Other than the return of some snowbirds, it has been relatively quiet since my last post. There has been some bad news - the recall rumors & threats are back in full force, but they don't mean anything until paperwork is accepted. Sure, Greg Milne is running for ANOTHER elected office, but that doesn't mean anything unless he actually gets elected.There has been some good news - lighting on Main Street looks great, gas prices have leveled off, and our friend at Barnstable Beat is sticking it out through some petty attacks.Anyway, I was sitting here admiring the torrential downpour, thankful that I have escaped the cicada invasion so far, and a question popped into my head. With all the rain pouring down recently, is anyone experiencing drainage problems? My street and the ones around it has been very bad with drainage in the past, but it seems to have weathered the last few storms OK. How about you?
Main Street Hyannis has seemingly finished the improvements that it began years ago with the repaving of the commercial boulevard. Now with lighting finally installed and operational, the work that was set out to be completed is done.We have been left with the telephone poles still up on the street, even though we have been asking for them to be removed for decades. The water pipes need replacing. The 500 Block is still a mess, though there might be some hope with a renovation plan underway for that parcel. We have a gigantic Transportation Center with hundreds (or thousands) of NEVER used parking spaces, and the P&B garage still across the street harassing traffic. The traffic flow on Main Street still makes zero sense. I could keep going, but we all know the problems.I have a few questions - What is the long-term plan for Downtown Hyannis revitalization? Who has the vision and is working on it?What is the long-term plan for capital asset improvement, replacement & repair for the Hyannis Water District? Who has THAT vision and is working on it? Do we have the necessary infrastructure to encourage REAL growth?I don't want to know tiny little details about small projects - I want "big picture" info. I've seen the "Comprehensive Plan" on the town website, but that is not a VISION. At best, it is an uninspired short term plan, with plenty of "goals" and "actions" that are just vague enough that they have no meaning whatsoever. We need a plan that tells us what we are going to do and WHY.Right now, interest rates are plummeting and we have a AAA bond rating... If we ever wanted to take out bonds to pay for capital improvements, NOW is the time... Provided that we actually NEED what we're going to put that bond up for... And, from what I can see, we need plenty of things...So, will someone please stand up and let us know what is going on?
