Meetings Ahead
Meetings are being conducted remotely. Go to eastham-ma.gov/calendar-by-event-type/16 and click on a meeting to read its agenda. That document will provide information on how to view and take part remotely.
Thursday, April 30
- Board of Health, 3 p.m.
Monday, May 4
- Select Board, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6
- Community Preservation Act Committee, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 7
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starters
June Town Meeting May Not Happen
Gov. Charlie Baker’s extension of his stay-at-home advisory to May 18 has consequences for Eastham that may stretch much further into the year.
That date is close to the deadline for sending the warrant for a proposed June 15 town meeting to the printer, said Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe. On April 28, she told the finance committee, “It’s not looking good for a town meeting before the end of the fiscal year.” She said she would confer with the select board about whether a June 29 meeting would be possible. The new date for the town election remains June 23.
The biggest concern is setting the tax rate so bills can be drawn up. Estimated bills could be sent, “but then we would have to have a cascading way to deduct any overpayment from the spring bill,” Beebe said. And if tax bills don’t go out until November, the town might have to do some short-term borrowing to cover expenditures in the busy summer season.
Beebe is working on a revised budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that reduces anticipated revenue by almost $1 million, with drops expected in state aid, new growth, and local receipts. The planned capital budget will be pared down, with some expenses moved to later years.
The town is keeping track of all pandemic-related costs in hopes of reimbursement after the state of emergency is lifted, but Beebe cautioned that such payments can take a couple of years.
The finance committee voted to support the high school building project 8 to 1, and by the same margin endorsed creation of an education, housing, and human services special purpose stabilization fund and funding for the family support package.
Boat Storage Lottery Deadline Is Friday
There’s still time to enter the town’s vessel storage lottery, which closes Friday, May 1, at 3 p.m. Go to eastham-ma.gov/harbors-landings/pages/vessel-storage-information for details and a link to the lottery form.
“Last year was ridiculous,” select board chair Aimee Eckman said of the former first-come first-served policy. “I got there at quarter of seven and I was 20th in line.” When the office opened at 8, “there were 60 or 70 people in line. People were getting multiples for neighbors. I think this will be much better and we’ll still get all the revenue. I’m sure we’ll fill up, maybe even more.”
T-Time Committee Plays Through
The modular home you’ll see sitting on the T-Time property is not a statement from the development committee. The building’s one-night stand is a courtesy to a resident who will be taking delivery of her “forever home” and needs a place to park it overnight. “She waited a year to get it, and suddenly it’s here,” Town Administrator Jacqui Beebee told the select board Monday.
Meanwhile, the T-Time Development Committee met Tuesday to hear progress reports from its community development, economic development, and infrastructure subcommittees. —Ed Maroney
