Longtime FinCom Vice Chair Frank Bridges Steps Down

BREWSTER – Frank Bridges may have stepped down from serving as the vice chair of the finance committee in June, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t invested in the future. 

 As a committee member, Bridges remained steadfast in his positions, many times questioning certain departments or organizations about financial responsibility. While he may no longer have a seat on the board, he doesn’t plan on changing those opinions anytime soon. 

Bridges joined the committee in 2018, about two years after he and his wife, Susan Bridges (former president of the Brewster Ponds Coalition and now acting treasurer), moved to the Cape. 

“The reason I joined the committee was because the fastest way that you can learn about a new community is to get involved in the finances,” he said.

In reflecting on his time on the committee, Bridges said the very beginning of his seven-year service was tumultuous at best. 

 At the time, the town’s financial records had been audited, revealing a weakness in the town’s record keeping. A new town administrator had just started and there was an underlying tension between the select board and the finance committee. Bridges ended up filling an opening on the committee that had gone unoccupied for over a year. 

 “[It was] a period of lots of tension,” he said. “Almost weekly meetings of the finance committee and the select board, often at odds with each other.” 

 During this time, a forensic accounting firm, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, did a thorough investigation of the town’s financial records, and both boards were in charge of interpreting the results. Town Administrator Michael Embury resigned, leading the town to start the search for a new one. 

 Peter Lombardi, current town administrator, filled the position, with Finance Director Mimi Bernardo also coming on board. At this point, Pete Dahl was elected the chair of the finance committee and Bridges was given the vice chair position. 

 “The committee kind of got reestablished and had an excellent relationship with town administration,” he said. “I think we went through a very successful period.” 

 Bridges credits that to the cohesiveness of the select board and the effectiveness of the new town administration, including Assistant Town Administrator Donna Kalinick. Although he often disagreed with conclusions drawn by the select board, Bridges said the staff was incredibly dedicated, consistent and provided a strong unified front of leadership. 

 Many of the initiatives that fell onto the finance committee’s plate at the time related to the school district. The regional school committee had just proposed a new Nauset High School building that many of the finance committee members disagreed with, including Bridges. 

He argued that the capital project to build the school was different from the operating budget needed to keep the school running, and eventually that operating budget would affect the other schools in the district, including staff because there would be ongoing expenditures needed to maintain such a large facility. 

The Massachusetts School Building Authority signed off on the project in 2017, which referenced, at the time, the current population of students. There were about 100 or more tuition students and about 200 school choice students. Bridges said the facility was proposed to accommodate this population, but once it was finished, that cohort wouldn’t have contributed to the financing of the project at all. 

Bridges said to this day, he still believes the project was a mistake. 

He also struggled each year with the regional school committee’s budget, which involved some questionable structural deficit issues. 

“I won't speak for them, but I think the select board was constantly trying their very hardest to communicate with the regional school committee about issues that [the finance committee] thought they were not either preparing properly [for] or focusing on,” he said. 

The problems were largely linked to the use of interest from borrowing issued for the high school project which the regional school committee used in its operating budget. Bridges said at the time and still to this day, he believes that is against the law. 

Bridges argued that using money that is not recurring year over year is not proper for an operating budget and would result in a structural deficit the following year. 

This was just one of two major issues that arose over Bridges’ tenure on the committee with the regional school committee’s budget. 

After going through with using the interest to fund their operating budget, the regional school committee dipped into their excess and deficiency account, which is savings for unexpected shortfalls. Bridges said after presenting a budget, they dipped back into the fund, depleting it almost entirely. 

“There's a bunch of things on the plate for all four towns, as it relates to the schools, that are really utterly critical going forward,” he said. “And I'm sorry that I'm not gonna be involved in it.”

Looking ahead at the new year, Bridges praised new superintendent Glenn Brand for his experience and financial background. He said he thinks they are well-equipped to handle issues that have come up in the past. 

In Bridges' perfect world? A redistribution of the district.

With declining population rates, Bridges proposes moving the junior high school to the new campus in Eastham. He said with some additional investment to make the facility work (like putting in a second cafeteria), the campus could comfortably accommodate 905 students at an 85 percent capacity.

Then, he suggests combining the elementary schools in Brewster, housed at a renovated Stony Brook facility, making the parcel at Eddy Elementary available for affordable housing. He said the Eddy Elementary building could be turned into a community center, with enough room to build out affordable housing units that are close to walkable areas in town. It’s also a short walk to the other elementary school for young families. 

Bridges' vision takes some planning and some research. He hopes to gain more insight once a regionalization study of the district’s elementary schools is released next year. 

For now, Bridges will remain an outspoken community member and staunch supporter of logical financial practices. 

He hopes to take this time to focus on his health and travel more with his family — a trip to Norway is planned for next year. Bridges will also be volunteering for Nauset Neighbors, an organization that he loves. He will provide rides for seniors in the area who need help getting to medical appointments, physical therapy, shopping or hair appointments.