December in Truro ...
     This month days will shorten slowly by 13 minutes until we reach the winter solstice on December 21st, the shortest daylight day of the year.
     Shorter days will drop the average high temperature to 41�F, with average lows of 28�F. We get about 7 days of rain and snow with an average total of 4 inches and rain and 7 inches of snow. Expect 2 out of 3 nights to dip below freezing.
     Below are some of the activities and events happening about town this month.
Recreation and Beach Department
Check out all the programs and activities offered by the Truro Recreation and Beach Department. This includes all kinds of new adult and after-school activities!   More...
Library
The Truro Public Library sponsors a wide variety of interesting events and presentations each month, for both adults and kids, not to mention free e-book downloads.     More...
Council on Aging
For current information on the COA's programs and services, please visit our web site.
   Additional useful and helpful information can be found in the COA's Truro Log.
Police
Chief Kyle Takakjian provides on update on the FY2017 department budget request, mental health initiatives, especially related to substance abuse, and K9 "Ella".     More...
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Notices ...  
Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill
The Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill will hold their annual Winter Holiday Party on Friday, December 18th from 6pm - 9pm. This year's theme is "Fire & Ice", and we will celebrate the warmth of the Cape community in the midst of the coming winter season. Tickets are $20 per person. Gourmet wood-fried pizza will be served, as well as homemade soups, your own one-of-a-kind, handmade ceramic mug to take home with you, and More...
Truro Taxation Aid Committee
Did you know that the Truro Taxation Aid Committee Fund was established to provide taxation assistance for the elderly and disabled residents of Truro? Citizens' contributions support the fund through real estate tax payment forms. Deadline for 2016 assistance is December 31, 2015.  More information and the four-page application form can be found here: http://www.truro-ma.gov/taxation-aid-committee Please note: The Council on Aging has application forms. If you have questions and require assistance in completing the form, just ask Elton, the Director.    
Truro Cultural Council
The Truro Cultural Council is holding its annual meeting on December 1 in order to determine how Cultural Council monies will be distributed for the 2016 cycle.
    The Council received 21 applications from groups and individuals, an increase above the number received in all of the past recent years. The Council has been asked to consider projects with total costs of $14,020. With only $6,191 available to distribute, the board will be considering carefully the most worthwhile projects based on need, scope, merit, and any other factors deemed necessary to narrow the field while in discussion.
    As required by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, grantees/winners cannot be announced until fours weeks after the meeting date.
Special Town Meeting results of November 5th
There was a Special Town Meeting on Thursday, November 5th.   256 voters attended, almost the same number as attended the Annual Town Meeting in April.  The turnout was so large that the meeting was recessed for about 15 minutes to allow the line of voters waiting to get in to be registered.
   All 8 Articles were passed.
   Articles 1, 2, and 3 allow the Town to work with a developer to construct a solar photovoltaic system at the landfill to provide electricity for town buildings, thereby reducing our electricity costs.
  A savings over 20 years of $1.8 million is projected.
   Article 4 asked for $50,000 to fund a study of the DPW's needs.
   Article 5 asked for $60,000 to upgrade Town Hall's HVAC system.
   Article 6 changed the Health and Conservation Agent's position from part-time to full-time.
   Article 7 asked to pay some bills from a prior year.  9/10 vote was required and was received.
   Article 8 bans single-use plastic bags.  It was passed, but a significant number of voters voted against the article.
   Special Town Meeting Warrant
Giving Thanks with Sustainable CAPE & The Truro Central School
On Friday, November 20, the children of the Truro Central School focused on gratitude. With Sustainable CAPE's Farmer-in-the-School, Stephanie Rein, the children harvested food from their gardens, tried new greens for next year ranging from mild to spicy, and presented farmers and cooks handmade thank-you cards at a local lunch featuring bushels of kid-grown produce. Sustainable CAPE develops weekly gardening classes that link growing food to current classroom studies, the health and wellness program, and the school cafeteria. School Nurse Helen Grimm coordinates a host of farmers who supplement the children's harvest in the school lunch program. Food Service Manager Susie Roderick plans and implements the menus. "Part of what we are doing is engendering gratitude for each other, our local bounty, and the health of our bodies and environment," explains Sustainable CAPE's Francie Randolph. "The first step is awareness and giving thanks - then together we can work to change the world for the better."
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Emails to the Editor ...  

Pilgrim Nuclear Closing by 2019... Truro planning to become Solar-Powered
Truro is planning ahead.  With the new landfill solar farm project, Truro will take a large step to being energy self-sufficient.  Being able to produce our own solar power can be viewed as Truro's contribution to changing the energy profile that is evolving statewide with shifts away from coal, oil and nuclear.  The Town has taken pride in being a Green Community, and was the second Cape town to do so.  This will be another important step for us, as our Town infrastructure will soon be powered almost entirely by renewable solar power.  
Head East!
Thank you for your editorial "Pilgrim could be next". I couldn't have said it any better! Fat lot of good potassium iodine will do us, either! I'm in the midst of moving to North Truro full time and I'm glad I'm not the only person who isn't sleepwalking! The only way for us to really 'head east' is to get in our boat and get the hell out of Dodge! -- Darcee Vorndran, N Truro
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Brian Boyle, Editor, and the
Truro eNewsletter Team
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