‘A Failure of Leadership’
To the editor:
I was troubled by remarks made by chair Susan Areson at the Truro Select Board meeting on June 24, 2025 regarding Ad Hoc Building Committee appointments. Her characterization of committee members Chris Lucy, Robert Higgins‑Steele, and me as “part of the drama” and the suggestion that our reappointment would allow the “circus to continue” implied that we were not fulfilling our responsibilities.
Other members of the select board correctly noted that we were not contributors to dysfunction but rather the targets of it. These remarks were a topic of discussion at a recent meeting of the building committee.
The committee’s earlier challenges stemmed largely from the repeated spread of misinformation and the inability of certain members to engage constructively. Since their departure, the committee’s work has become more productive and collaborative. This highlights the importance of thoughtful appointments and appropriate oversight as outlined in the Truro Town Charter.
There has been a longstanding reluctance to address misinformation directly. That has emboldened certain groups to attack elected and appointed officials and town staff and to shape the public narrative. This has been particularly damaging with respect to the DPW project, with unsubstantiated charges of wildly high costs.
The approach of not “giving oxygen” to misinformation has contributed to confusion and disorder at recent town meetings. While information is available on the town website and through public forums, many residents continue to rely on inaccurate sources and appear overwhelmed when presented with facts and asked to decide complex issues.
A project of this scale does not succeed without a clear and proactive communications plan. Failure to address these issues risks long-term consequences for the community and reflects a failure of leadership. It is time to set aside personal differences and work collaboratively in the best interests of Truro.
Robert Panessiti
Truro
Spiraling Insurance Rates
To the editor:
Re “Insurance Rates Spiral for Cape’s Property Owners” [March 5, front page]:
As a homeowner in Provincetown, I have seen the same insurance rate increases over the years as I suspect all my neighbors have. But I have no way to know. Insurance rates are tied to the replacement cost of the building and location of the property along with a raft of calculations none of us are privy to. There is literally no way to know if you have a good deal or are getting ripped off. It’s purely a matter of “take what you can get.”
Does the fact that my house is somewhat shielded from storms by a hill to the northeast matter? I suspect not, although it probably should. Does it matter that it’s outside of even a Category 5 floodplain? I have no way to know. We are entirely reliant on the state to regulate the insurance companies properly and defend us from price gouging and collusion.
When I buy car insurance, I know the cost is based on my driving record, my home location, the type and condition of the car, and my desire for more or less coverage. With homeowner’s insurance, it’s impossible to know why one company decides to charge X and a second one Y. That should not be acceptable, especially as choices become more limited.
Someone on Beacon Hill needs to step up.
Jay Gurewitsch
Provincetown
Fixing the FAIR Plan
To the editor:
Your March 5 article on homeowner insurance rates notes that “nearly 40 percent of homes on the Cape and Islands were insured through the FAIR plan in 2024 … up from 33 percent in 2021.” This percentage might have been even higher but for the fact that the FAIR plan generally doesn’t offer policies for homes with a replacement cost exceeding $1 million.
The median sale price on the Outer Cape has fluctuated between $945,000 and $1,075,000 in the past year, according to Redfin. These inflated values have not only made it extremely difficult for people to purchase homes, they have also put many people fortunate enough to own a home in the difficult position of not being able to buy insurance.
The Mass. legislature should address this problem by following the lead of states such as California, whose FAIR plan has a $3-million cap.
Jonathan Sperber
Truro
Letters to the Editor
The Provincetown Independent welcomes letters from readers on all subjects. They must be signed with the writer’s name, home address, and telephone number (for verification). Letters will be published only if they have been sent exclusively to the Independent. They should be no more than 300 words and may be edited for clarity, accuracy, conciseness, and good taste. Longer pieces (up to 600 words) may be submitted for consideration as op-ed commentary. Send letters to [email protected] or by mail to P.O. Box 1034, Provincetown, MA 02657. The deadline for letters is Monday at noon for each week’s edition.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.