Letters to the Editor

Roberta Lema writes that Truro is being pushed too quickly toward large-scale housing-related development and zoning changes without sufficient data, community alignment, or financial clarity. She urges Truro to slow down, reassess actual needs, and prioritize preserving Truro’s character while addressing housing in a measured, affordable way. She sees a widening disconnect between taxpayers and Town officials, notes wide support for small-scale housing, and links to alarming public remarks that raise important questions. She offered "Roberta's Recipe" for sensible planning as one way to move forward now.

Pamela Wolff argues that Truro’s Select Board cannot legally honor both the 2024 Walsh vote and the 2025 Walsh Overlay District (WOD) without amending the zoning bylaw. The 2024 vote capped development at 160 phased units, while the WOD has no cap or phasing and could allow over 1,000 units, undermining voter intent. She says voters were misled and warns of water conflicts with Provincetown. Wolff calls for a 2026 WOD amendment to restore 2024 limits and halt further Walsh planning until fixed.

In a letter to Truro News, Peter Moody responds to recent commentary by Roberta Lema and Warren Tobias, arguing that many taxpayers feel disconnected from decision-making at all levels of government. He calls for a pause on new spending and development, urging the town to complete existing projects: housing, the Truro Motor Inn site, and a scaled-down DPW, before approving additional initiatives.

Warren Tobias writes a passionate appeal for responsible and planned growth management in Truro. He builds upon a prior letter by Roberta Lema (“Say What?”), agreeing with her critique. He aligns with concerns about overdevelopment plans and rising taxes, highlighting a lack of coordinated planning among Town committees about water, safety, roads and traffic, and other impacts. Tobias warns of over $100 million in looming debt tied to infrastructure and development projects, calling for a moratorium on large undertakings until a comprehensive Growth Master Plan is created. His message is clear: Truro must prioritize environmental sustainability, fiscal restraint, and community preservation over unchecked expansion.

Truro’s central corridor along Route 6 is more than just a highway—it’s a defining landscape of pines, dunes, and open space that welcomes residents and visitors alike. The Committee to Preserve the Route 6 Greenway is urging action now to prevent development from transforming this scenic gateway into pavement and glare. Learn how local protections can preserve this treasure of Truro’s natural beauty and rural character for generations.

Jack Riemer, a member of the Committee to Preserve the Greenway, warns that Truro faces intertwined environmental and fiscal risks. Overdevelopment threatens water supplies, financial stability, and the Route 6 Greenway — a vital ecological, economic, and natural asset. Citing “Jack’s Gas” as a cautionary case, he urges establishing and protecting a designated Route 6 Greenway. Riemer advocates a coordinated strategy — conservation, design, and mobility—paired with stronger policy tools to align growth with community values, safeguard Truro’s identity and rural character, and build a sustainable, affordable future for current residents.

Roberta Lema welcomes improved decorum at public meetings but is alarmed by several committees — especially the Zoning Task Force—which she says endanger Truro’s rural character, environment, and fiscal stability. A former official and lifelong resident, she warns “extreme” development may not help Truro residents, and could irreversibly damage the town, strain resources, raise costs, and erase community oversight. Her letter is both a warning and a rallying cry: pay attention, ask tough questions, and act before Truro becomes unrecognizable. “Say What?” translates to “Did they really say that?”—inviting neighbors to listen and decide for themselves.

The letter raises concern over a Finance Committee member also serving on a building committee whose plans the Finance Committee must later review. This dual role undermines the committee’s ability to provide impartial oversight. The author urges the town to preserve committee independence, avoid overlapping roles, and broaden participation to ensure diverse voices and responsible financial governance.

Roberta Lema, a fourth generation Truroite and a former member of the FinCom, calls on Truro residents to resist pressure from influential interests and to carefully evaluate the long-term implications of proposals at ATM. She urges rejection of vague or risky proposals in articles such as the Seasonal Community designation and the Walsh Overlay District, and champions common-sense reforms aimed at preserving the town’s rural character, finances, transparency and resources, including approval of the Charter revision for FinCom, the proposed budget cap for the DPW, and the landfill solar article. Her message: think critically, act cautiously, and vote smart.

Jon Slater continues timely and important updates on the status of Public Records Requests in Truro. This time he raises serious concerns about the Town of Truro’s failure to respond in a timely and lawful manner on PRRs about an SB member and candidate’s communications, the DPW, and non-Truro influence on voters. Slater emphasizes that this lack of transparency is especially troubling as they include issues critical to the upcoming Annual Town Meeting (ATM) and 2025 Town Elections. He outlines a pattern of administrative delay that he interprets as official obstruction, particularly on topics affecting upcoming votes and voter decision-making.

Dennis O’Brien addresses concerns regarding the proposed $35 million cost for a new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility in Truro, significantly exceeding last year's rejected $28 million proposal. He emphasizes the community’s responsibility to demand a more affordable plan, citing a citizen petition article aiming to limit costs. He urges voters to assert their budgetary control, advocating a DPW solution under $20 million, ensuring responsible use of taxpayer funds and clarity in future budgeting decisions.

Michael Forgione criticizes Truro's government for undermining voter rights by repeatedly bypassing voter decisions on financial and zoning issues. He argues that positions like Housing Coordinator, Climate Coordinator, and HR Manager were funded without proper voter approval. He also warns against the proposed Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT) and zoning changes for the Walsh property, which he views as undemocratic "power grabs" stripping voter influence. Forgione urges residents to reject these proposals to restore accountability, transparency, and voter control.

Fran Johnson urges the town to use the Town Manager's departure as more than a transition of people and take the opportunity to reconsider the previous Town Manager's approach to budgeting and growth in Truro. Fran sees this change as a not-to-be missed chance to reassess priorities, particularly regarding the DPW, development projects like Walsh, and senior benefits, for example. He urges fiscal common sense, a reconsideration of big infrastructure projects, and greater respect for voter decisions and taxpayer burdens.

Roberta Lema, a long-time Truro resident, expresses concerns about what she has observed while watching Truro committee meetings on Truro TV. Both serious and tongue-in-cheek, she illustrates with various statements made by town officials that she finds troubling, particularly regarding taxes, finances, and "absurd" justifications for some big-ticket Town decisions. She believes her examples reflect a broader problem: an official mindset that disregards restraint in budgeting and spending. She urges us to use better judgment about major town projects to reduce costs, not advise taxpayers on how to shoulder excessive tax burdens.

Jon Slater discusses his review of 19 Public Records Request (PRR) cases he received and summarized for the State at their request. He describes how recent PRR practices systematically obstruct our right to know by the Town’s refusing to comply with PRRs, abusing legal privilege claims, and creating unacceptable and unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. He urges the Select Board to restore simplicity, fairness, and transparency to the process in order to eliminate deliberate delays, non-compliance, and financial waste and why this is so critical to restore trust and confidence in Truro's Town government.

Mike Forgione discusses the debate over Truro's Department of Public Works (DPW) facility project, focusing on the recent decision to advance a single consolidated building rather than the less expensive and equally justifiable campus-style design. He challenges the decision to move forward with a single-building design for the DPW, citing high costs, financial strain on taxpayers, and poor project planning. He advocates for a campus-style DPW, a modular approach to reduce costs, improve flexibility, and better align with Truro’s long-term fiscal sustainability.

Dennis O'Brien criticizes the Truro Town Manager and others for: (1) hijacking the DPW project, (2) not following the law, (3) violating terms of agreement to effectively select a designer improperly, and (4) pressuring the AHBC to rush an inadequate proposal to voters -- repeating the process which voters rejected last year. O'Brien highlights mismanagement, conflicts of interest, and voter rights being undermined. He calls on the Select Board to ensure timely, accurate, and cost­ effective progress.

Michael Forgione expresses concern about the lack of neutrality of Truro’s municipal publication, Truro Talks. He highlights issues in the December 2024 Town Manager’s report, which he argues included biased and subjective statements, particularly about the DPW Study Group’s proposal. He calls for the Select Board to ensure accurate and balanced communication that aligns with the original goal of fostering transparency, and urges clarification on whether the Town Manager’s views reflect official positions or personal opinions.

Mike Janoplis addresses the misrepresentation and misuse of his comments at a one-on-one by Truro’s Town Manager used to justify TM's incorrect position. Janoplis clarifies the facts and especially rebuts the TM's disparaging and false remarks about the DPW Study Group's 2023 cost proposal. He criticizes the Town Manager for using fabricated statements to undermine voters' choice for a DPW on Town Hall Hill. While partial corrections were made, Janoplis questions why officials are disregarding clear voter mandates and spreading misinformation.

Jon Slater asked citizens to share experiences with their Public Records Requests (PRRs). You answered, confirming widespread delays, improper privilege claims, and noncompliance with state directives. He calls for transparency and accountability, suggesting ways the Select Board can investigate and demand that the Town's PRR practices ensure timely, lawful, and transparent responses.

Truro's financial landscape is evolving with a 21% population increase over the past decade and a booming real estate market. However, school enrollment has declined, and the town's tax advantage has narrowed, aligning closely with state averages in 2024. Significant capital projects, including infrastructure upgrades, affordable housing, and building repairs, present funding challenges. To address these, Truro must focus on comprehensive financial planning, prioritizing projects, seeking grants, exploring public-private partnerships, and creating a long-term capital improvement plan to ensure fiscal sustainability and community well-being.

Every once and again, images of my dad on his ham radio equipment cross my mind. Then I think of all the aspiring students he taught, which included my brother and me.

Dennis O’Brien calls on the Select Board to take action against the Ad Hoc Building Committee liaison Bob Weinstein for disregarding over 600 voters’ wishes, pushing for an alternative Route 6 site, and fostering hostility. O’Brien urges the Select Board to confirm the DPW location, remove Weinstein as liaison, reassess committee roles, and hold the Town Manager accountable to restore public trust and support voter decisions.

Truro resident Laurie Lee criticizes Town officials for attempting to reconsider Route 6 as a DPW site, despite previous Town Meeting votes favoring Town Hall Road. Lee argues that these actions undermine the clear mandates from voters and accuses officials of misrepresenting public opinion. She urges the Select Board to honor the established votes and clarify their stance on the matter to ensure new leadership aligns with voter decisions, emphasizing the need for transparency.

Jon Slater criticizes Truro’s decision to allocate $40,000 for a public records request (PRR) consultant, arguing it was based on false claims of increased demands on town staff. Instead of enhancing transparency, he contends that the consultant has exacerbated delays and inflated costs, undermining public access. Slater questions the qualifications of the consultant, an acquaintance of the Town Manager, and urges state intervention to ensure compliance with Massachusetts Public Records Law.

Michael Forgione’s letter discusses the delays and issues surrounding the Truro Department of Public Works (DPW) facility project. Voters had approved funding for design work at the Town Hall Road site, explicitly excluding the Route 6 location. However, recent actions by the Town Manager involve reconsidering this site, leading to cost escalations and delays. Forgione urges the Select Board to respect voters' decisions, proceed with Town Hall Road as the DPW site, and amend the consultant's contract to streamline the project.

Joan Holt advocates for wind power as essential in combating the climate crisis. Instead of opposing renewable energy projects, she encourages individuals to reduce fossil fuel use through practical actions like switching to electric appliances and installing solar panels. Holt also highlights the growing anxiety among younger generations about the planet’s future, urging older adults to act responsibly to secure a sustainable future.

Michael Forgione expresses concern over the rapid growth of Truro's budget and challenges the notion that voters are solely responsible. He emphasizes the shared accountability of elected officials, town administration, and financial officers in managing budget growth. Forgione urges residents to engage in the budgeting process and questions whether recommendations from a recent financial review have been implemented, calling for a more sustainable financial approach.

Pamela Wolff addresses Select Board Vice-Chair Robert Weinstein's personal attack on John Marksbury during the August 13th Select Board meeting. She describes Weinstein’s conduct as hostile and inappropriate, calling for an apology either from Weinstein or the Select Board. Wolff emphasizes the need for more civil discourse in town meetings, especially with the Board's new composition, and expresses hope for a more respectful public atmosphere.

Michael Forgione's letter discusses environmental issues recently uncovered during Phase 2 of a study at the DPW site on Town Hall Hill, revealing buried oil drums and contaminants that required cleanup. The author criticizes the past Town leadership for their failure in custodial duties, highlighting the moral and legal responsibility to address any contamination. It calls for transparency from Town officials and questions the actions of one Select Board member acting alone. The letter emphasizes the need for proper management of Town-owned properties and accountability for environmental damage caused. 

Dennis O'Brien's letter to the editor highlights Truro's need to complete the Town Hall Hill restoration by addressing two issues: relocating the drinking water supply and improving the aging DPW facility. A new well site has been identified, and a funded DPW engineering project plans to reuse some buildings and add energy-efficient structures. The DPW Ad Hoc Building Committee will oversee the design, aiming for voter-supported construction funding next spring to avoid further delays and costs.

Dennis O’Brien urges Truro voters to approve Ballot Question 2, which funds preliminary engineering costs for a new DPW at Town Hall Hill. He highlights that delaying this funding will increase costs and prolong subpar conditions for the current DPW. O’Brien emphasizes that the voters have already shown strong support and that the schematic design costs are reasonable. He concludes by advocating for immediate action to meet the community's needs.

Clinton Kershaw urges Truro residents to email the Select Board, stressing the importance of adopting a reasonable budget for FY2025. He highlights the financial struggles of residents and advocates for no Prop 2½ overrides for four years (except for the DPW facility), as well as budget growth in line with inflation, and the implementation of necessary systems and controls.

Attorney Frederick Goldsmith argues that a Select Board Member's objection to a citizen's public comment during a recent Select Board meeting was illegal. Citing the MA Supreme Judicial Court case Barron v. Kolenda, he explains that the Massachusetts Constitution protects citizens' rights to express grievances, even if they are critical, rude or personal, as long as they are peaceable and orderly. He asserts that any policy restricting such comments is unconstitutional and urges citizens to continue exercising their rights to speak freely.

A well-respected elder statesman of Truro, Bruce Boleyn, calls on Select Board candidates to publicly disavow unethical campaign tactics used by some citizens, targeting one candidate while benefiting all others...including sign removal, fake surveys, even hacking and more. He calls openly for candidates to start here and now to keep their promises of fairness, decency, respect, and truthfulness as the first real step in healing.

Jack Riemer describes his experience in trying to obtain documents from a Public Records Request. He compares his 45 day turnaround experience to that of Raphael Richter's 1 day turnaround. And raises the question of is there a double standard at Town Hall, and was his request delayed strategically.  

Jon Winder explains and clarifies the charter change initiative about how the Library Director is selected, and whether Library Trustees have input

Michael Forgione analyzes the robust affordable housing pipeline of over 250 units and compares it to the 5-year and 13-year Housing Production Plans.

A letter from Jan Worthington urges residents not to be deterred by the new voting challenges, such as no parking at the school or on Route 6. Jan encourages the community to speak up against these changes and emphasizes the importance of participating in the Town Meeting to vote despite these obstacles. Jan remains hopeful to see the residents turn out and vote from the heart.

Michael Forgione critiques the FY2025 Truro Budget, highlighting a 30% increase from FY2021 with significant growth in General Government and Overhead. He expresses concern over new staffing positions inflating the General Government budget, questioning the sustainability of a 51% spending increase over four years. Forgione warns voters against the town's fiscal strategy, urging them to vote against what he perceives as unsustainable, out-of-control spending.

During the Truro DPW Forum, participants discussed fiscal aspects and the environmental scrutiny of the proposed 340 Rt 6 building site. There should be no speculation about possible/potential contamination issues on any land that the Town considers for possible development. If any land is contaminated, we should know the costs for clean-up if we are buying or potentially developing any site.

The writer concludes that the Truro Select Board is actively pursuing a plan to dramatically increase the town’s subsidized housing stock, a move that could change Truro's rural character. Proposals include the eminent domain acquisition of the Truro Motor Inn, constructing up to 250 new units on recently bought land, and building a wastewater treatment facility to support further development. He argues that these plans, which could grow the town’s population by at least a third, lack guarantees that beneficiaries will contribute to the local workforce. Additionally highlighted are the potential financial burden on taxpayers and the probability of benefiting non-local residents, sparking concerns about the sustainability and desirability of these changes.

Truro is considering two DPW project proposals: a $35 million option on Route 6 and a $17 million alternative at Town Hall Hill, with the latter offering substantial cost savings. Even if interest rates were to change, the Town Hall Hill plan emerges as the fiscally responsible choice.

"I have made a few public records requests. The process has been painful on all of them, but I will illustrate with just one that I filed in August 2023. I know I am not alone on this."

"During Feb 27’s Select Board meeting, the Town Manager presented his justification for the new staff positions to handle Human Resources and Public Records Requests (PRRs). I strongly support the need for a Town to have a Human Resource officer and to meet its legal responsibility to respond to Public Record Requests, but I cannot support these positions under the current circumstances."