Complete Streets Many village residents have already shared their views about needed improvements to our roads and sidewalks. This is one more chance to raise awareness concerning the safety issues on Commerce Road and the need for a complete sidewalk to 6A.
Updates
In collaboration with the Cape Cod Commission and based on public feedback collected this past Summer, Town staff have worked to develop a Draft Prioritization Plan: a list of priority roadway improvement projects throughout the Town of Barnstable ranked by defined evaluation criteria including safety, mobility, ability to implement and community support.
The Town of Barnstable and the Cape Cod Commission want to hear from you. Does the Prioritization Plan reflect our communities’ priorities? Are there any roadway improvements that should be added to the Prioritization Plan? The public comment period is now open through Wednesday March 15th. To view the map of proposed priority projects and to submit comments, please visit the Cape Cod Commission’s webpage: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/barnstable-complete-streets/
Thanks to Ray and Pippa for their creative and entertaining addition to our village holiday lights.
Real Estate Taxes
A number of residents have reached out to me with concerns about their tax bills.
The best place to start is to either look at your bills from last year, or preferably, look up your Property Record on the Assessor’s section of the Town of Barnstable website.
Go to https://town.barnstable.ma.us then go to Departments: then Assessor:: then: Property Look Up. From there you can access your property information, including assessed values for previous years and your tax info for the last two years.
The present tax assessments are based on the real estate sales market in 2021. This is the last year with complete information. On average assessed values rose 27% from the year before. Assessments for most people rose, but the residential tax rate itself actually decreased from $8.64 per $1,000 in 2022 to $7.07 per $1,000 in 2023. Many people had their home values rise and their taxes remained about the same, while some saw higher home value increases and higher taxes.
While you are looking at your property information, check the bottom of your Tax Information to be sure that, if this is your primary residence, you are getting a Residential Exemption. This reduces your assessment by 20% before your taxes are calculated. You should have a line at the bottom of your tax information that says: Residential Exemption Received. You need to have owned your home since the beginning of 2022, but call the Assessor’s Office to get check all of the particulars.Example:
You can also review your Property Record Card for accuracy.
If you see a problem with your Property Record Card or you feel your assessment is not accurate, you have until the end of January to file for an abatement.
Questions regarding: Residential, Veteran, Senior, Blind Exemptions and Deferral applications can be directed to the Town Assessor’s Office by calling: 508–862-4022 or email assessor@town.barnstable.ma.us Here is a link to a recently produced video which explains how our properties are assessed: AN OVERVIEW ‑VIDEOFISCAL YEAR 2023 RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TAX:
At this time of year, I always enjoy saying, “See you next year.“ I hope to see you many of you at the Annual Barnstable Harbor New Year’s Day Splash, on Sunday the 1st of the year. Bring your bathing suit and then join us at the Dolphin. There will be music, raffles, and many village friends to begin the new year with. The funds raised will go to families in need in Barnstable Village. I want us all to recognize the efforts of Dan Philos-Jensen for taking over and organizing this fun and worthwhile village event. He has put in many hours and he is a role model for all of us. There is also a series of First Day HIkes, organized by the Barnstable Land Trust. I hope you are all staying warm and if I don’t see you this week, See you next year.
As the earlier post indicates, Gordon Starr Precinct 1 Town Council Candidate is on the move. As well as Stand Outs & Media Events, Gordon is knocking on doors across Barnstable Village, Centerville, and Hyannis’ “Village Green” and asking the question “do you know who is your town councilor?”
Stand Outs
We need lots of
people!
It is crunch time for the Barnstable Town Council election on
November 5. And we need your help
holding signs from 7:30–9:00am and 3:30–5:00pm on election day.
Please contact Cynthia Cole at cbc33@comcast.net. Text or call her at 508.280.8979.
Please give us an hour or two of your time!
BTW, for those not sure, stand outs are when you stand on the corner, or at a poll holding a Vote for Gordon Starr Town Council sign. It’s fun. You get to wave a lot and people smile back at you. Sometimes they even honk their horns!
Media Events
Sunday, November 3rd @ 12pm – 1pm
First, tune in to hear Precinct 1 Town Council challenger Gordon Starr converse with incumbent John Flores on FM 95.1 Newsradio WXTK hosted by Patrick Desmarais.
Next, call in and engage in the debate between these two town council candidates. The number to call is 508–775-9985.
More Ways to Support Gordon Starr
Visit our Support Gordon Starr page, or to learn about more upcoming Stand Outs & Media Events sign up for Gordon’s newsletter.
It’s not easy keeping up with Gordon. He’s all over town!
Knocking on doors, town meetings, and now, radio shows, he is on the move. His signs are showing up all over the precinct as he reaches out to voters across Barnstable Village, Hyannis, and Centerville.
As busy as Gordon is, so are his supporters. Click the links below to read Letters to the Editor supporting his candidacy and published by the Cape Cod Times this past week.
Association to Preserve Cape Cod’s Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb had this to say in his “What I’m thinking” newsletter…
If you start at the local level, and let’s face it that most of the action on mitigation and adaptation are going to happen as local government projects, your vote really counts. I was elected a selectman by 6 votes. In local scale elections, single votes matter and candidates know it. So, don’t waste your power. Put people in office at the local level who take the science seriously and understand the urgency.
… Don’t think for a minute that who you elect locally doesn’t matter. Even if your local select person doesn’t move up the political food chain, they will be deciding what your town does or doesn’t accomplish on climate and water quality. Barnstable voters, you have an election soon, so it is not too late to flex your environmental muscles.
Gordon cares about Barnstable Village. He is looking forward on all issues impacting our village and our town. Visit About Gordon and learn why he should be our next Precinct 1 town councilor.
Yesterday, Gordon Starr Barnstable Town Council Candidate Precinct 1 was endorsed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey at Nirvana Coffee Shop in Barnstable Village.
“We
need leaders at the local level to influence policies that are going to
help us to avoid the worst and most catastrophic consequences of
climate change, we need to think globally but need to act locally. ”
The Cape Cod Times article notes that the town council election is not a partisan race. Gordon is registered as “un-enrolled” nevertheless, Gordon’s strong record of supporting the environment caught Senator Markey’s attention for an endorsement.
Markey was on the Cape to attend the Net Zero Conference being held at Cape Cod Resort and Conference Center in Hyannis.
Gordon has lived in Barnstable Village for over 40 years
Gordon knows Barnstable Village. He values its traditions and respects its character. Gordon understands what is important to the villagers. He is a great listener and wants to hear what matters to you!
Visit About Gordon to learn more about Gordon’s story. Aside from being endorsed by Senator Ed Markey, Gordon has curried favor with townspeople across the village, as indicated by the many lawn signs lining route 6A.
Here’s a proposal for some big picture thinking. Can we come together to create a Cape Cod climate task force, using common sense and goodwill to create a blueprint, a compact, to guide and unite us all in this new era?
As my bio states, I am the “environmental guy”. Click here to learn more about my story, my interests, and why I believe that I can help to make Barnstable resilient in the face of climate evolution.
And for those of you for whom the link doesn’t work, here’s the copy from Mimi McConnell’s Cape Cod Times Editorial of Sept. 11, 2019.
Hats off to Wellfleet and its neighbors for their enlightened approach in exploring nontraditional methods to reduce wastewater pollution in Wellfleet Harbor (“Wellfleet weighs multifaceted watershed cleanup approach,” Aug. 26, Page 1).
This augurs well for the rest of Cape Cod if we can open our minds to examining and then adopting new solutions proven elsewhere in our country but also in other nations – whether it be to address water quality or other issues. Too often we turn to “horse and buggy” fixes in today’s world of reliable alternatives and new technologies.
But this brings up the larger question facing this peninsula: What are we doing now, today, in concert, to prepare for the escalating impacts of global climate change? We do not have the 10- to 12-year period we hear touted; the changes are cascading now, affecting weather, the economy, rising seas, the balance of nature and ultimately our way of life right here.
Can we come together to create a Cape Cod climate task force, using common sense and goodwill to create a blueprint, a compact, to guide and unite us all in this new era?
This would obviously require legislation, created by the people of Cape Cod after intensive input from all elements of our population. We are blessed with world-class scientists right here in Woods Hole; we have progressive business leadership; we have courageous environmental and groups; we have enlightened political leaders; we have an informed but unorganized public open to new ideas – yet there is no cohesive or united effort yet to address the biggest challenge of our time.
This is not a proposal for a feel-good study group but rather a convening of knowledgeable and determined Cape Codders. Care in forming this task force would be imperative to ensure balance, fairness and doability. Funding for staff and logistics would be needed and could come from financial and real estate entities (whose futures are central to this effort). Might our Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce take the lead in forming this task force, using great care to be inclusive, balanced and practical, with a deadline of, say, 18 months?
Yes, this is complicated, and indeed daunting; but I have faith that we on Cape Cod will find common ground at this extraordinary time of awakening to this local yet international challenge to the planet entrusted to us. It will require ingenuity, integrity and wisdom to play our part in the future of our global village. Let’s make it happen!
As a town councilor, I will communicate & engage regularly with Precinct 1 constituents to keep them up to date on “What’s Happening”. It is one of the most important roles of a town councilor to engage the people in their district.
This is the first installment of weekly updates on village and town issues.
The town council voted to approve CPC (Community Preservation Committee) funding for “improvements” to The Hollow. I hope you can come to the next Hollow meeting at the Unitarian Church this Wednesday (see below for more information).
On August 20th, Dan Santos, head of DPW, spoke at the old Jail about the Streetscape, the Hollow and Maraspin Creek. There is a nice synopsis of the meeting on the Friends of Barnstable Harbor Website.
I am developing a plan for “face to face” meetings for the Barnstable Village Streetscape Project. As the project progresses, I believe it will be important to have a forum to voice our concerns about the project. These concerns will be shared with the Town of Barnstable. And please, feel free to update me on any concerns you may have about the BV Streetscape Project ongoing.
Look forward to seeing you at these important meetings and hearing your concerns regarding the Streetscape Project. And thank you all for being interested in our village be sure to check in regularly to learn “What’s Happening”!
Sincerely,
Gordon
P. S. Thanks to Ann Canedy for these links.
HOLLOW UPDATE MEETING SCHEDULED:
Precinct 1 Town Councilor John Flores will be hosting a meeting for local citizenry input with members of the DPW department and CPC regarding the renovation of the Hollow Field on Wednesday , September 4, 2019 at 6pm. The meeting will be held at the Unitarian Church Warren Hall next to the Hollow Field.
John Flores will put together a sub committee to talk about improvements at the Hollow. If you would like to join, contact him at: johnflores3105@gmail.com
Barnstable Village Streetscape Project
WANT TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE BARNSTABLE VILLAGE STREETSCAPE PROJECT?
The Town of Barnstable Dept. of Public Works wants you to be updated in a timely, accurate, informative way regarding the upcoming streetscape project. If you want to receive regular updates directly from DPW, submit your email address to : bvproject@town.barnstable.ma.us
Gordon believes that communication with the villagers is the number one job of a town councilor
The Hollow ‑August 2019
This past Thursday evening, Gordon Starr called a meeting to at the Sturgis Library where Town of Barnstable architect Mark Marinaccio presented the plans for “improving” The Hollow”. The town’s Community Preservation Committee has slated a $162,000 commitment to this “open space” project. The town council will vote on appropriating these funds at Thursday’s (8/15/19) town council meeting.
The more than thirty attendees were concerned about the plans. After much discussion and the overwhelming sentiment that “The Hollow isn’t broken, so please don’t fix it”, attendees largely agreed that improvements to the turf, updating of the ball field materials, and handicap access improvements would likely be good for The Hollow.
In Gordon’s words…
Thanks for coming out to listen and share your memories and visions for The Hollow.
I organized this meeting to assure that we learn about this project before it is finalized, and I think we have a sense of how to proceed. On Thursday, August 15th, the Town Council will have a hearing and a vote about approving funds to improve The Hollow.
My reading of our group is that there is general support for improvements, but it is imperative that we have a seat at the table as the plan is finalized. We support this appropriation with the understanding that the community will be involved in the developing of the final plan.
The Town Council meeting will start at 7pm at Town Hall. There are two chances to speak. There is a time early in the agenda for any citizen to speak during public comment time. … If you can not make it, you can go on the Town of Barnstable web site and email the Town Council.
Thanks again for your passion and willingness to step up.If you have any thoughts or questions, please email me at starrbarnstable@gmail.com
Barnstable & West Barnstable Town Council Candidates Gordon Starr & Kris Clark at the 2019 One Cape Summit
I spent Monday and Tuesday at the Cape Cod Commission’s 2019 One Cape Summit. Workshops addressed climate change through adaptation and mitigation. Also fantastic discussions about the issues concerning year-round housing on the Cape.
2019 One Cape Summit: Wequasset Resort patio overlooking Pleasant Bay
This year’s One Cape Summit focused on Environment and Economy. Day #1 featured speakers on environmental concerns. Eric Fisher, CBS Boston’s WBZ-TV’s chief meteorologist recounted not only the conditions leading up to the previous week’s tornadoes, but also stated that July 2019 was the hottest July on record for Boston. In fact, the Washington Post reports that June was the 414th consecutive month with above-average global temperatures.
The One Cape Summit Day #2 agenda included presentations on town planning tools. These tools integrate design, economics and public input to develop strategies for improving quality of life while increasing living space density. Town of Barnstable planners are looking to the future to ensure that affordable workforce housing opportunities are created.
Finally, a presentation by the US Census Bureau emphasized the need
for our participation in the 2020 census. The importance of keeping
respondent data strictly confidential was both emphasized and
reiterated. And, the US Census Bureau is offering census takers jobs at
$19/hour. Here’s a link to see if you qualify 2020 US Census Job Opportunities.
