HARWICH — Fire Chief Norman Clarke wants to make changes to the department's major equipment purchases in the capital plan which could save the town $1 million and reduce the number of fire trucks in the department. “We're putting all our eggs in one basket,” Clarke told selectmen. He proposes to change the capital plan by eliminating the purchase of a $600,000 fire engine in FY20 and a ladder truck replace...

EAST HARWICH — There’s been a change of watch at Pleasant Bay Community Boating. The group’s first executive director, Charlie Sumner, is retiring after three years in office, and former YMCA Chief Development Officer Patrick “P.J.” Richardson is taking the helm. Richardson, a 48-year-old Centerville resident, has strong ties to the Lower Cape. His parents live in Orleans, and as a youngster he spent most su...

HARWICH — The recreation and youth commission is considering banning smoking on public beaches as well as all parks and recreational facilities in town. Before making a decision, however, the commission will get together with the board of health to determine if a wider ban would be better implemented under that board's jurisdiction. Recreation Director Eric Beebe told the commission last week that a lot of ...

HARWICH — The selectmen and finance committee got an up-close look at the proposed Monomoy Regional School District budget Monday night. The school district is seeking a total of $40,901,482, with Harwich being asked to contribute $26,754,276, close to a 4.5 percent increase over the current year. With student enrollment down by 58 since FY16, a reflection of the overall decline in school-age children in the d...

HARWICH — There is a trend in Massachusetts to change the title of executive boards in municipalities to more gender neutral terminology. Selectmen were asked to follow that trend on Monday night. Resident Amy Harris requested selectmen change the title of the executive board from “board of selectmen” to “select board.” She said 80 towns in the commonwealth have made the adjustment, including Brewster, Wellfle...

HARWICH — The town has received a petitioned article for the annual town meeting warrant seeking to rescind an article approved in 2016 which authorized selectmen to transfer the 2.25 acres at 276 Queen Anne Rd. to the cemetery commission to develop a pet crematory and cemetery. “I love this town, this is not personal, I'm just against the waste of this land,” lead petitioner Tom Birch said on Tuesday. Birch w...

WEST HARWICH – The owners of the former Captain George Winchell Baker house, the historic structure at the corner of Route 28 and Depot Street, have filed plans with the planning board to construct a 7,489-square-foot retail store on the property. Applicant Harwich DG Series LLC did not indicate what type of retail store it plans to develop on the site. The Baker house is presently protected by a one year d...

HARWICH — Thomas Sherry is the first candidate to take out nomination papers to run for a seat on the board of selectmen. There are two seats on the ballot in May and incumbents Julie Kavanagh and Michael MacAskill have not yet committed to seek re-election. Sherry is familiar to Harwich voters after having run last May against Ed McManus for a seat on the board. In a close election, McManus won by a 21 vote m...

HARWICH — The town is looking for a food service business partner interested in leasing the snack shack at Saquatucket Harbor. Town Administrator Christopher Clark was putting the finishing touches on a request for proposals document this week and has an eye on awarding the lease by March 21. Clark went over the RFP with selectmen last week and the board had several questions. Selectman Larry Ballantine wanted...

HARWICH — Officials and citizens expressed mixed opinions about the town moving ahead with a pet burial ground on town-owned land during an update provided to selectmen on the project proposed by the cemetery commission. The pet burial ground and the future plan for the placement of a crematory on the 2.25-acre parcel on Queen Anne Road has fervent proponents and opponents, as was on display during the present...

Ups and downs are often part of the ride when school officials formulate a budget, but the roller coaster took a turn last week that’s likely to upset some stomachs in Harwich. The FY20 Monomoy Regional School District spending plan got a boost of more than $400,000 thanks to an increase in state aid and the likelihood that health insurance costs will hold steady rather than increasing 10 percent as expected. ...

HARWICH — Suggestions to revitalize Harwich Center were clearly stated by the nearly 50 participants in the Harwich Center initiative committee's forum last Thursday. The session focused more on traffic and infrastructure improvements than economic vitality. Residents and business owners in and around the village spoke about the needs for improvements to three key intersections, more parking, better sidewalks ...