Brewster Swap Shop Status Update: Spring 2021

The Brewster Swap Shop, located at the Brewster Recycling Center, remains closed and will not re-open at this time. The Swap Shop is run by a dedicated group of volunteers with Town oversight. The facility’s interior is not conducive to current social distancing protocols, and the safety and health of our volunteers and residents remains our top priority. We will revisit this decision at the end of the summer. In the meantime, we encourage residents to recycle and re-use. There are still bins for textiles, books, and other items throughout town as well as some thrift shops that are open for donations. Please contact the Town Administrator’s office with any questions at 508-896-3701 or dkalinick@brewster-ma.gov.

Changing Behaviors, Changing the Game: Adjusting to the Single-Use Water Bottle Ban

Join us for a panel discussion via Zoom, Thursday, April 29th, 10am-11am. Helpful info for businesses, municipalities and government. Panelists will share educational methods and steps taken to address the bottle bans.

For more information and to register visit: https://careforthecapeandislands.org/calend

Click here to download a flyer in PDF format.

Drummer Boy Park Master Plan Update: Public Presentation Soliciting Feedback

On Monday April 26^th there will be a public presentation on proposed updates to the Master Plan for Drummer Boy Park.    

The Select Board established the Drummer Boy Park Advisory Committee to update and revise the existing Master Plan for the park.  The committee has been meeting since December 2020 with the assistance of a professional design consultant.  A draft Phase I plan and Master Plan update has been prepared and will be presented on Monday April 26^th at 7 pm.  Following the presentation, a question and answer period will be available.  Public comment may also be submitted in writing by emailing drummerboymeeting@brewster-ma.gov .

The Committee will compile and evaluate public comment and present a revised plan to the Select Board for feedback in June.  The final plan will be in the warrant for the fall 2021 Town Meeting.

The meeting will be held remotely; no in person attendance will be available.  Login information is below, and the meeting will be televised and recorded for on-demand viewing.  The presentation and copies of design plans will be posted following the meeting.

April 26^th, 7pm

The meeting may be viewed by: Live broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18), Livestream (livestream.brewster-ma.gov), or Video recording (tv.brewster-ma.gov).

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87975989621?pwd=ZWcwVmttV2xwY1lsVys4OWRzS1MyQT09
Passcode: 521156
To request to speak: Select “Raise Hand”, then wait to be recognized.

To join by phone:  +1 929 436 2866  or +1 301 715 8592  
Webinar ID: 879 7598 9621
Passcode: 521156
To request to speak: Press *9 and wait to be recognized.

Spring 2021 Littleneck Schedule

The littleneck beds off Ellis Landing will be open for harvest starting Sunday April 25th through Saturday May 1st.  Please bring a valid 2021 recreational shellfish permit (insert link to application here).

5 quart limit per week, and must be 1” thick (all seed must be returned to the rock beds).  All participants are required to follow state public health protocols, including social distancing and wearing masks. For questions, call the Natural Resources department at 508-896-4546.

Department of Public Utilities Opens Inquiry to Enhance Inclusivity, Participation in Energy Proceedings

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is pleased to announce that it has opened an investigation focused on increasing public awareness of and participation in DPU proceedings.  Through this investigation, the DPU will explore opportunities to increase stakeholder engagement and ensure that—regardless of English proficiency—all people have been provided with the same opportunity to participate in our proceedings.  Please find attached both the Order and Notice of the proceeding for additional information.  

Over the course of the last year, the DPU, in collaboration with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), has been developing an agency specific environmental justice strategy, consistent with EEA’s Environmental Justice Policy and the comprehensive climate legislation recently signed into law.  The DPU has opened this investigation as part of these efforts to explore new strategies to boost community outreach and increase participation and engagement in our proceedings. 

We are seeking broad public engagement and encourage you to post the attached Notice of Inquiry on your municipal website and/or other appropriate location for publication of notices.   Please share this information with any organization or persons in your community that may be interested in participating in this proceeding.  Notice of this proceeding has been translated into Spanish and Portuguese, posted on the DPU’s website and will be published in multiple newspapers, posted on the websites of utilities that DPU regulates, and sent to stakeholders. 

The DPU looks forward to our continued partnership as we work to ensure that all members of the public are given an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate in DPU proceedings.

Barnstable County is transitioning to the new, state-run vaccine pre-registration system, called Color.

Barnstable County is transitioning to the new, state-run vaccine pre-registration system, called Color. Here's what you need to know:

In order to get a first-dose vaccine appointment at one of our clinics, you must pre-register through the Mass.gov website. Simply click the link below:

Preregister for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment | Mass.gov

• Once you are pre-registered, the system will alert you via your preferred form of communication (phone, email or text) when there is an opportunity for you to schedule an appointment. Appointments are offered based on eligibility and availability of vaccine.
• We will no longer be posting our clinics on www.maimmunizations.org.
• We are no longer sending emails notifying the public of upcoming clinic dates and specific clinic registration opening times.
• Barnstable County clinics will continue to take place weekly at the Cape Cod Community College gymnasium. The clinics are indoors and wheelchair accessible.
• First dose clinics will not take place every week; some weeks will serve to provide second doses to those who received their initial vaccination at one of our earlier clinics.

Over the coming weeks, vaccine availability at select pharmacy locations is expected to increase substantially.

• If you are able to find an appointment elsewhere while you are waiting to be contacted by the state system (for example, at your local pharmacy or grocery store), there are several clear avenues to opt out. The state system will only notify you regarding appointment openings at publicly run clinics.

National Association of County and City Health Officials Informational Bulletin

CDC and FDA Recommendation to Pause Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
April 13, 2021

• CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine after six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine and in order to prepare the health care system to recognize and treat patients appropriately, to report severe events they may be seeing in people who have received the J&J vaccine.
• As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.
  • In these cases, a type of blood clot called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was seen in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia).
  • All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination.
• Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered.
  • Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given.
• CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday from 1:30-4:30pm ET to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. o FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases.
• CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine in order to prepare the health care system to recognize and treat patients appropriately, to report severe events they may be seeing in people who have received the J&J vaccine.
  • This pause also will allow CDC’s expert committee to review the situation.
  • Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution.
  • This is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.
• Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare.
• COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the federal government, and we take all reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination very seriously. For individuals receiving J&J vaccine:
• For people who got the vaccine more than a month ago, the risk to them is very low at this time.
• For people who recently got the vaccine—within the last few weeks—they should be aware of any symptoms.
  • If you have received the vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath, they should contact their healthcare provider and seek medical treatment.
• Importantly, there are three vaccines available. We are not seeing these events with the other two vaccines.
• People who have vaccine appointments with the other two vaccines should continue with their appointment. Our partners will work with those scheduled to receive the J&J vaccine in the days ahead to reschedule. For clinicians:
• Treatment of this specific type of blood clot, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), is different from the treatment that might typically be administered.
  • Usually, an anticoagulant drug called heparin is used to treat blood clots. In this setting, administration of heparin may be dangerous, and alternative treatments need to be given. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.

Statement from the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

Barnstable, MA- April 13, 2021 - Today, the FDA and CDC recommended that U.S. federal distribution channels, including all vaccination sites, pause the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until a review of the vaccine is completed. This is in response to an extremely rare occurrence of potentially dangerous blood clots, which was reported in 6 individuals nationwide.

Barnstable County has halted the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as of today. Two small Johnson & Johnson clinics planned for today and tomorrow have been canceled.  All other clinics hosted by Barnstable County will continue to use the Pfizer vaccine. Barnstable County has administered 1,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine since January of this year. 

Barnstable County advises Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients who received their shot within the last three weeks to contact their health care provider if they experience severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath.

More than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in the U.S., the vast majority with no or mild side effects.

The other two authorized vaccines, from Moderna and Pfizer, make up the vast share of COVID-19 shots administered in the U.S., and are not affected by the pause. Barnstable County has predominantly received the Pfizer vaccine.

Currently, 3,500 Pfizer doses are received on a weekly basis.

Open Positions: Building Custodians

The Town of Brewster is seeking applications for part time Building Custodians. Position is responsible for daily cleaning, maintenance and minor repairs to Town Office buildings. Duties include, but are not limited to; clean and disinfect town offices, common and high touch areas and restrooms in accordance with State standards; dispose of trash throughout the buildings; safety checks of buildings and securing buildings at end of work shift. High School diploma required and a minimum of 1 year experience in the maintenance of buildings preferred, or any combination of education and experience. These are part time, 19 hour a week, temporary to permanent Personnel Bylaw positions, may require weekends. Starting pay rate of $19.00 per hour. Please send cover letter, resume and Town employment application to Susan Broderick, employment@brewster-ma.gov. Deadline for priority review is 4/23/21. Positions will remain open and applications accepted until filled.  EEO/AA

COVID Relief Fund

In an effort to provide direct and essential support to Brewster residents whose health or well-being have been most immediately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Town has established a COVID Relief Fund. The Fund focuses on providing financial support to help residents meet their basic needs.  Applicants need to have lived in Brewster for 3 months and meet federal standards for assistance and may apply for up to $1,000 for assistance with housing, utilities bills, medical bills, child care including summer programs, and other basic needs. Requests for financial assistance from eligible residents will be voted on by the COVID Relief Fund Committee on a regular basis. Payments will be made directly to the appropriate vendor.  All information is kept confidential.  For more information please contact Town staff at covidrelieffund@brewster-ma.gov   Applications available here

We encourage residents and businesses to share information about the fund with neighbors and employees who may need help.  The COVID Relief Fund; neighbors helping neighbors.