On a pleasant Saturday afternoon, nearly 75 Davisville Civic Association (DCA) members were present for the Annual Meeting. This year the meeting was held at the East Falmouth Elementary School, and the conditions were clean, pleasant, and comfortable with most in attendance showing support to consider holding next year’s meeting in the same location.

Introduction

Greeted by President John Chapman, members were informed about the physical arrangements and recording process, ensuring everyone is aware of building safety, exits, and protocols. The meeting aimed to be completed within an hour and was recorded for the purposes of generating these summary notes.

Thanks were given to John Driscoll, who is invaluable for keeping the organization legal, filing with the state on nonprofit status, getting accounting work done, keeping books in order, and keeping the speaker on track.

Vice President, Joe Sullivan was also thanked for his support with the website and membership tracking, along with Carol McLeod, Peggy Gallagher (for great notes), and other behind-the-scenes contributors who keep the organization running.

The DCA mission was reiterated: “To foster and promote Davisville civic betterments; maintain Davisville as an attractive and historic residential area, aid, promote, and support projects which enhance Davisville; foster and promote traffic safety; and oppose projects which detract from the desirability of Davisville.”

Time was planned for Q&A, feedback, and suggestions on activities the Association can undertake in line with its mission statement.

Guest Speaker – Eric Turkington

Eric Turkington was introduced by Vice President, Joe Sullivan, adding further value to the session's discussions. Eric served as a state representative for Falmouth for 20 years, advocating for Cape Cod and Commonwealth tourism, and is known for his local column and critical perspective.

Eric told an interesting historical story involving Bourne’s Pond and the efforts and challenges of building infrastructure in Falmouth. The challenges still existing today are a good example of history repeating itself. Here are the highlights:

Fifty years ago, Bourne's Pond was in significant trouble, having previously been a prolific shellfish area but becoming unproductive due to a narrow, long, and clogged channel.
Original plans included dredging a channel (based on 1800s research), relocating the road between the parking lot and the beach (a dangerous location), and building a new bridge in a permanent, safer location.
Controversies involved figures like Ken Flynn and Nick Haddad, who bought the Captain's House (a beautiful old guest house) which mysteriously burned down within six months (fire of suspicious origin). They then poured four foundations for what appeared to the town to be an 18-room motel without permits, leading to stop-work orders and legal battles. The work burned down again.
Progress was delayed for almost 10 years, partly because Flynn had a relative heading the Division of Waterways, causing the town's plan to move very slowly and requiring extensive environmental and economic impact studies. Flynn's stance was to withhold the town's permit unless he received his own.
The conflict between Flynn and Haddad escalated to the State Supreme Court, resulting in Haddad gaining ownership of the land, which removed Flynn's obstruction.

Falmouth eventually secured its permit, built the bridge (which will be rebuilt in its proper location, not in the ocean), and is set to rebuild the channel. Although the town originally wanted a 90-foot channel, the state mandated a 50-foot one; 40 years later, the state is reconsidering and may approve the 90-foot width.

Financial Update

Treasurer, John Driscoll, presented the Financial Report for DCA. The association’s finances remain stable with balanced income and expenditure, ending the year with a modest profit of $400.

The association collected about $2,500 in dues last year and spent approximately $2,500, primarily on covering last year's meeting expenses (which are expected to be less this year without the need for all rentals) and keeping the website up and running.

The year started with a little more than $7,800 and ended with about $8,200, resulting in a profit of $400 for the year. The report was brief and positive.

Bourne’s Pond Bridge & Nourishment Update

Barbara Schneider presented an update on the project. Some key points of the update:

Peter McConaughey, Town of Falmouth, informs that the project is "absolutely no further along" than it was last year.
The money for the project was voted on more than a decade ago, and the chances of that amount being sufficient when the project is permitted are "amazingly slim," meaning additional funds would need to be secured from the town.
Efforts using ties to the statehouse and federal government have not moved the Army Corps along, leading to frustration about who might be stopping the project.
While no closures of the beach or roadway are planned, the delays have impacted beach improvements, which have not been undertaken due to the expectation of project movement. The Beach Committee is considering asking to forget the project if progress doesn't occur soon.
Peter McConaughey emphasized that the bridge itself is in trouble and "scary" to cross in a truck, indicating that it will need to be replaced regardless of efforts to fix water flow in Bourne Pond.

Osprey Nesting and Chimney Protection

Barbara Schneider also provided an update on this topic. Homeowners near the water should proactively install appropriate chimney caps (pyramidical, not flat) to deter osprey nesting while following legal protections for active nests, as osprey populations and nesting on chimneys are increasing.

There are currently 168 known osprey nests in Falmouth, potentially leading to 700 ospreys flying in August. Approximately 10% of young ospreys return to the area after three years, with 10 to 12 new nests built each year.

If an active nest with eggs is found, it is legally protected and must not be disturbed until the chicks fledge, typically around September. Ospreys can lay eggs within five days of starting a nest, making daily nest building removal a battle without deterrents. The old Sweeney House in Davisville successfully used deterrents after an attempt to build on their chimneys.

Beach Safety, Shark Monitoring, and Public Conduct

Beach officials have been dealing with shark sightings, including one confirmed "transitional great white" shark (8-9 feet, described as a teenager) out of four total shark sightings. This type of shark, which feeds on fish like striped bass and menhaden but is on the verge of hunting seals, is responsible for many bites worldwide due to its inexperience.
A manatee sighting in the area was noted as a more pleasant occurrence.
Surf Drive beach has been cleared multiple times, with the rule being that people cannot re-enter the water until one hour after the last shark sighting.
Current plans include potential installation of data loggers along the shoreline in cooperation with the Department of the Environment. Pingers are not effective for untagged sharks, which are most commonly seen in the area as they are typically moving through and not tagged. Tagged sharks usually come through other routes, like around Nantucket.
Officials are taking the threat seriously, working with expert Greg Skomal, and are not being alarmists, despite a letter to the editor suggesting overreaction. The goal is to prevent shark bites, as seeing one great white necessitates serious precautions. Discussions are ongoing about whether to close parking lots or just restrict water access.
There have been incidents of public misconduct and abuse towards beach employees, including an arrest on July 4th over an argument regarding a puppy brought to the beach as an "emotional support dog." Emotional support dogs do not qualify as service dogs, which must be trained for specific tasks. Lifeguards are trained to tell people to leave if dogs are not legitimate service animals or are misbehaving (e.g., playing fetch in the water).
Past incidents include an elderly employee being punched and a person blocking all lanes with their car to cut in line, highlighting the challenges faced by staff.

While the beaches remain open, enhanced shark monitoring protocols and stricter enforcement of public behavior standards, including proper identification of service dogs, are critical to maintaining safety and employee well-being.

Sagamore and Bourne Bridge Updates

Joe Sullivan provided a general project update as he is familiar and current with understanding the moving parts of the project in his professional role with a private company (HNTB).

The Sagamore Bridge project is fully funded and moving forward with detailed design and environmental planning, while the Bourne Bridge awaits additional funding; construction is expected to start around 2028, replacing bridges that will be 100 years old by 2034.

The bridges are owned and currently operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, a federal agency under the Department of Defense. They will be 100 years old by 2034 and require full rebuilding with brand new structures.

Funding of $2.24 billion has been secured for the Sagamore Bridge through a combination of state and federal money, largely facilitated by the Infrastructure Act of 2021 and a strong application with state contribution.

The new design includes two 12-foot lanes (up from current 10-foot lanes) with a separation piece in the middle, an additional bike lane, and pedestrian walkways with lookouts. Modern bridges are typically designed for a 100-year service life.

The funding for the Bourne Bridge is not yet fully secured, with only seed money available for initial work.

Two public hearings have been held (in Bourne approximately three months ago and in Sandwich recently), which were well attended and generally received positive responses.

Concerns exist regarding land takings and eminent domain, impacting 13 residential homes and one multi-tenant commercial property located south and to the left of the current Sagamore Bridge (Market Basket will remain, the old Christmas Tree Shop will go). MassDOT is handling these acquisitions sensitively.

All options were considered for the bridges, including a single center bridge, a tunnel, paving over the canal, and replacement/rehabilitation of the existing two bridges. The chosen option is the replacement of the two bridges, which was deemed more feasible than costly rehabilitation that would require lane closures during construction.

Environmental Review and Construction Timeline

Construction is planned to start in the 2028 timeframe, a delay from initial hopes for 2027 due to the significant environmental impact report process involving both federal EPA and state DEP.

Activity will begin in the next few months (likely September) with property acquisitions and subsurface exploration and testing to determine specific construction methods. The project will utilize a design-build approach to accelerate progress. Traffic mitigation work will also be done along the canal during subsurface exploration.

Board Appointment and Governance

Next steps will be to finalize and document the rollover appointment for board members Lenny Miele, Maureen O'Connell, and Sid Pomper to the term ending 2028. Remainder of Board Officers and Board of Directors will remain unchanged for the coming year (2026). This information is posted on the Board Members page.

Other board terms noted include: term ending 2026 (Tammy Chase, Carol McLeod, Ted Gale) and term ending 2027 (Dennis Conrey, Stephanie Hoffer, Mike Manzione).

Open Forum Discussion

The last portion of the meeting allowed members to raise any issues that should be of concern. The topics ranged from public safety (speeding), to infrastructure (sidewalks). The noted concerns and next steps will be a work in progress and serve to guide upcoming actions as well as invited guests for coming annual meetings. The following is a general summary of the issues raised:

Concern Over 444 Davisville Property

Concerns were raised about properties the vacant house that presents an attractive nuisance.
The building department has been involved, and the Department of Health had visited previously, but the house, though "uninhabitable," was not deemed bad enough to be condemned.
The president suggested sending a letter to the town to express the association's concern about the inactivity, nuisance, and risk posed by the deteriorating property, which was once a beautiful home. This aligns with the Davisville Civic Association's mission to maintain the status and beauty of the historic district, as continued deterioration will make restoration difficult or necessitate demolition.

Road and Sidewalk Safety on Davisville Road

While some steps have been taken by the DPW, further improvements and maintenance of sidewalks along Davisville Road are essential to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and to address ongoing speeding issues.
Sidewalk conditions, particularly on Menauhant at the end of Davisville, were described as dangerous due to land and dirt growing over them, leaving little space for pedestrians and bikes (despite being part of a bike trail).
One member reported positive engagement with the DPW, who made some improvements and added signage and flashing lights at crosswalks. However, the DPW faces challenges due to tree roots and private ownership of bushes, which have grown into the "path" (not a true sidewalk, as individual homeowners chose materials), making maintenance difficult and preventing forced removal of private shrubs.

Beach Deterioration at Davisville Extension

The beach located at the end of Davisville Road is "almost unusable" and past efforts to address erosion and move rocks were "window dressing. Concern was raised about safety, and while there was a discussion about whether the beach area is an Town beach, the path forward to resolve remains uncertain.
Future discussions with the Town may yield more clarity.

Association Community Engagement Initiatives

The association is encouraged to consider additional volunteer initiatives and community action projects to further enhance neighborhood quality and engagement.
DCA will work to solicit and review suggestions for potential volunteer events or community improvement projects to be discussed at future meetings.
It was agreed that greater community engagement and activity by the DCA was needed to foster our mission. Ideas such as trash pickup or beach cleanup events were suggested.
Members were encouraged to make suggestions regarding future meeting speakers and topics.

Closing

President John Chapman then thanked everyone for coming out. Best wishes for a great year!

2025 Annual Meeting Minutes