fairy tales offer meaningful clues to our personal stories of making wishes, performing the heroic three tasks, encountering the wise old woman/man, and coming across animal helpers or scary challengers along the way. This workshop series constructs a theatre troupe to explore

favorite and not so favorite fairy tales through enactment and entering the enchanting realms of self-discovery. 

About the Instructor:

Barbara E. Johnson, LMHC, expressive arts therapist, intersects with theater in her work by facilitating the connection of imagination to creative expression.  As a professional she has worked in schools and community prevention, homeless shelters and substance abuse centers, has coordinated city-wide community arts projects/exhibits, and often collaborates with peers in theater arts collectives.  

Enrollment

Dates and times occasionally modified with agreement of all enrolled students.  Any questions regarding these classes, contact Harwich Jr. Theatre at 508-432-2002 x 11 or 12, or instructor B.E. Johnson, 508-430-9823, turtle888@comcast.net.

Peace.

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Pipelines and Other Stuff

            Congratulations to all department heads for the excellent presentations at the last Board of Selectmen meeting. Though the presentations were for the benefit of non-residents, they were eye-openers for residents as well. Well done!

Set the Ambien aside and read yourself to sleep with this blog.

Flowcharts

            Notwithstanding those excellent presentations, my feeling about flowcharts is unchanged. In my last blog, I mentioned the advisability of developing flowcharts for processes in the town government. I want to reiterate what I said about this. I don't believe it can be done effectively totally in-house, nor can it be done overnight; although it could well be done on the side for purposes of staff training within a department and in anticipation of a wider systems analysis.

Internally, a department manager may draw a flowchart to portray what is accepted into the department for action, the areas within the department affected, the expected outcome, and duration of the action. Similarly, chairs of appointed committees may do the same to clarify roles. Again, beginning, middle, and end.

But, the system-wide effects would be diminished because of the need to check out interfaces with other departments and committees, i.e. determining who wants to know and who needs to know. With existing staff and the loads they carry now, it would be an extra burden and very likely result in the same fragmentation that is going on now.

Certainly, work like this can be done in modules; no harm in doing the highest priority areas first, but ultimately, someone looking down on the system, not while in it, must connect the modules. So, I am recommending looking for a grant to fund a municipal systems analysis and this should be part of the town's Comprehensive Plan and over time commit to appropriate software. The value of software is well recognized in the Assessor's Office, Town Clerk, and other departments for their internal processes, but nothing connects them to a full system. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

The Board of Selectmen must feel that many of the decisions they now make are made with primitive or non-existent information "systems", often causing frustrating delays. Anyone viewing a BOS meeting can feel the tension among the members when a touchy issue comes up. When I visit my doctor because he is part of the medical records system he can instantly access all of my medical transactions throughout the Cape and those I had in Boston.

Think of each member of the Board with a laptop computer to access the appropriate flow chart for all departments, and all of the transactions that have gone on in a particular issue, who has been involved, the decisions made by committees, etc. and think of each committee with a laptop to input decisions/actions taken. Many items can be coded for easy input without the current cumbersome and un-standardized meeting minutes.

Two Reasons

            The reason this came up is twofold. First, the Board of Selectmen have as an ongoing chore, updating/creating policies so they can be consistent in their decisions; secondly, I have an interest in seeing that the O.R.B. and the Brooks Academy Museum make it to the Historic Registries.

In one meeting, a BOS member said that sometimes the Board created a new policy overriding one that was already in place. Another said that the regulatory commissions are usually given free reign and I suspect this is because there is no system in place to inform the BOS of the status of a situation before it gets out of hand. I suppose the BOS liaison persons are supposed to report, but I think I have only heard a liaison report from one Board member. This coupled with the strains on appointed committees that act in ways to thwart another without mediation and unclear pathways to get things done efficiently and on time creates undo stress on finances when staff time is used to clean up messes. In short, the BOS should be the final arbiter if there is a dispute over a regulation. Now, apparently, there is no appeal process for a non-regulatory committee disagreeing with a regulatory one, example: Housing Committee vs. Conservation Commission re misconception of ownership/oversight of certain town-owned land.

Another example of the way things are done is the way the latest RFP for affordable housing was handled. Isn't it odd that the Housing Committee, the committee that initiated the whole thing to begin with wasn't asked to participate  in or review the RFP? Hmmm. Is it any wonder that volunteers for committees are upset?

No Perfect System, But Start Somewhere

No system is perfect by any means, but when the symptoms of system stress are evident, and they certainly are in Harwich, something should be done. A flowchart that all parties can see clearly can go a long way in settling turf disputes. I think a systems analysis needs to be done with final products that the BOS, with the Town Administrator, can use to evaluate what is going on and exercise their responsibility to mediate effectively when disputes arise.

            There is no reason to believe that flowcharting or full system analysis is going to reduce the need for staff, lest anyone think that a job may be on the line. On the contrary, there is a distinct possibility, and the most likely scenario, that efficiency in one area may bolster efficiencies in another area. Leadership and staff of departments are more easily evaluated based on productivity, efficiency, and coordination with other departments when the areas of responsibility are clearly defined.

Looking Ahead for Historic Registry for the O.R.B. (old rec. bldg.) and the Brooks Academy Museum.

            The MA Historical Commission uses a flowchart to show the process of establishing a state historic district.

Go to http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/lhdflowchart.pdf .

The process for federal listing is more complicated. In the case of a local commission interfacing with a state commission, the state commission is rigid in holding to requirements before any evaluation of a historic area or building is considered. A town government should be as rigid as well. The state flowchart provides a convenient framework without lengthy explanations. A town's flowchart should be made up to interface with the state. In my mind, I don't know who reports to whom for historic preservation; does the Planning Board have the ultimate responsibility for historic preservation or is it the Historical Commission? Right now everything is unclear. If it was clear, I assume that action on the O.R.B. would have been taken years ago.

Looking Ahead: Listing on the National Register - FYI

            The MA Historical Commission has on their web site "what you need to know about listing on the National Register". First, the criteria for listing are as follows (quote):

• o Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.
• o Association with the lives of persons significant in our past;
• o Embodiment of distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
• o Likelihood of yielding information significant in history or prehistory.

Properties must meet at least one of the above criteria to be eligible for listing in the National Register. Certainly, the O.R.B. is eligible. The West Harwich School may or may not be depending on its future use.

Harwich Junior Theatre

            It is official. The HJT is now the lessee of the O.R.B. to begin in September. I hope we can scrap the "old rec. building" moniker and that the HJT will come up with a suitable name for it.

            I still have a bad taste in my mouth about this. It seems unconscionable that the town has leased half a building. The HJT must come up with the funds needed to access the second floor and to relocate the restrooms. Do you believe that? HJT signed on to do it and I assume they know what they are doing, but in good faith the town should have taken care of this. Again, the priority for CPA funds this time around seems skewed.

            At any rate, the sooner the better. Donations will be gratefully received by the HJT to get these renovations done. They are ready to roll. Contact Bob Doane at hjt@capecod.net.

Harwich Cultural Council

            The Cultural Council will be facing an uphill battle to accomplish their goals in the coming years. Throughout the year, the Council has a significant presence in the form of grant funds for cultural programs held in the schools, the community center, the library, HJT, and at the O.R.B. The Council reaches out to virtually every venue in town to provide internships, field trips, and program support to provide access to programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences for all ages. This past year, the Council sponsored a trip to Italy which netted $5,200 which will be part of the grant pool for this year. The Annual Town Meeting renewed its pledge of $2,500. The MA Cultural Council has yet to set it contribution for this year; it has been $4,000. Without certainty, the Council may have close to $10,000 to grant out in October. For the several years past, requests for grants have exceeded $30,000. But, for year 2010, it will be more difficult to keep up.

            I have felt for a long time that the Council ought to have a fund sufficiently large enough so that grants can be issued using interest only. That, of course, means $1 million. I can dream, can't I? But the road to a million begins with the first step.

For that reason, despite the recession, I urge everyone to send $10 or more to help build the grant pool for the future, and I encourage anyone who is looking for a worthy cause to leave money in a will. Checks are made payable to Harwich Cultural Council, Town Hall, 732 Main Street, Harwich, MA 02645. For other means of donating or finding more about your Cultural Council address a note to Pat Stackhouse or Toney Hopkins at the same address or attend a Council meeting which is posted at the Town Hall.

I-Bake-Da-Pie Club

            The club is still looking for a few good men to bake a pie(s) for the Harwich Historical Society Annual Harvest Pie Sale on August 23, 2009, noon, at the Brooks Academy Museum. We are looking for some of your time, a little gas money, and a little sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. We are supplying the Granny Smith apples, the pie crusts (the recipe is on the box), and the Pyrex pie plates which will be included in the price of the pie. You will receive a once-in-a-lifetime commemorative button and a raffle ticket. Twenty raffle winners will each receive a personal caricature done by a local artist. Contact me, John Prophet at jprophet4@verizon.net or phone me at 508-430-7850 for details. Proceeds of the sale go toward the Historical Society programs.

Brooks Free Library

            The Brooks Library is the finest on the Cape by far. Anyone who has been there knows it. They also know that the staff there work extremely hard provide services and to produce programs for young and old alike. I wish there was room in my blog to list all of the programs. Suffice it to say, stop in at the library for the current list of programs and find out how you can donate to support them. Contact Ginny Hewitt, Director at vhewitt@clamsnet.org or Suzanne Martell at smartell@clamsnet.org.

Requests for Donations

            I realize that I am pushing for donations for different areas. There is a place for everyone to donate. Support your favorite.

Have a great weekend. Go Sox.

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The Illusive Pipeline

The Illusive Pipeline

Lately, I have been focusing on "pipeline" issues. No, not the Alaska Pipeline; rather, that illusive alignment of government bodies and appointed committees that need to approve or disapprove a measure of importance to the citizenry. Hmmm, what could be clearer than that? I'm referring to a non-existent (in Harwich for public consumption) flow chart that pictorially displays this alignment for particular issues, e.g., approval of a land use change, approval for a liquor license, approval for an issue involving public health, and so on. In other words who do you see first, what is the process, and what happens later? In short, beginning, middle, and end.

I am picture person, definitely left brain. I realize that all of the above is committed to writing and can be picked up at the Engineer's office at Town Hall. But, wouldn't it be great to have a flow chart that depicts the process.

            A flow chart is an assembly of geometric figures connected with lines with arrows useful for analysis of processes, identifying duplications of effort, and sorting  divisions of labor. I suspect that there may be some cost savings in there somewhere, but most importantly it might ratchet down some of the tension that builds when committees conflict with each other which seems to be happening rather frequently.

I am particularly interested in the process for historic preservation, so I'll concentrate on that..

If you are not familiar with a flowchart, for a brief look at flowcharting, go to: http://www.rff.com/structured_flowchart.htm .

            As a private citizen, if I try to envision a flow chart for the approval of renovations to the O.R.B. (old rec. bldg. on Sisson Road) with a goal of having the building reach the Registry of Historic Buildings, I am immediately confronted with these questions before I enter Town Hall. In italics, I indicate where I think I go.

1. Who do I see first, i.e. is there some office that will listen to my issue and tell me I am eligible, ineligible, or can tell me if a project is already in the mill? Harwich Historical Commission, Town Planner, or Town Administrator, but don't know who first. May waste time.
2. Who starts the process, i.e. is there a regulatory committee that needs to consider my issue? Harwich Historical Commission and Planning Board, but don't know which order, if any.
3. Are there any special applications or forms that I have to fill out or a letter of request for consideration? If so, can I get all of the forms I need at once, or is one form sufficient to initiate the next steps? Don't know.
4. Do I have to follow through every step, or do I rely on the office I brought it to to carry it forward? If the latter, how do I monitor progress? Don't know, but I assume it is taken out of my hands.
5. Are there more committees or town offices on the way that can stop or criticize the process at any time? Don't know for sure; Finance Committee comes to mind; could be many who need to know and many who want to know.
6. Who is the final arbiter, i.e. Board of Selectmen or Town Meeting? Board of Selectmen as landlord of the building authorized by annual town meeting.
7. Where can I get information about funding, or is that taken care of? Can only guess, but CPA and Town budget come to mind. Grant funds applications come from the town, but who would research and write the grant?
8. Who arranges for a preservationist to oversee renovations? I assume Board of Selectmen or Harwich Historic Commission.
9. When renovations are completed, what triggers the process of applying to the Registry? See #8.

I see things happening with approvals of the foundation repair and removal of the vinyl siding, funded with CPA money that was approved by annual town meeting, but in the inner recesses of Town Hall, I have no idea what the full process was or still is. 

Brooks Academy Museum

      There is a contract out now, I've been told, to remove the remaining vinyl siding from the Brooks Academy Museum. I have written a letter to the Harwich Historical Commission regarding application for the National Register. After visiting the federal preservation site, it seems likely that the museum might be eligible. In that case, application should begin immediately after the repairs are done. Apparently, it is an 18-month process.

Back to Flow Charts

It isn't impossible to create a flowchart or several flowcharts to display the processes that go on in town government. While in the Naval Reserve, I created a flowchart for the Naval Air Station South Weymouth Postal Emergency Procedures that was adopted by the CO. What made it useful was the ease of identifying areas that needed coverage and ease in setting up a notification system. It took me two weeks working full-time on it, so it is not an easy task.

      I don't expect that this could be done by in-house staff because of the time involved, but if making management of the town more efficient is a priority, then this is a good way to do it, most likely through a grant or possibly by a doctoral student. What a thesis that will make.

ANNOUNCEMENTS - Lots to do, much to see.

The I-Bake-Da-Pie Club is getting good press. This is an effort to double the number of pies for sale at the Harwich Historical Society's Annual Harvest Pie Sale (from 100 to 200) on August 23, 2009. We are still looking for a few good men to step up to the oven and bake us a pie. We supply the apples donated by Shaw's Market, a Pyrex pie plate (sold with the pie), and Pillsbury pie crusts. The good man supplies the sugar, nutmeg, a little bit of cinnamon, and his "secret" ingredient. For the effort, all bakers of the 200 pies will receive the commemorative button (see my last blog) and a free raffle ticket. At least 20 winners of the raffle will receive a personal caricature done by a local artist. Not a bad deal for a worthy cause. Let's give the Brooks Museum a helping hand. For information contact John Prophet at 508-430-7850 or e-mail John at jprophet4@verizon.net .

The Harwich Historical Society has many programs planned for the rest of the summer and extending into October. Look for announcements in the newspapers or visit the web site at www.harwichhistoricalsociety.org .

Harwich Cultural Council is in need of funds to increase their grant pool. Each year, in October, the Cultural Council awards grants to individuals and groups offering programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. In the past three years, the Council has awarded over $20,000 to this end. Funds come from generous donors like yourselves, no amount too small. Write a check payable to Harwich Cultural Council and mail or drop at Harwich Town Hall, 732 Main Street, Harwich, MA 02645.

Brook Free Library has been and will be brim full of activities and programs from toddlers to the elderly. Drop in and get the event schedule. Find out how you can make a special donation to help with these efforts by contacting Ginny Hewitt at vhewitt@clamsnet.org or Suzanne Martell at smartell@clamsnet.org.

Historic Harwich Center Events In a nutshell:

Summer Arts and Crafts Fair - August 8-9

Arts Foundation Citizen Bank Summer Concert Series - Monday nights 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Brooks Park.

Harwich Town Band - Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. - Brooks Park.

THE HISTORIC HARWICH CENTER INITIATIVE (HHCI) next meeting is on August 26, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. at the O.R.B. (old rec bldg on Sisson Road). All are invited to attend to share ideas and visions of the Historic Harwich Center as a tourist destination and/or to keep up with developments. Contact Betty Pino at bfpino@verizon.net to be included on the HHCI contact list.

Have a great weekend.

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Historical Concerns From a Hysterical Citizen

             I've done some digging to find out more about the activities of the Historical Commission and the Historic District Commission using the DVD I got from the MA Historical Commission as a guide. Basically, I'm trying to understand how, in general, throughout the state, historic preservation gets done and to settle in my mind what the pipeline is for Harwich. If I go wrong on some of my assumptions or views, I hope people in the know will respond.

            The reason I'm doing this is because I have an interest in the Historic Harwich Center Initiative which is ongoing. More than anything else, it has to be clear in everyone's mind who is responsible for what and how historic preservation efforts move forward.

            I will not cover everything in this one blog; just the bones. Whatever I say comes from the information I have gleaned from the DVD.

The Uniqueness of MA and Harwich

            Massachusetts is unique in that the state has the largest number of historic resources in the country, not only 17^th  century, but many others to present day. These resources are the reason why people visit the state and move here. Harwich has abundant historic resources. I'm interested in seeing that they are seen and appreciated by visitors and townspeople alike.

Origins of Historic Commissions

            In the 1960s, the state legislature passed MA G.L. Chap. 40 Sec. 8d which allows towns to establish historical commissions.

The Harwich Historical Commission is one of those. The members are appointed by the Board of Selectmen. It is an official agent of municipal government. THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING. Some view it only as a "regulatory" body. That is partly true because the commission oversees, for example, the 180 day demolition delay rule now in place and deals with cases where changes are requested by citizens which effect historic preservation. Nonetheless, the MA Historical Commission is crystal clear about the planning. This is repeated time and again throughout the DVD. In essence, the commissions are generally advisory, but do have regulatory authority.

            In addition to the Historical Commission, Harwich has had for many years a Historic District Commission. The current Harwich Historic District was established in 1969. So, the district commission has had responsibility for the care of the district. Because of problems filling vacancies on the commission and where members were serving on both commissions, the Town Meeting approved allowing members to wear both hats. The state allows this. However, the primary responsibilities have not changed. They conduct business in separate meeting times, usually concurrent.

            In addition, the Harwich Historical Society is a membership organization which currently leases the Brooks Academy Museum from the Town and operates the historical programs and preserves historical matter.

WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS?

I have written previously about the original Harwich Center Initiative (HCI) reported in year 2000. Because of several reasons, many uncontrollable at the time, including lack of town support, that initiative died out. Despite that, the HCI achieved many changes in Harwich Center.

As I look back, the missing link was the Historical Commission and the Historic District Commission. I can only speculate that it was because the focus of the HCI was on the business end of things and not from the perspective of historic preservation or preservation planning. As a result, the O.R.B. (old rec. bldg.) wasn't even mentioned - ever. This, above all, is the most discouraging piece, that the O.R.B. was identified (and officially sanctioned as eligible for the National Registry of Historic Buildings in 1993 (see Form B in Brooks Library Reference Area). Sadly, there was no evaluation that took place and no effort to protect the building (notwithstanding the refusal of the Town Meeting to allow it to be torn down as some suggested). One of Harwich's well-known historic assets was allowed to sit with no advocacy for it. It should not have happened.

I walked up the ramp to the back door of the Brooks Academy Museum a few days ago. I stared in disbelief at what I saw. In fact, I reached out and touched the west wall to see if it was true. THERE IS STILL VINYL SIDING ON THE WEST AND NORTH WALLS. A year or so ago some of the vinyl siding was removed on the other sides and the columns were fixed. Much to my dismay, I found out that because of errors or some other thing happened in the fix-up, the academy is ineligible for listing on the National and State Registries. I haven't confirmed this, but a credible source says it's true. So, why hasn't the job been finished?

Is this the sort of thing that will happen with the O.R.B.? I'm more anxious than ever.

 GETTING BACK TO PLANNING

            If you are interested in historic preservation, go to the Brooks Library Reference area and thumb through the inventory conducted by the Historical Commission (Consultant Deidre Brotherson) back in 1993. Notebooks are full of Form Bs, the official form designed by the MA Historical Commission.

            The MA Historical Commission declares that there are three parts to historic preservation planning:

• 1.) Identification of resources (Using Form B to document)
• 2.) Evaluation
• 3.) Protection

Without an inventory of historic resources, no effective planning can take place, no effective public education plan can take place, and no stance for advocacy possible.

In 1993, it appears that a substantial amount of work went into an inventory. All of the villages are included. I understand that $50,000 has been approved to do something about an inventory this year and to review the boundaries of the current Historic District. The expansion of the district to include some addresses was recommended back in 1993, SIXTEEN YEARS ago.

In 1993, there were 49 sites in Harwich Center alone recommended for the National Register, including the O.R.B. None were applied for. There must be good reasons why. I haven't looked into any of that.

NO CRITICISM FROM ME.

            I appreciate the enormity of the problems facing any Historical Commission, especially when there doesn't seem to be a large pool of townspeople who want to dedicate a significant amount of their time. I applaud the current members, sincerely, who are struggling with it today. But, here's the deal. The Historic Harwich Center Initiative is meeting regularly and has adopted the idea of revitalizing the Center through heightening social activities that will draw people to the Center. At a recent meeting, I agreed with others that the "working" committee is working on two levels. One, on the level of increasing traffic in the Center, and two, on the level of working on the infrastructure. I understand time, too. I will be long gone before many of the visions I have are realized, if at all. My only hope is that the "I" in "Initiative" becomes "I" as in "Impetus".

            Still absent - The Historical Commission and the Historic District Commission. Members of the HHCI may be members of the commission, but so far there is no official representation that there is a PLAN in the offing. If there is the HHCI should know about it.

LOTS OF PROBLEMS - VAGUE SOLUTIONS

            Quite frankly, I'm no expert in any of this and 100% of everyone I come in contact with certainly will agree with that. Some would say that I'm tilting at windmills, but there is a way to approach this and that is to engage a consultant from the MA Historic Commission (or other) who can help put the ducks in a row; to give concrete advice on how to organize this. I don't think we have to re-invent the wheel. Several towns in MA have plans in place. I believe that the impetus for this should come from the BOS.

Right now, I have the feeling that things are shooting off into space in different directions. I know that the Initiative has become part of the Planning Department's Comprehensive Plan, but I have yet to see what that entails or what priority there is. Though I have stated my vision of the district, I have failed to make myself clear enough to have the powers that be hold a meeting(s) to develop a historic preservation PLAN to make the Historic District a tourist destination or reveal anything to the public that might help recruit prospective members of the commissions. In short, people need to know what needs to be done and they are motivated by a mission.

Good for the Town of Harwich

            I am pleased to see that the Harwich Junior Theatre will be leasing the O.R.B. as of September 2009. The town is most fortunate and I commend all who took part in making this a reality.

On Another Note (repeat):

 ATTENTION ALL MEN. The I-Bake-Da-Pie Club is looking for members. The Harwich Historical Society's Annual Pie Sale is scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2009. Normally, 100 pies are sold at this event and the complaint has been that there aren't any pies left over. So, we are recruiting men (only) to bake additional pies for the sale. The goal is to raise the number to 200. We will have donations of the ingredients, including the pie crusts. Each baker, including bakers of the first 100 will receive a special button certifying membership in the I-Bake-Da-Pie Club (as illustrated). For details, contact me at jprophet4@verizon.net.

Comments, criticisms, and suggestions about anything in this or any blog of mine are most welcome.

I'll have my Vallium now.

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An Epiphany

"Onward and upward with the Arts." Larry Cole, Harwich Board of Selectmen meeting Mon. June 29, 2009. Quote from Harwich Oracle, Wed. July 1, 2009

 "I think it's high time that this town rally around the endorsement of cultural arts in this community. All I'm asking for is the same thing we asked of Youth and Recreation. A list of what we estimate are our responsibilities." Robin Wilkins, Harwich BOS meeting Mon. June 29, 2009.

 Both quotes were given on the evening when the BOS conducted their final review of the pending lease with the Harwich Junior Theatre this past Monday night. The lease provides for the "takeover" of the O.R.B. (old rec. building on Sisson Road). How wonderful it would have been had we heard these quotes four years ago and earlier, before our recession hit, but who am I to be the wet blanket here. We should be thankful for the epiphany, the "awakening". Unfortunately, the comments come from only two members of the five on the Board who took some time to proclaim support. With this tepid response, it blunts the historic nature of the agreement, however, at this juncture, maybe the others are waiting until the actual signing occurs. Then we'll get the 3-cheers!!!

 NERVOUS. I have to say that I am downright nervous about this. Why, I don't know. I should be shouting to the rooftops. Having seen the "hit" list of items in Exhibit C of the proposed lease agreement, I am greatly concerned, reason being that the town has done virtually nothing to prepare this building for occupancy, and don't call this 20/20 hindsight. What reason do we have to believe that the town will not continue to delay its commitment to the building, the lease notwithstanding? The balance of the Board does not look favorable at this time, or so it seems, and the "bootstrap" concept will be the excuse for delays. In any event, a 3-2 vote will show as much timidity as before. It should be unanimous.

 A MATTER OF CHOICE. Over and over again, I have stated my position (of no importance to anyone) on the building, namely, that the O.R.B. is not out there in a vacuum. Through their elected officials, the townspeople have made their choice, and, in the absence of a groundswell of support from the community, forcing the issue, the BOS has acted with its own individual tastes. Thus, we have had an extraordinarily tepid response to the vision that the restoration of the O.R.B. will have genuinely positive effects on the Historic District. Hopefully, the dilapidated building will be transformed into a tourist attraction and help revitalize Historic Harwich Center. At least, we will have a nationally recognized theatre production company to lead the way, still without a word from the BOS of the potential consequences.

 HISTORICAL COMMISSION, WHERE ARE YOU?

I mentioned a while back that I attended a meeting of the MA Historical Commission. I received a DVD which explains how historic preservation occurs in communities. I ran through it a few days ago and was reminded of the fact that the prime mover in every community is the Historic Commission. We now have one body that covers the responsibilities of the Historic Commission and the Historic District Commission. The DVD places the Historical Commission on an equal footing with the community Planning Board which means that all matters concerning historic preservation go through this body. In brief, the Historical Commission is part of the municipal government with members appointed by the BOS. This is a huge responsibility involving identifying historic properties, evaluating them, and protecting them. What happened with the O.R.B.? Here is a historic building, yet for years it has fallen through the cracks and it is still an object that will require and has required people to be dragged screaming to preserve it. Wouldn't you think that at some point the BOS should have at least asked a question or two about their thoughts?

 HISTORIC REGISTRY, I HOPE SO

I'm nervous because the objective of having the vinyl siding removed on the O.R.B. and the outside restored to historic proportions is so that it can be eligible for the Registry of Historic Buildings. I have to remind you that such a project with the Brooks Academy Museum failed leaving the museum ineligible. We have to pray that the same thing doesn't happen to the O.R.B. and the oversight lies squarely on the Historical Commission. I haven't heard word one about what strategy will be used to accomplish this, nor have I heard of any planning involved, nor has it been on an agenda except to review the ramp and signage. I do understand that CPA funding requires this, but I don't think it can assume the commission's responsibility. I'm nervous.

FIT-OUT FOR OCCUPANCY? NOT

There are many historic properties in town, but none that stand out like a sore thumb like the O.R.B., a testimony to utter neglect and now we are courting a tenant to take the building off our backs. It is shameful that the building has not been made fit for occupancy long before this. End of story.

 HISTORIC HARWICH CENTER INITIATIVE

The Historic Harwich Center Initiative is still open for ideas and members, now under the chair of Eileen Brady. Let this be a reminder that this initiative is aimed at creating the Center as a tourist destination. Funds have been allotted from the CPC to conduct an inventory and survey of the Historic District with the possibility of redrawing the boundaries. My concerns remain the same. I challenge anyone to take a photo in the district without including a telephone pole or line (excepting close-ups). The whole purpose is to benefit businesses. No other reason. This done, it can be expected that there will be spillover into other parts of the town. So, it is urgent that all of the business people find a way to take part when the committee meets, if only to give ideas.

 During the past few weeks, over 4,000 Historic Harwich Center brochures have been distributed to businesses and organizations in town. If each business handed out a brochure with a customer receipt instead of leaving them to be taken randomly, the word will get out. The brochure is generic and shows no favoritism, so no fear of conflict of interest here.

 One thing that everyone can do is to send me your permission to be included on the e-mailing list of the Initiative just so that you can keep abreast of the activities and needs of the committee. E-mail me at jprophet4@verizon.net and in the subject line just put, "Count me in."

 ATTENTION ALL MEN. The I-Bake-Da-Pie Club is looking for members. The Harwich Historical Society's Annual Pie Sale is scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2009. Normally, 100 pies are sold at this event and the complaint has been that there aren't any pies left over. So, we are recruiting men (only) to bake additional pies for the sale. The goal is to raise the number to 200. We will have donations of the ingredients, including the pie crusts. Each baker, including bakers of the first 100 will receive a special button certifying membership in the I-Bake-Da-Pie Club. For details, contact me at jprophet4@verizon.net.

 In the meantime, enjoy a great weekend. Happy Fourth of July.

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A Strange Silence

 No Word Yet on the Lease

            I really shouldn't be surprised at the strange silence going on at Town Hall. After the difficult preparations for town meeting, I can see how a rest period would be in order. However, the Board of Selectmen wrapped things up rather early this past Monday night with two important projects in the mill that I am interested in. There is no word yet on the impending lease of the old rec. building (O.R.B.) to the Harwich Junior Theatre. I understand that there is tweaking going on. On Monday night, the BOS had an opportunity to air concerns regarding the lease and what the tweaking  is about. On the other hand, negotiations of this kind may need privacy. Yet, there was no executive session called to find out where the town stands on the matter. At any rate, the public has a right to know that this important step is moving along and whether or not it is falling into the category of "planned delays".

 No Word Yet on the RFP for Affordable Housing

            I can't tell if  the issuing of the RFP for affordable housing on the O.R.B. site is contingent upon the signing of the lease or if the two are interconnected or if it isn't ready or if that, too, is in the "planned delay" box. Where is it?

 What's the Plan?

            There is a lot to do. I wish we could have a plan to look at with milestones and all that good stuff. Which comes first? Which events trigger others? For example, money has been awarded from CPA funds for the removal of the vinyl siding on the O.R.B. This is critical for the building to be eligible for the Registry of Historic Buildings. Money is there for window repair and foundation repair. What is the order in which these repairs will take place? I am quite discouraged about the amount of money recently awarded for the siding: $50,000. It's a pittance, I believe, to quiet the advocates for the building, for the Historic District, and for the revitalization of Harwich Center.

I have said before that I admire the remarkable work at the South Meeting House, but it is difficult to accept the vast difference in the amount of funding ($260,000 vs. $50,000) when the impact of funding is so different in importance. No, I haven't forgotten the previous levels of funding.

What I'm struggling with is the fact that we have a tenant ready to take over the building, a nationally-known tenant, a tenant with a history in Harwich dating back over fifty years. The Harwich Junior Theatre was founded in 1952 in Harwich. As a landlord, the town stinks. There is no other word for it. It's like a slum lord refusing or delaying repairs on a project and expecting people to rent a place in as-is condition. I don't get it. I have said it a hundred times, if I have said it once: "How can we expect someone to lease the building in its current condition?" Is it acceptable for the building to have toilets in a dark dungeon of a cellar with a port-o-potty outside? Sorry, I don't know the French word for it. And why do we have to accept the notion that a building of this import doesn't have to be fully up to code to let it out in good condition. I am not surprised at the foot dragging going on. There is no plan, no timetable. What is going to happen this year, never mind next year? And if I hear "tear it down" one more time I'll have a conniption.

 It Does Take Money, but ........

Yes, it does take money, but the worst of it is that there is no commitment, no fire in the bellies of the BOS to get things done. It comes from the top. There is no fire in the belly of the Historic District Commission and others to SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS. Without the fire, there is no realization of the dream. So far it's still smoke and mirrors.

 KISS (Keep it Simple S. . . . .)

            I'll try one more time to say in simple terms what my flailing about is all about. I urge the BOS and Historic District Commission (combined committees) to adopt the following: (sign and deliver):

            Whereas the goal is to enliven Historic Harwich Center for the good of the creative economy with positive consequences for the whole town:, and

            Whereas the goal is to unify the historic buildings and parks in the Historic District so that they represent, as a whole, the history of the town and the place of the town in the history of the country, thus making the area an attraction for tourists, and

            Whereas, the goal is to restore the O.R.B to its rightful place in the  Historic District and have it added to the federal and state Registry of Historic Buildings, and

            Whereas, the goal is to make the O.R.B. fit for occupancy by a tenant with cultural intentions,

            Be it here resolved that  <insert name> accepts the above goals and will exercise all of its powers to accomplish them.

 Actually, I would like to see a modification of this signed and delivered (with conviction) by every citizen of the town, every representative, and every organization. It is a simple package., nothing complex by any means. Maybe I'm not as verbal as I should be, or as persuasive as I should be, but anyone who can express it better, I welcome your suggestions.  E-mail me at jprophet4@verizon.net . All messages held in strict confidence.

 A Few Announcements:

 I-Bake-Da-Pie Club: The Harwich Historical Society will hold its Annual Pie Sale on August 23, 2009 to  generate funds for its ongoing programs. Each year, a fine group of bakers bake 100 pies for sale and the response is overwhelming.

This year, Gerry Loftus and I are looking for a group of gentlemen bakers to bake an additional 100 apple pies, thus doubling the funds for the  Society. All bakers will receive recognition as members of the official I-Bake-Da-Pie Club and will receive a ticket for a raffle. Winners will receive an 8 X10 caricature drawn by a local artist. This year, the event will honor Harwich resident, Muriel Wadsworth, a Betty Crocker model from 1955-1965. For more information, contact me, John Prophet at 508-430-7850 or e-mail at jprophet4@verizon.net.

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