Otis Fish and Game Club Forced Out of Joint Base Cape Cod

BOURNE – Today is the last day that the Otis Fish and Game Club can operate on Joint Base Cape Cod.

The Massachusetts Army National Guard is forcing the club to close its doors, citing strategic transformation of the base that requires the re-purposing of the facility.

The National Guard sent a letter to the club on August 6 asking them to vacate the premises by October 8.

The club later got a reprieve for the end of the month and received another extension on Friday.

“With the Club being forced to vacate its location on the base, we believe that Cape Cod is left with a void in managing the lands on the base in conformance with the state’s requirements,” said Club president Ken Teixeira. “The environmental and wildlife management on the base has been seriously weakened today.”

According to the club’s attorney Scott Hogan, the land at the base is owned by the Commonwealth, which has been leased to the U.S. Department of the Army.

The Army has licensed the land back to the Commonwealth, for purposes of training and supporting the Massachusetts National Guard.

That’s part of the lane the Club occupied, which was licensed to them by the Commonwealth, granting entry and use of the land.

“Based on that contract, only the Commonwealth can terminate that contract,” said Hogan. “We’re a little perplexed by how the Commonwealth is allowing this to continue.”

Club officials have said that they, and a number of organizations across the state, have reached out to Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton and Commissioner George Peterson to try to keep the club on the base, but the efforts have stalled and the club ran out of time.

The club said they met with members of the guard and state officials on October 6, but further requests by the club have gone unanswered.

Secretary Beaton oversees the state’s environmental agency and Commissioner Peterson oversees the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Members of the Guard have said that they intend to use the property as space for a recreation center and the well-being of soldiers coast guardsmen and airmen stationed at the base.

“The club has served that role in the past 50 years that it’s operated there,” said Hogan.

Calls to the National Guard for comment were not returned.

The Club plans to continue to operate on the Cape with the help of other local sportsman clubs and will work with the state to see what their wildlife management and environmental needs are on the base.

“We think that, with the club no longer occupying that space, it will be a significant void in that area and we welcome the opportunity to operate back on the base,” said Hogan.

By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com NewsCenter