Harwich News

State Grant Assists Trust With Cornelius Pond Purchase

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — The state has put the finishing touches on the Harwich Conservation Trust's Cornelius Pond Woodlands acquisition fundraising campaign with an $85,000 grant from the Conservation Partnership Grant Program. The trust issued a notice a couple of weeks ago that it would be extending the campaign through the end of the month in an effort to raise an additional $75,000 necessary to reach the $850,000 goal ...

Harwich Kelp Farmer Provides Insight Into New Industry

By: William F. Galvin

WEST HARWICH — Mark Kelleher has been drawn to the waters in and around the Herring River for many years. He's worked in fishing and shellfishing, and now has a new venture, a kelp farm a mile offshore, which is taking advantage of the nutrients flowing from the river into Nantucket Sound. The kelp farm is a first for Harwich. Kelleher admits it is an experiment for him. The part-time teacher, shellfisherman a...

HARWICH – When Monomoy Regional High School Principal Bill Burkhead won 2018 Massachusetts Principal of the Year, there was buzz about where such an accolade would take him. It very well could take him to Stoughton to serve as their new superintendent, as Burkhead is one of four finalists for the position. Burkhead joins fellow finalists Portia Selene Bonner, Superintendent of East Haven, Conn., Schools; John ...

Judge Rejects Motion To Dismiss Wychmere Pollution Suit

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — A federal judge has ruled a lawsuit filed by the Conservation Law Foundation charging Wychmere Beach Club with discharging pollutants into Nantucket Sound can move forward. Conservation Law Foundation filed two suits in August, one against Wychmere Beach Club and the other against Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, charging the waterside resorts with illegally discharging nitrogen from sewage disposal ...

Harwich Gets Guidance On New Short-Term Rental Tax

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — With the new short-term rental tax taking effect this spring, town counsel John Giorgio has laid out options the town might want to exercise that could generate additional revenues for the community. He also addressed a section of the new law relating to a water protection fund and creation of local regulations. Giorgio made it clear that there was not a lot of time remaining before the closure of th...

HARWICH — Even by reducing staff by the equivalent of eight-and-a-half full-time employees, Monomoy school officials expect a shortfall of more than a half-million dollars to meet Harwich and Chatham spending expectations for fiscal 2020. Though they are still awaiting final figures, the Monomoy Regional School Committee heard Thursday that the district may need to eliminate the equivalent of eight-and-a-hal...

New Cape Tech High School Construction Gets Underway

By: William F. Galvin

PLEASANT LAKE — The heavy work was being done by the bulldozers in the background, but state officials, members of the Cape legislative delegation and the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School family provided a symbolic groundbreaking for the new high school on Friday. The morning ceremony was filled with recognition of those who saw the need and embraced the dream of a updating the tech school nine years ag...

Cape Tech Breaks Ground On New School

By: Cape Cod Chronicle

HARWICH -- State officials, members of the Cape Cod legislative delegation, and representatives of the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School family dug in on Friday morning during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new high school that will be constructed in the Pleasant Lake section of Harwich. Brait Builders will construct the $91,376,000 school, which replace the existing Cape Tech building constructed in ...

Opinions Sought On Harwich Center Revitalization

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Stakeholders and residents throughout the community are being urged to attend a Harwich Center initiative committee public forum and provide input on restoring the economic, aesthetic and historic vibrancy of the village. The committee, formed by the board of selectmen at the urging of residents of the village, has established a mission to develop and advocate specific, well thought-out recommendatio...

Games Named To Interim School Committee Post

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — After more than an hour of discussion among the four candidates vying for a vacant seat on the Monomoy Regional School Committee on Monday night, selectmen and the Harwich members of the regional panel chose Tina Games to fill the position. The school committee seat became available after member Steve Craffey resigned Nov. 27, saying he had taken a new job in which he will be doing a lot of traveling...

Harwich Assistant Town Administrator Is Let Go

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Assistant Town Administrator Evan N. Melillo has not survived his extended probationary period. Town Administrator Christopher Clark said this week he made the decision to terminate the assistant town administrator's employment. Melillo finished his last day on the job on Friday. On Monday former longtime Yarmouth town administrator Bob Lawton was back in town hall working as interim assistant town a...

COA Honors Volunteers, Presents Laurel Awards

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — With 52 percent of Harwich residents over 60 years of age, the work of the council on aging would be daunting without the commitment of approximately 100 volunteers who help provide services to seniors. Last Thursday the COA held a luncheon at Jake Rooney's restaurant to honor the volunteers. The COA also recognized three of the participants as Volunteers of the Year, presenting the Laurel Award to S...