Airport, Capital Expenditures On Tap For Chatham Town Meeting

CHATHAM – A new Chatham Airport approach map, authorization of a new bond to pay for waterfront infrastructure, funding to upgrade the transfer station and a proposal to pay property owners to rent or live in their homes year round are among the highlights of Monday's 47-article annual town meeting warrant.

The session begins Monday, May 13 at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium at Monomoy Regional Middle School on Crowell Road.

Voters will be asked to approve a $40,085,339 operating budget, a 5.24 percent increase over the current year, as well as $10,308,940 to fund the town’s share of the Monomoy Regional School District budget, a 6.2 percent increase. The town’s share of the Cape Cod Tech budget is pegged at $575,479. Officials are also seeking $2,417,220 in capital spending.

If approved, those budgets won’t result in an increase in the current $3.57 tax rate. Should all of the subsequent warrant articles pass, the tax rate is projected to rise to $3.75, a 3.92 percent increase. That will still be one of the lowest, if not the lowest, tax rates on Cape Cod.

Several big capital expenditures will, if approved, contribute to that tax rate increase. Article 17 seeks $2.9 million to complete renovations to the transfer station. The amount represents the difference between $4.8 million appropriated for the project last year and recent bids that increased the overall cost of the project to nearly $8 million. Because the money will be borrowed, the article will require a two-thirds majority to pass and will be subject to a debt exclusion vote at the May 16 annual town election.

In 2017, voters approved a $11.3 million bond to pay for a variety of waterfront infrastructure projects; $2,271,783 remains, which is not enough to cover the projected $11.4 million cost of the 90 Bridge St. project, even taking grants and community preservation funding into consideration. The Bridge Street project — which includes conversion of the historic Stage Island Coast Guard boathouse into a new shellfish upwelling facility as well as new docks and piers — was originally projected to cost $4 million. Voters will be asked to approve a new $11.4 million waterfront infrastructure bond to help cover the Bridge Street project as well as other anticipated waterfront projects. The article will require a two-thirds majority vote to pass and will also be on the election ballot.

Although it supports the new bond, the finance committee called for better cost management and “more intentional” communications with the public on large projects.

Voters will be asked to authorize the Monomoy School District to borrow $2.5 million for siding and trim replacement at the middle school. Chatham’s share of the cost will be $49,779 annually for 20 years, funds that will be included in the town’s share of each year’s school budget.

Article 23 seeks $273,682 to establish an adult supportive day program through the council on aging. The program would be held at the center for active living and would be a local alternative to a similar program in Orleans, which is attended by 10 Chatham residents. A grant may offset funding for the pilot program.

Among the nine community preservation fund requests are $750,000 for the town’s affordable housing trust fund; $75,000 for the FORWARD At the Rock housing in Dennis; $100,000 for Spring Rock Village Affordable Housing Project in Brewster; $350,000 for renovations of the Stage Harbor Coast Guard boathouse (part of the 90 Bridge St. project); $100,000 toward construction of the Monomoy Regional High School press box; and $136,786 to rehabilitate the little league field at the community center.

Article 40, which calls for replacing the 1958 Chatham Airport approach zone map in Chapter 100 of the town’s general bylaws with a new version that reflects the current Federal Aviation Administration-approved approach, was the subject of a public hearing Tuesday. It’s expected to generate considerable discussion at Monday’s meeting. As a town bylaw, it only requires a majority to pass. See the story on page one of this edition for more details.

Article 39 also relates to the airport. It seeks to correct an error in the general bylaw Chapter 100 that inadvertently dropped the word “not” in subsequent administrative changes. Correcting the “scrivener’s error” will bring the bylaw into conformance with state law, its original purpose, according to officials.

Petition articles on the warrant include a new tree protection bylaw, along with establishment of a tree protection revolving fund, and a non-binding resolution endorsing the concept of a regional swimming pool.

Article 47, also submitted by petition, asks voters to authorize the select board to submit special legislation that would allow the town to purchase year-round occupancy deed restrictions. If approved by the legislature, the measure would allow the town to pay property owners in exchange for a deed restriction requiring that the owner live in or rent the home on a year round basis. According to petitioner Krolyn McClelland, this could help ease the housing crisis by encouraging year-round occupancy rather than seasonal rentals.

Other major funding requests include $400,000 for dredging; $125,000 to replenish the town’s childcare voucher program; $361,700 for a transfer station roll-off truck; $170,000 for an emergency generator, roof and electric service repairs at Chatham Airport; and $440,700 for electric vehicle charging stations at the airport (to be offset by $325,000 in grants, incentives and credits).

The select board voted last Tuesday to appoint a substitute town counsel for the annual meeting. Town Counsel Patrick Costello is unable to attend; in his place the board named attorney Mina Makarious to serve as counsel at the session. Makarious is currently the airport commission’s attorney.

Childcare is available for next Monday’s meeting for kids ages 3 and up by reservation. Contact smabile@chatham-ma.gov no later than noon on Friday, May 10. Drop off begins at 5:30 p.m. in the middle school library.

The council on aging will also offer free rides to the meeting. To make a reservation, call Debbie Mayhew at 508-945-5190 by May 10.

Chatham Town Meeting Consent Calendar

The following articles will be included in a consent calendar at Monday’s annual town meeting. Voters will be asked to approve all of the articles in a single vote; any article can be removed from the consent calendar upon request.

Article 3: Prior year's bills

Article 6: Standard revolving funds

Article 8: Wood waste enterprise

Article 22: Childcare vouchers

Article 24: Stabilization fund

Article 25: OPEB funding

Article 30: Community preservation committee administration

Article 31: Community preservation committee reserves