STATEMENT OF STEVE XIARHOS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MACHINE GUN RANGE AT CAMP EDWARDS

October 1, 2020

SANDWICH — Steve Xiarhos, Republican candidate for State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District, issued the following statement today regarding plans for the construction of a machine gun range for Camp Edwards at Joint Base Cape Cod:

“I am a steadfast supporter of our military and our troops, and as part of that, I believe our National Guard personnel deserve access to quality training and resources. So, if officials believe a new range is needed to train personnel at Camp Edwards, I support its construction as a general matter.

However, I also believe it is important for Camp Edwards to be a good neighbor. Activity at the Base must be undertaken with the comfort, health, and safety of abutting-communities in mind.

Today, I attended a public meeting sponsored by Base officials to hear more about their plans. I appreciated their very thoughtful and informative presentation. I have also spoken extensively with local officials and area residents about their concerns. I want to make sure that any plans for a new range are considerate to neighboring communities. In particular, aside from general safety concerns, there needs to be consideration for excessive noise, the time of day the range is used, and environmental impacts including tree clearing and protection of the water supply. And, these and other considerations must be taken into account both during the construction of the range and during its long-term operation.

If elected State Representative, I look forward to acting as a liaison between residents and officials at various levels of government to make sure this and other projects are undertaken in a way that involves communication, cooperation, and with results that are acceptable to all stakeholders.”

About Steven Xiarhos

Steven Xiarhos is a resident of West Barnstable and the Republican candidate for State Representative in the Fifth Barnstable District.

Steve spent forty years serving the people of Cape Cod as a member of the Yarmouth Police Department, retiring in late 2019 from the position of Deputy Chief of Police. Throughout his career, Steve attended numerous specialized training courses and is a graduate of the Babson College Command Training Course and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar. He is the recipient of 22 various police department awards and decorations including Officer of the Year, Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year, Rotary Club of Yarmouth Vocational Service Award, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year, and the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission Rosenthal Award.

Steve also remains active in many charitable and civic causes. This includes, but is not limited to, the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund (which was created in memory of Steve’s son, Nick, who was a Marine killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2009). Currently, Steve serves on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund and the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation; as well as a Volunteer for Wounded Warrior Project Cape Cod Soldier Ride.

Endorsements

Steve Xiarhos is proud to have his candidacy for State Representative endorsed publicly by:

State Representative Randy Hunt (R – 5th Barnstable District)
State Representative Tim Whelan (R – 1st Barnstable District)
State Representative Will Crocker (R – 2nd Barnstable District)
State Representative David Vieira (R – 3rd Barnstable District)
State Representative Mathew Muratore (R – 1st Plymouth District)
Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald
Jeff Perry (former State Rep. and Cape Cod Republican activist)
Barnstable Town Councilor Matthew Levesque
Bourne Selectman Jared P. MacDonald
Sandwich Selectman Michael J. Miller
Sandwich Selectman Robert J. George
Sandwich Selectman David Sampson
Sandwich Selectman Charles Holden
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) MA PAC
The Massachusetts Police Association
The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Coalition of Police
The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU)
The Fraternal Order of Police
The New England Police Benevolent Association
Bob Avila, Sandwich Resident and Owner of Captain John Boats

For more information about Steve Xiarhos and his campaign, please visit his Website, www.Xiarhosforrep.com.

About the Fifth Barnstable District

The Fifth Barnstable District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives consists of the entire town of Sandwich, plus precincts 11 and 12 in Barnstable, precincts 1, 2, and 7 in Bourne, and precinct 9 in Plymouth.

The general election is on November 3.

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