Letters To The Editor: Aug. 22, 2024

Inspired By Sprague’s Story

Editor:

When a person reaches a certain advanced age, there is the opportunity to become an "inspiration." Not so with Jo Ann Srague. She has been an inspiration for most of her life as Elizabeth Van Wye's wonderful profile reminds us. From serving in the Army or state and local government to being a mother of six children, Jo Ann has led an inspirational life. Her sparkling eyes and bright smile as well as her upbeat personality are always a delight in any chance meeting. Chatham is lucky to have her representation on the finance committee.

Linda Simonitsch

Chatham

The Art Of Life

Editor:

When we arrived in Chatham, my wife and I quickly met family and friends. It doesn’t take long to need a few moments alone and we venture downtown to walk the streets and look into the shops. If there is one art gallery, there are a few and into most of them we go. Old cottages on the outer beach slipping into the sea, catboats, beach scenes, gray shingle Capes with picket fences and blue hydrangeas. All types of framed artwork that cost more than a good rod and reel. When we decide we have seen enough it is time to go back, have a glass of wine and get prepared for the next morning.

Morning comes early for a fisherman and I can hear my friend Mark getting the Mitzi skiff ready. I walk over to say hello and I am greeted with a cup of some of the best coffee on the Cape. Mark likes his coffee. He says we’re off to Pleasant Bay — ahh, Pleasant Bay, one of my favorites. On the incoming tide you stand above 24 inches of water and look down at the white sand and horseshoe crabs. A good eye catches the darting gray schoolies. No need to pole at this time of morning, they’re rushing in for the warm water and bait. “Cast out with something that looks good to eat,” Mark always says, and you’re on. A striper is a wonderful fight on a light gear. As the tide turns and the day heats up, the fishing gets a little slow. Time to explore and enjoy the beauty of the seashore, always looking for the lone fish looking for a cheap meal.

The color of the day changes on Pleasant Bay. The morning has a cool orange, yellow light coming up off the horizon, the afternoon is bright and warm, but the early evening is bathed with a warm western yellow that casts its shadows pointing east. Standing on the bow of the skiff and looking for the start of the evening fish you can’t help but look at the beauty around you. “You’re in the art work, brother,” Mark says. Yes indeed, I am.

Bob Nelson

Chatham

Help, Don’t Hinder, Eagle Pond Project

Editor:

I read with dismay the Aug. 8 article regarding my town of Harwich’s select board opposition to the Housing Assistance plan to convert the former Eagle Pond Nursing Home to a transitional homeless shelter and to add insult to injury, to expend $10,000 of taxpayer funds to do so. Housing Assistance has an excellent 50-year track record of securing housing for Cape Cod residents, an issue which many Cape Codders acknowledge as one of the, if not the, most pressing issue we face as a community. Looking at their fiscal 2024 report they, helped 1,389 neighbors “find housing and stay housed” in just the past year; 304 of their clients last year were Harwich residents who benefitted from one or more of their services.

The proposed Eagle Pond facility would allow them to move families currently being sheltered in their facilities in Bourne, Barnstable and Falmouth here and then transform those shelters into permanent housing. The families living in the newly created transitional facility will have access to courses in budgeting, financial literacy, parenting, GED preparation, and job training with the goal being to reduce the time they live in the shelter by helping them transition to stable housing and hopefully, home ownership. This comprehensive model is what we need and should be something we all support.

In the same Chronicle edition, another article titled “Harwich Housing Costs Outpace Earning Capacity” noted that “housing demand has outstripped supply,” and as the chair of our local planning committee said, “teachers, medical staff, police and firefighters cannot locate reasonably priced housing.” The nonprofit Housing Assistance has been working to change that for decades. They now have an excellent opportunity to increase affordable housing options and assist people in transition with the Eagle Pond project. I am urging members of the Harwich Select Board to reconsider their opposition to this project and find ways to help rather than hinder Housing Assistance and for both entities to work together so this tremendously beneficial project will come to fruition sooner rather than later.

Karen Boujoukos

Harwich

Appreciates Generous Community

Editor:

On behalf of the Federated Church of Orleans fair committee, we thank the following merchants for their generous donations: Agway, Allard’s, The Farm, Friends’ Market, Lake Farm, Stop and Shop, and Crocker’s Nursery.

We are fortunate to have such a generous, supportive community.

Carolyn Witt

Orleans

Back Up Assertions

Editor:

In response to Mr. Coyle’s “Who’s Anti-democratic” Aug. 8 comments:

1) President Biden has had a speech impediment (stutter) since childhood and was brow-beaten with boisterous interruptions during the so-called debate. That is hardly indicative of cognitive decline. If there were to be a tape recorded competition of the mis-pronounced, mis-stated, factually inaccurate, name-confused, historically wrong claims by Messrs Biden v. Trump, guess who would win?

2) When someone writes to a newspaper and claims statistics (eg, 60 percent) they really ought to be able cite the source (any high school sophomore debate team member can subscribe to this). Perhaps it originated from the Heritage Foundation? Fox News? The Proud Boys?

3) Can the author provide any examples of Ms. Harris’ voting record(s) somehow being “further to the left” of Mr. Sanders? How does he define “left” in a “vote”?

4) What exactly is this (reeking of right wing paranoia) “cover up” in which Ms. Harris was engaged? Did she, on a daily basis prevent reporters from seeing President Biden somehow mentally failing?

5) If the author can provide one scintilla of evidence that somehow the Biden administration “opened the borders”, please provide; I would love to gobble up this fascinating data.

Finally, Mr. Coyle really needs to open his Webster or Oxford dictionary and discover what democratic really means. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Mark Philiips

Grand Junction, Colo.

Marceline Plan Needs Traffic Study

Editor:

I am requesting that the select board request a complete and detailed comprehensive report on the traffic impact at the Marcline property! I have been stuck multiple times for over 10 minutes in a long line of traffic on Queen Anne Road just trying to get to the dump.

This proposal will impact year-round residents and summer visitors. And what consideration is being given to school buses and public transportation? Perhaps this is just another kettle of worms.

Sharon Stover Gleason

Harwich

Brewster Health Board Clarifications

Editor:

The town of Brewster Board of Health deeply appreciates the Cape Cod Chronicle's commitment to the independent reporting of local news, especially at a time when so many local newspapers have left the market. However, accurate communication of health risks is essential to promoting the public's health and serves to maintain the public's trust in our scientists and government.

With that in mind, The Chronicle's July 24 article entitled "Cyanobacteria A Growing Problem For Cape Ponds" contains some factual inaccuracies that could misinform readers.

First, the tragic mass casualty event that occurred in Brazil is mistakenly attributed by The Chronicle to the ingestion of a cyanobacterial toxin. The Lancet reported this event in detail on July 4, 1998. Patients in a dialysis unit became ill during hemodialysis due to intravenous exposure to water from a lake with massive growth of cyanobacteria. Ultimately, over 60 patient deaths were attributed to the cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin, that passed through inadequate water filters and contaminated the dialysis fluid. In other words, the hemodialysis procedure resulted in intravenous injection of the toxin directly into the patients' circulating blood. This is an important distinction because ingestion exposure (as might occur during recreational use of a waterbody) was not the cause of these illnesses and deaths.

Second, according to the Barnstable County Water Quality laboratory director, the Barnstable County lab has never measured anatoxin before this year, nor has any predictive table been developed by their laboratory. Prior to 2024, the only toxin tested in their lab was microcystin, and these samples were generally non-detect for toxins. It is especially important that the existence or results of laboratory testing that might provide important decision-making information be properly represented to the public.

A third area of inaccuracy was the suggestion that the state Department of Public Health (DPH) has a direct regulatory role in placing or rescinding cyanobacteria advisories on local ponds. In reality, local health departments are the primary authority for responding to reports of cyanobacteria blooms in recreational water bodies. DPH only provides technical support to the local health departments in response to reports of cyanobacterial blooms. Unlike beach testing for enteric bacteria, there is no requirement for reporting "clean" samples to the State Department of PublicHealth. The town of Brewster, like all towns in Massachusetts, follows the Department of Public Health recommendations for cyanobacterial blooms. It is important for accurate public health communication to correctly identify the decision-making authority.

The subject of cyanobacteria and pond safety is global and complex, while at the same time it demands local understanding and actions. We thank you for your ongoing commitment to providing your readers with the best information on this public health concern.

Kimberley Crocker Pearson

On behalf of the Brewster Board of Health

Housing Solutions Need Balance Of Ideas

Editor:

Is anyone surprised that the affordable housing trust board voted unanimously to ask the select board to relinquish the authority of overseeing the RFP process on both 127 Old Harbor and the Stepping Stones properties? This group of non-elected members apparently sees itself as the sole arbiters of what “our town” should look like as we wrestle with addressing the ever present housing challenges “we” face. I’m reminded of the old saying “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely” as I watch how the committee operates and am surprised that Select Board members Schell and Davis are, in reality, driving all decisions by virtue of being able to double dip their opinions and cast votes as members of both the groups. This is a serious flaw in the system and needs to be addressed to assure we are seeing the full representations of opinions.

There is no need to link Old Harbor and Stepping Stones together - they present unique opportunities and the properties are quite different. I am concerned that we have two substantial projects (Main Street and Meetinghouse Road ) getting underway and, if the Trust gets its way, possibly two more. So I have to ask, what’s the rush? Could it be that there’s concern a potential change in the May election could upset the absolute power equation? It seems that Messrs. Nicastro and Metters are the only elected officials that appreciate the virtues of balance, practicality, and prudence when it comes to leading our community. I do not believe that our select board should be relinquishing, at the very least, its authority over the Old Harbor project - we need to retain a balance of ideas.

Remember that “when all think alike, no one thinks very much,” and this trajectory towards an affordable housing trust with absolute power will ultimately construct a Chatham that all but the powerful few will regret.

Dave Mott

Chatham