Sea Camps Funding Denied; What’s Next?

BREWSTER – At the Dec. 3 special election, Brewster residents voted against using $11.4 million in taxpayer dollars to implement the sea camps comprehensive plans. 

Funding has been a constant topic of conversation since the comprehensive plans were approved at the annual town meeting in May. The related article at the Nov. 18 special town meeting was heavily debated, with resident support on both sides. After an initial vote fell two votes short of the required two-thirds majority, a subsequent vote topped two-thirds. The special election was the second and final vote needed to pass the funding. 

Caroline McCarley, chair of the sea camps advisory committee, said she was disappointed in the outcome but uncertain of the future until her committee meets to debrief and discuss the plans on Dec. 11. Town Manager Peter Lombardi said the select board will be talking through next steps at their Dec. 16 meeting as well.

In November, $300,000 was approved to complete a comprehensive needs assessment for a community center on the property. Lombardi said officials are working to “draft and issue a solicitation for that study in the coming months to give residents more information about the proposed program, conceptual design, and estimated costs of a new facility.”

  Consultants Tighe and Bond recently completed a structural and hazardous material assessment of the remaining buildings on the bay property, reporting that six structures are in critical condition and one has asbestos. Lombardi said a portion of the $200,000 appropriated at special town meeting for the Sea Camps property projects will be used to remove those buildings. 

After the special election results, McCarley said that infrastructure work on the property is currently the most crucial. 

The town submitted an application for a grant through the Department of Environmental Protection to further study wastewater treatment scenarios on the pond property. Lombardi said officials are awaiting word from the state regarding approval of the application. 

Once the select board and sea camps advisory committee meet, a plan for the next steps will be released.