Working Groups were appointed, during the fall of 2006, to work on shorter term issues. "Working groups" may include participants outside of the Committee membership when necessary. These groups provide regular reports to and receive direction from, the full Committee.
MOU II Working Group is meeting every two weeks. Meeting locations are intentionally alternated, between Cape Cod National Seashore Headquarters and town halls in Truro and Wellfleet. From left: Hillary Greenberg; Rex Peterson; John Portnoy; Gary palmer; Carrie Phillips; Gordon Peabody
1. Brochure. The Wellfleet Conservation Trust contributed $2,000 to sponsor an informational brochure describing the restoration effort. MA Coastal Zone Management contributed formatting and layout and MA Corporate Wetlands Partnership contributed $500 to cover additional printing costs. The brochure is currently available on the Outer Cape and by request (at no cost) from gordonsafeharbor@yahoo.com. Members: Tim Smith; John Portnoy; Stephen Spear; Gordon Peabody; Peter Hall, Wellfleet Conservation Trust; Dennis O'Connell, Wellfleet Conservation Trust.
2. Newsletter. The HRTC is creating a semi-monthly newsletter, to continue the outreach information stream initiated by the brochure. Members: John Portnoy; Tim Smith; Stephen Spear; Gordon Peabody.
3. Mosquitoes and Drainage. Working to develop a comprehensive, integrated, management plan to define healthy marsh habitat as a function of tidal flushing. Members: John Portnoy; Stephen Spear; Gordon Peabody; Gary Palmer; Gabrielle Sakolsky (Cape Cod Mosquito Control Program or CCMCP). This Working Group's final report (4th revision) was unanimously approved at the 3/19/07 HRTC meeting. This report is available on the CURRENT DOCUMENTS page
4. Low Lying Roadways. New Working Group appointed 3/19/07. Reviewing overflight and ground based data from ENSR consultants to determine specific areas of roads within the flood plain, paved and unpaved, which could eventually be impacted by incremental restoration. Working Group includes Town of Wellfleet DPW, John Riehl, and others to be named at 4/12/07 HRTC meeting. Town of Truro DPW will also be invited to the April 12 meeting.
5. By Pass Working Group. Newly appointed members will more formally research and act as liaison between the HRTC and Public Safety officials regarding use of a by pass during construction work at the Chequessett Neck dike. High Toss Road is being considered. This could save nearly a million dollars for the restoration project in construction delays and savings if a "by pass" was feasible. This might include widening turns, some grading and brush cutting and locating a water tank somewhere on the West side of the Herring River for fire emergencies. This tank would need to be underground because dike reconstruction would need to occur in winter due to numerous considerations such as human and migratory fish traffic.
5. Second Memorandum of Understanding (MOU II). The restoration of the Herring River needs to be coordinated between Federal (Cape Cod National Seashore or CCNS) and Local (towns of Truro and Wellfleet) entities. These critical, inter-governmental relationships need to be defined in a document referred to as a "memorandum of understanding". This MOU needs to determine the roles and responsibilities of the three entities. Members: Gary Palmer, Truro Board of Selectmen (and HRTC); Rex Peterson, Wellfleet Assistant Town Administrator; John Portnoy, CCNS (and HRTC); Carrie Phillips, CCNS Natural Resources Director; Hillary Greenberg, Town of Wellfleet Health and Conservation (and HRTC); Gordon Peabody HRTC .
Want More Information?
1. Numerous additional documents are available upon request. Please contact Gordon Peabody at 508-237-3724 or click here gordonsafeharbor@yahoo.com
2. For access to most recent documents, such as agendas, draft plans, minutes and chairman's notes, go to the CURRENT DOCUMENTS page, at the very top of this page.
3. Restoration Brochure, background and general information. Just click on the link below to read the brochure.