Wellfleet
Community Forum was established in March, 1997, during a period of
controversy and contention in Wellfleet. The removal of a popular
Town Administrator and a recall effort aimed at the Board of Selectment
caused deep divisions. Diminishing participation in Boards and
Committees and difficulty reaching a quorum at Town Meetings were symptomatic
of the disaffection among many groups in a very diverse town. The
Wellfleet Community Forum was organized to give all citizens an opportunity
to discuss town issues and learn more about them A Board of Directors
was created to reflect the many divers factions of Wellfleet and guide
the Forum.
Since
then the Forum has held over one hundred Forum Programs on a variety
of concerns--many on current controversies, others of a general nature
about town affairs. At each of these Forum Programs anyone in
attendance has been encouraged to speak out, ask questions, and enlist
others in an issue of concern.
The
Forum has been an important catalyst in creating greater participation
in Town Government. Many Forum participants used the knowledge
and experience gained from the Forum to become members of virtually
every key Board and Committee in town: Planning, Conservation, Open
Space, Finance, Housing Authority, Board of Selectment, and others.
