FHMNA President Dave Buzanoski, with full authority of the Board, emailed the following letter to the Select Board and others on April 3, 2022:
To: Doug Brown, Chair, Select Board
cc: Select Board, Town Manager, Asst. Town Manager, Town Clerk, Zoning Board, Planning Board (historic committee), Conservation Commission, Town Meeting Members, Chamber of Commerce
Re: FHMNA â Mayflower Wind Cables
I write once again with reference to our previous correspondence concerning our associationâs opposition to Mayflower Windâs onboarding of their offshore power cables in Falmouth Heights.
We have in the past expressed our concerns and questioned the wisdom of placing such high voltage cables in a historic, well established, densely populated, residential community. Along these lines, I would like to ask the Select Board and the Town whether they have taken into consideration and respect the 1903 Goodwin Deed, recorded in 1910 in the Barnstable Registry of Deeds, conveying (gifting) ownership of parklands, streets and avenues in Falmouth Heights to the Town of Falmouth? The aforementioned deed gifted six (6) parks to the town. Three (3) of the six (6) parks specifically mentioned in the deed are exactly those targeted by Mayflower Windâs preferred and alternate routes, namely: Worcester Park, Central Park, and Crescent Park.
In the generous, prescient, foresight of the donor of these properties, Mrs. Elvira M. Goodwin incorporated the following conditions in the deed, âcertain phrases are underlined by me for emphasisâ:
âŚthat no building or other obstructions be placed upon any of the above land, but that the same shall always be kept open for the Public use, for the purpose of Avenues and Parks, as designated on said Plan, for the free use of the Property holders of Falmouth Hgts. and that should the Town of Falmouth at any time desire any of the above land for the purpose of constructing a public road, that they be permitted to take same without compensation And this conveyance is also made subject to the rights of the Abutters there on are entitled to have and enjoy under and by virtue of the deeds of said company to them, or these under whom they claim, not meaning hereby to prejudice the legal rights of said abutters over said Avenues & ParksâŚ
Despite Mrs. Goodwinâs foresight and generosity, one cannot imagine she could have ever imagined in 1903 what Mayflower Wind would have in mind for this property 119 years later. Furthermore, we do not believe that Mayflowerâs proposed use of our parkland(s) respects the wishes, intentions or desires of one of the townâs most generous benefactors.
In 2003, on the 100-year anniversary of the gift to the town, our Association, (at that time named the Falmouth Heights – Maravista Improvement Association) recognized Mrs. Goodwinâs gift by donating a park bench in her memory which was placed near the flagpole in Central Park.
The plaque on the bench reads as follows:
As an organization we are very proud of our community and its history, and our mission statement attests to our conviction to preserve, protect, and keep what has been provided to us by those who have gone before us.
Our mission statement:
~ To preserve and improve the residential character of the Falmouth Heights and Maravista Neighborhoods.
~ To protect and enhance our beaches, parks and estuaries and other public spaces.
~ Encourage activities that promote civic pride and the healthful and peaceful enjoyment of our neighborhoods.
~ To provide a forum to identify concerns affecting our neighborhoods, make relevant information available to our members and to address areas of concern with appropriate town bodies.
Accordingly, we appeal to The Town, the Select Board, and the Town Meeting Members to âdo whatâs rightâ, and to honor the wishes of one of our townâs most generous, prescient benefactors by not allowing Mayflower Wind to abuse our parkland(s) in the manner they have proposed.
Respectfully submitted,
David Buzanoski
Falmouth Heights – Maravista Neighborhood Association