Municipalities Committee to Hold Listening Session on Cape Cod

Posted by Staff on September 14, 2011

Residents encouraged to discuss bills currently before committee and issues facing Cape towns

BOSTON—The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government announced today they will be hosting a “Listening Session” on Cape Cod.  The Committee members hope to hear from Cape Cod residents on any of the bills currently pending before the Committee, or any other issues facing Cape towns.  The event will take place on Friday, September 30, 2011 from 11:00am – 2:00pm in room 213 of the Lorusso Applied Technology Building at Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable.

Committee members are particularly interested in hearing from local residents on major zoning reform measures currently being considered by the Committee.  The Comprehensive Land Use Reform and Protection Act (S.1019) and the Land Use Protection Act (S.1008/H.1443) would streamline, clarify and update the zoning laws currently on the books in Massachusetts.

The session will be hosted by the Committee chairs, Sen. James Welch (D – West Springfield) and Rep. Michael Kane (D – Holyoke).  Committee vice chair Sen. Daniel Wolf (D – Harwich) and Committee members Rep. Cleon Turner (D – Dennis) and Rep. Timothy Madden (D – Nantucket) along with other committee members are expected to attend.

“It has been our priority to increase transparency within all branches of state government and to provide more opportunities for the public to discuss their position on legislation or concerns in the community,” said Senate President Therese Murray (D – Plymouth). “Commonwealth residents are encouraged to attend regular public hearings, watch live webcasts of formal sessions and review all bills, including the state budget, that are available online. This listening session takes our effort one step further and I hope Cape residents take advantage of this opportunity.”

 “I look forward to the opportunity to hear directly from local Cape residents about the most important issues facing their towns,” said House Chairman Michael Kane (D – Holyoke).  “Many of the bills we are now considering would have far reaching effects throughout the Commonwealth and receiving input directly from residents is invaluable to our process.”

“Interacting with Cape Cod residents about issues of concern to them will help us as we continue through the legislative process,” stated Senate Chairman James Welch (D – West Springfield).  “This is an example of how we in state government can be more accessible to all residents of the Commonwealth.” 

“So many of the issues before the Municipalities and Regional Government committee are near and dear to the hearts of Cape Codders and bringing the committee to the people is really what government should be all about,” said Senator Daniel Wolf (D – Harwich). “I think this will be a great experience for both the committee and my constituents and I look forward to a healthy discussion about some very important issues here on the Cape.”

“I have very much enjoyed serving on this Committee,” added Rep. Turner (D – Dennis).  “I am looking forward to hearing from my fellow Cape residents at this event.”

“I appreciate the Chairs bringing the Committee out to the Cape,” said Rep. Madden (D – Nantucket).  “It will provide easier access for Cape and Island residents to comment on issues that concern them. I look forward to the event”.

In addition to zoning reform measures, the Committee is also is considering numerous animal control and regulation bills including S.1033, An Act further regulating municipal animal control.  Other important bills pending in the Municipalities Committee include S.1018/H.1447, An Act Relative to the Effective Enforcement of Municipal Ordinances and Bylaws as well as H.577 and H.578, two bills filed by Rep. Turner to address an issue involving subdivisions with private roads and other amenities such as private beaches.

To see a complete list of all the bills currently before the Municipalities Committee please go to http://www.malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J10.

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Category Categories: District News, Falmouth, From Beacon Hill, Gosnold, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Press Releases  | 

Falmouth Receives Innovation Schools Implementation Grant

Posted by Staff on September 6, 2011

BOSTON – Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) today announced that Falmouth Public Schools has been awarded a $50,000 Innovation Schools Implementation Grant to support the application of new education tools at Lawrence School. This funding is part of $660,000 that has been awarded to support the operation of 15 Innovation School across the Commonwealth.

“Providing quality education to our children from the earliest stages through college is one of my priorities and this grant will bring even greater opportunities to the students at the Lawrence School,” Murray said. “I want to thank Falmouth Public Schools for their hard work that went into achieving this grant and for their dedication to bettering the education of students in Falmouth.”

“I would like to commend those at the Falmouth Public Schools and the Lawrence School who took the initiative in pursuing this grant” said Representative Timothy R. Madden (D-Nantucket). “It will not only benefit today’s students, but will allow for the exploration of new ideas in education for future Lawrence School students.”

 ”It has been a pleasure working with the Lawrence School team on their Innovation School application,” said David T. Vieira (R-East Falmouth). “As a member of the Joint Education Committee, I am thrilled to have one in our district and look forward to sharing their successes throughout the Commonwealth.”

 “We are very excited about being awarded this grant and it will certainly help in the implementation of the innovation school plan at the Lawrence School,” said Marc Dupuis, superintendent of schools. “We really appreciate the state funding this program.”

 “We are thrilled to receive this award,” said Mary Pat Flynn, chairwoman of the Falmouth board of selectmen. “It is recognition of the spirit of our community and our dedication to high quality education for our students.”

Plans for each of the 15 Innovation Schools received approval from local school committees and will be implemented in communities statewide beginning this fall.

Funds for these grants are provided in accordance with Massachusetts’ Race to the Top plan as well as through a grant to the Executive Office of Education from the Gates Foundation for “Next Generation Learning Models.”

Category Categories: District News, Falmouth, From Beacon Hill, Press Releases  | 

STEAMSHIP AUTHORITY RECEIVES $1,270,000 GRANT

Posted by Staff on August 18, 2011

Boston- State Representative Timothy Madden and State Senator Dan Wolf are happy to announce that the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority was awarded a $1,270,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration.  The grant is intended to help states maintain their roads and bridges, improve highway safety and make communities more livable. The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority’s goal is to build sewage pumping facilities at four of its terminals in order to end the practice of dumping treated wastewater into Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound. The Steamship Authority will convert nine vessels from saltwater waste systems to freshwater waste systems. Additionally, terminals will be equipped with sewage pump-out systems to remove the waste from the vessels.

Upon learning of the allocation, Representative Madden said that he “would like to applaud the leadership under Wayne Lampson and his staff for pursing this grant. Not only will it be good for the environment, but it will also be good for the ratepayers.  As we well know, the ratepayers are the ones funding the operations for the Steamship Authority.”

 Senator Wolf commented that “we’re all very pleased to see this important piece of the puzzle fall into place. This grant, creating a No Discharge zone that covers all of the waters surrounding the Cape and Islands is now feasible.”

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Category Categories: District News, Falmouth, From Beacon Hill, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Press Releases  | 

Posted by Staff on August 12, 2011

Will Horyn and Alex Perkins (center) with Cheri Rolfes or Sen. Kerry's Office (left) and Rep. Madden (right). Will and Alex were nominated to serve as Nantucket youth delegates to the Stone Soup Leadership Institute’s 7th Annual Youth Leadership Summit for Sustainable Development held on Martha’s Vineyard from June 18-24, 2011. On August 11, 2011 at the Greenhouse Building on Nantucket, they presented “A Look at the Sustainable Future of Nantucket Island” to community leaders from business, education, government and youth.

Category Categories: District News, Nantucket, Press Releases  | 

The Department of Energy Resources will launch a rebate program on 7/28 for homeowners & renters interested in replacing older refrigerators & AC’s w/ more energy efficient models

Posted by Staff on July 19, 2011

For more information check out www.MassEnergyRebates.com.

Category Categories: From Beacon Hill, Press Releases  | 

2011 Sheriff’s summer youth academy

Posted by Staff on July 5, 2011
News from the
Barnstable County Sheriff
 
News release                                                                     For more information call:
For immediate release                                                       Roy L. Lyons
                                                                                         (508) 563-4449
 
Sign up now for 2011 Sheriff’s summer youth academy
 
          Sheriff James Cummings isn’t looking for a few good men (and women), just two or three dozen Cape Cod teens who want to grow up that way.
 
            If you fill the bill, or are a parent of someone who does, the time to sign up for the Sheriff’s summer Youth Academy is now.  The start date is July 5th, and the intervening month will go quickly.  Early enrollment is recommended.
 
            The academy teaches the importance of making sound decisions and sticking to them.  Its target audience is 12- to 16-year-olds.  A typical day includes a mix of march and drill, physical fitness training, classroom discourse, and discussions that stress emotional, ethical, and intellectual development.
 
            Concluded Sheriff Cummings: “In summer’s past, we’ve worked with young teens who were well served by a push in this direction.  Participants also get some sense of what a military or law enforcement job is like, and that’s to their benefit when it comes time to decide if it’s a career for them.”
 
            Past instructors have been drawn from a mix of law enforcement, public safety, and military postings; these have included the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office, Barnstable police and firefighters, State Police, the FBI, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Marine Corps.
 
            The 12-day course will be conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; the start date, as noted, is July 5th ; the final session will be on July 28th; class will begin promptly at 8:30 AM and conclude at 1 PM.
 
            You can download an application by going to the Sheriff’s website (www.bsheriff.net). Click through from “Community Relations” to “Youth Programs,” then scroll down in the text to “Youth Academy.”  You will find a “Youth Academy Application” there.
 
            If you would rather call for an application or have questions, the Sheriff’s contact is Shaun Cahill.  He can be reached at (508) 563-6120.

Category Categories: Uncategorized  | 

A Working Group of Concerned Citizens invites you to attend Cape Cod’s second Eco-Toilet Summit

Posted by Staff on July 1, 2011

Falmouth and many towns on the Cape are faced with spending hundreds of millions of dollars on fixing their wastewater problems.

This summit is a unique opportunity to learn about a wide range of affordable solutions that improve the environment and provide local, sustainable jobs.

Participate in workshops with demonstrations on how alternative residential scale waste treatment systems work and talk to people who use these systems in their homes.

Learn how human waste, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, lawn fertilizers, car exhausts, stormwater, inlet widening and shellfish farming all play a role in the Nitrogen debate.

Sponsor:          
The Green Center – a Falmouth based, non profit educational research organization
Email: capecodalchemists@gmail.com
Phone & fax: 508-563-3101
Co-sponsors:  
Citizens for Economic and Ecological Sustainability (CEES) of Falmouth
Falmouth Climate Action Team (FCAT)
GreenCAPE
Sierra Club Clean Water Action Cape & Islands Group
Water Alliance
                           
Title:    “Eco-Toilet Summit”

Keynote Speaker: Jamie Eldridge
Senator of MA and Chair of the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission

Date:    Saturday July 16, 2011
Time:   9:00 – 9:30 am sign in, information tables
             9:30 – 11:45 am presentations
            11:45 – 1:45 pm demo workshops and discussions
Place:   East Falmouth Elementary School
             33 Davisville Road, East Falmouth

Category Categories: Falmouth  | 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Posted by Staff on June 21, 2011

Special Joint Committee on Redistricting to hold a Public Hearing at the Tilden Arts Center at Cape Cod Community College 2240 Iyannough Road, West Barnstable, MA 02668.

(BOSTON) – State Senator Stanley C. Rosenberg and State Representative Michael J. Moran announced that the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting will hold a public hearing at the Tilden Arts Center at Cape Cod Community College starting at 6:00 PM on June 27, 2011.

“Every voice is important in this process. We hope to hear from more people than ever before through this hearing and our interactive website. I urge everyone who is interested, to participate throughout this process from start to finish” said Rosenberg, Senate Chair of the Committee.

“This Committee will actively encourage participation in the redistricting process by federal, state, and municipal officials, public interest groups, and any concerned citizens. The drawing of new district boundaries will not begin until we hear from all those who want to contribute to the process and we learn from their opinions.” said the House Chairman Michael Moran.

Representative Madden said, “I welcome the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting to Cape Cod and applaud their efforts to solicit testimony throughout the Commonwealth.  I encourage any citizen of the district to attend the hearing and share their views with the Committee.”

For those that cannot attend the hearing, the Committee hosts a website at www.malegislature.gov/redistricting that provides redistricting information, the full hearing schedule and locations, and a contact page for residents of the Commonwealth to submit questions, comments, or materials.

Category Categories: District News, From Beacon Hill, Press Releases  | 

Vineyard Health Care Access Program Wins 1st Place in Statewide Enrollment Challenge

Posted by Staff on June 16, 2011

BOSTON- Earlier this week Representative Tim Madden and Martha’s Vineyard Legislative Liaison, Nell Coogan, were proud to accept the first place award on behalf of the Vineyard’s own Vineyard Health Care Access Program at the Statewide Enrollment Challenge Award Ceremony at the State House in Boston. The Vineyard Health Care Access Program participated in the “got coverage? Health Coverage for Kids and Teens” campaign, in response to Secretary Sebelius’s nationwide Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge, which challenged organizations across the Commonwealth to a Statewide Enrollment Challenge. Massachusetts, while having one of the highest coverage rates in the nation, still has many uninsured children. During the month of May, 66 organizations- including our very own Vineyard Health Care Access Program- across the state redoubled their enrollment efforts in order to make sure many more children have access to health coverage.

Category Categories: District News, From Beacon Hill, Martha's Vineyard, Press Releases  | 

FALMOUTH AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW

Posted by Staff on May 26, 2011

BOSTON- An Act Relative to the Falmouth Affordable Housing Fund which was approved as Article 31 at the November Town Meeting, and sponsored in the Legislature by Senate President Therese Murray, Representative Timothy R. Madden, and Representative David T. Vieira has been signed into law. This home rule legislation was developed collaboratively by Falmouth’s Community Preservation Committee and local housing agencies to create avenues to meet the Town’s Affordable Housing needs.

 In taking advantage of the statute that was passed in 2005 allowing for Municipal Affordable Housing Trusts to be created in the Commonwealth, Falmouth will be able to obtain funds through a variety of means. Examples include private and public gifts, contributions, grants and appropriations made by town meeting. These monies may be expended at the dissection of the trustees, without further appropriation, for the purpose of promoting and expanding the affordable housing inventory in the Town of Falmouth and will include costs and expenses associated with research, acquisition, creation, construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, relocation, program administration, and legal and engineering fees incurred in connection with this purpose.

Senate President Murray commented that “this is a positive step forward for Falmouth and I commend the Falmouth Community Preservation Committee for taking an active role in passing this legislation. Establishing, protecting and promoting affordable housing in our communities is an essential part of growing the Massachusetts economy and the benefits will be seen not only by the occupants, but by the community at large.” 

“I commend the community in choosing to pursue this initiative and would to like applaud Falmouth Community Preservation Committee members Barbara Schneider and Patti Haney for all of their efforts on this”, said Representative Madden.

Category Categories: District News, Falmouth, From Beacon Hill, Press Releases  |