Budget Cuts, Brrr and Then Some

Wow. We’re already one month into the new year. That went fast. So Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, who is playing anyhow?

It seems that Provincetown is not immune to budget deficits and recession issues. A $900,000 budget deficit was narrowed to $780,000 by conventional cuts and the town is seeking ways to balance the budget. The town is actively seeking creative ways to fill the gap. The Board of Selectmen have come up with ideas such as closing the Recreation Department, no longer offering free trash pickup in the winter, cutting the hours for the library for the winter or an unpaid furlough for town workers. The goal is to avoid layoffs during this recession.

If you live in Provincetown you may notice that your water bill has increased. As soon as this April, your water bill can increase anywhere from 10-13% from where it is now. The jump in the rate is due to a projected $266,000 deficit in the water enterprise fund. This fund is the entity that operates the finances for the water department.

The weather has been beyond cold so far this winter. In mid January, the combination of a frigid 12 degrees and wind gusts of 20 miles per hour, adjusted the wind chill to minus two degrees. This is colder than normal. A Providence Rhode Island weather station reported that there has been 18 inches more snow this year to date than last year.

The weather was so cold in fact, that it broke pipes at the administrative offices of the Provincetown Fire Station on Shank Painter Road. The ceiling and walls are damaged, bathrooms a mess and office equipment ruined. Repairs are being made.

The US Coast Guard would like to issue a warning to mariners due to the cold weather. Be sure to wear a wet suit, have proper safety equipment on board, and inform the coast guard of your trip. Always be sure to wear a life jacket and be warned that hypothermia sets in rather quickly if you are to fall in the cold water.

Penny for your thoughts? Well, you may not think a penny is worth saving these days but the students at Veterans Elementary School in Provincetown do. Through their efforts $650 worth of pennies were raised as part of “Pennies for Peace.” The pennies will be cashed in and money sent to schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan for supplies. All grades participated and students were encouraged to bring in their pennies from home. They started saving the copper in October.

Have you ever wanted to run for public office? Here’s your chance. Nomination papers are now available for Provincetown’s May Election. Positions open are Selectmen, Town Moderator, School Committee, Board of Library Trustees, Housing Authority and four positions on the Charter Enforcement Commission. All candidates must file nomination papers by 6pm March 17th with the town clerk. Good luck.

The $1.7 million dollar phase one repairs of town hall are moving along with no major snags. However, there have been areas of extreme rot and mold found and removed. These are unplanned repairs but according to town officials were expected and planned for.

Provincetown is looking to hire a new Tourism Director in the wake of the unexpected resignation of Lisa Bowden. The position was filled by Bowden in 2008 and she left citing personal reasons. So far, the town has received over 39 applications for the full time position which pays roughly $40,000 per year.

If you rent your home be sure to get your rental certificate from the Board of Health. Starting this year, there will be strict and high fines levied on any residential homeowner who rents and doesn’t have a certificate. The cost for the certificate and inspection is $150 for the first year and $60 each year thereafter for two years. The new fines are $100 for the first day, $200 second day and $300 for every day thereafter until the homeowner conforms.

You are now up to date for happenings in Provincetown. If you have a question, send me an email at mike.dubour@verizon.net. Play it safe.

Provincetown News for January 2009

Mid January in Provincetown

Bundle up from head to feet in winter attire if you dare brave Commercial Street. The winds are howling, houses are shaking from the gusts and fireplaces are alive with dancing flames. The bay is pretty cool with whitecaps holding a winter festival of their own.

This winter, the businesses in Provincetown have really expanded their offerings of things to do for townies. This is great for those who have been impacted by the recession and will be sticking around all winter.

Monday. The Mews is the place to be. Coffee House at The Mews brings out singers and songwriters from all over. Ron Robin, owner of The Mews, even flies talent in from New York City, courtesy of Cape Air. This open mic night is a benefit for WOMR radio in Provincetown, is hosted by local luminary Peter Donnelly and Provincetown’s east end café, Wired Puppy, provides free coffee. There is no reason not to go.

Tuesday. The Wellfleet Movie Theatre is open and playing first run movies. The last scheduled flicks of the day are usually around 7PM. 

Wednesday. Bistro at The Crowne Pointe offers 2 for 1 entrees. What an affordable way to dine and relax in a comfortable and elegant atmosphere. Fine dining made available for all. Ain’t the off season great?

Napi’s Restaurant will host an open mic night of it’s own every second Wednesday through June. An open donation is requested to help with the costs. Celebrity writers are expected to be featured.
Thursday. Back at The Mews it’s 2 for 1 entrees. The atmosphere, friendly staff and great food make this another fun and cheap night out.

Friday. Michael Shays, Bayside Betsy’s and Fanizzi’s all offer affordable fish fries.

Saturday. Joe Mama’s at The Art House will start airing award winning movies from the past. There is no schedule as of yet, however, this is a great place to hang out with friends and chill, catch a movie and a bite to eat. 

The A-house is open for dancing.

Counter Productions at The Provincetown Theatre offers plays. You can plan on the run occurring the last two weekends of each month. 

Sunday. Get out of bed and get to Fanizzi’s or Michael Shays for an amazing brunch.

Comfort food at Bayside Betsy’s is where you can crash any diet. Delicious southern food, served up starting at only $9.95 is a nice way to end the weekend. If you desire a bit more fine dining, than Bistro at the Crowne Pointe offers Italian specials.

It appears that the owners of the building where George’s Pizza is located will resume the practice of making pizzas for us. They had rented the restaurant to a group that did not pay taxes for the past four years and were, shut down. They are expected to open in February.

That’s it for this week. Have fun, play it safe and send me an email if you’d like mike.dubour@verizon.net.

The First Week Ends

A year of change is falling on Provincetown.

The restaurant industry has been impacted immensely. Clem and Ursies, Level and The Landmark restaurants will most likely not re-appear on the menu of dining choices next summer. It is pretty definite that these eateries are gone and tables cleared for good. But spontaneous resurrections have been known to happen in the Provincetown restaurant scene.

The year round pizza joint, George’s Pizza, was closed due to non payment of taxes back in November. It is rumored that the doors will open soon and home deliveries will be made. It’s fun to sit at the full bar and enjoy a drink, meet townies and weekend visitors and indulge in tasty food. Or you can sit by the window and watch locals trudge down Commercial Street. This is a winter favorite for many of us, so it will be nice to get it back.

Joe Mama, the restaurant that was located at The Aquarium Mall in Provincetown and made famous this past summer for Panini sandwiches and great tasting bagels, has been seriously busy since moving to The Art House and filling in at the Frappo space for the winter. They’ve been so busy with breakfast, lunch and dinner that they have run out of food a few times and had to close…much to the dismay of their fans. As a side note, Rick, the owner of Joe Mama, will be screening old movies throughout the winter. Hey… it’s something to do.

A bit of old news… Stop and Shop has taken over the Grand Union space. What a coat of whitewash will do. There is also something that just seems more organized about the Provincetown grocery store…the intangible. At some point this year, some say next month, some say next fall, Stop and Shop will absorb the vacant retail space to the left, facing the store. This was the area occupied by a Provincetown gym, a liquor store and most recently a store to buy beach items.

Counter Productions, located at The Provincetown Theatre, will be producing one play each month of the winter. Local Provincetown talent will make up the cast. This month the play, “Philadelphia, Here I Come” will be featured. You can visit www.counter-productions.org for more information. BTW auditions are held monthly for those who would like to try acting in the New Year. 

A personal observation: I’ve met a lot of folks who made the decision to move here in 2009.

Surprisingly, the age demographic is wide. After seeing an influx of the more mature crowd enter the Provincetown population over the past six years, I’ve met twenty five year olds who want no part of hum drum jobs, guys and gals in their thirties who are achieving the dream of moving here and retirees who finally stepped out of the corporate world. It seems that the allure of Provincetown is still strong.
I’ll touch base next week and let you know what’s going on. Check back here on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. 

Have a great weekend and play it safe! Email me feedback at mike.dubour@verizon.net.