for >> recording in progress. >> Okay. Thank you everybody and welcome to the Yarmmer Select Board meeting of March 3rd, 2026. If we could please all stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. And I'd like to have um ask for a quick moment of silence to think
about all of our service members that are serving in harm's way. uh today and in the days past and the days to come. Thank you very much for that. Okay, we are going to begin with um announcements. Um I will begin with
announcements by saying uh during the storm uh we had declared a state of emergency and at this time I'd like to declare the e is over. So, um whatever paperwork we need to sign uh the acute
acuteness of the the issue and hopefully the state um will be able to help us with some funding at some some point based on that declaration. But, um I I don't know what what else you need
Bob for for that. It's just a declaration of of um I think the chair of the select board. So, I so do declare that the emergency is is over. Um, also I'd like to just take a moment to thank
all of our public safety people um for all that they did during the storm, including our, you know, dispatchers and uh our emergency operations and our DPW, our plow drivers, everybody that had anything uh to do with it. It was a huge
undertaking and um I just personally would like to thank them. I know um under town administrator items, we'll have an opportunity to get a brief um update from the town administrator on that and probably have some type of uh afteraction discussion here at this
board at some point in time when we're ready. But um I don't think it should go without saying that there's uh they worked very many long hard hours, days even uh some of them without sleep and and um we're very we're very grateful
and we're also very grateful that um the majority of our people have their power back. Uh Mark and I I know uh spent some time over at the um shelter and so there's a a a wide variety of people there that we have to uh also recognize
and at some point in time hopefully we can give them a formal recognition but there were people from the county. Um officer Pascar Rosa was um instrumental in coordinating it. Uh Dr. Smith and food service workers, our school nurses,
uh the National Guard was there. Um I saw environmental police, state police, police officers from all around the region. So um I also want to make sure that we give um a huge thanks to all of them. There were about 275
people, Bob said, at the height of um the storm, which was a very, very busy shelter. And um you know having a place to go is is for some people is very very difficult for them to leave their home especially when they have pets and we
were fortunate that uh they allowed pets. Um so >> Madam Chair >> Yes please. >> Yeah I think among the town employees that I I I would also like to single out are the uh the y the Yarmouth fire department the EMTs as well as the police department. Uh while we were at
the shelter, we heard from a number of residents who literally could not have gotten to the shelter but for being literally taken helped out of their homes physically because they were snowed in. Uh but for the police and uh and for the fire department, it was amazing to see
>> the Cape Cut RTA, >> the RTA provided transportation, was able to help bring >> the family table collaborative who provided food. It was just a >> thousands of meals. So they did an incredible job. It was a It was clearly a town effort, a county effort, really a Cape Cod effort. Everybody just about
everybody from every corner of life pitched in. But um the stories from our our own residents thanking our own employees in the town and our police and fire, those are just wonderful stories to hear. So
>> I I I I agree. Every everyone deserves a huge kudos for all their help and support getting us through this. >> Great. Is there anybody else who has any announcements? Liz, >> I'd just like to say thank you to everyone, including community members.
It was a little bit like that Christmas time spirit. And wouldn't it be great if Yarmouth were like that 365 days a year? >> Any announcements? >> Just also want to extend my thanks. It it was generally what you would hear of.
It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a town to raise a town and they did a great job. Thank you. >> Mark, you have any other >> That was it. Thank you. >> Bob, you have any announcements? >> No additional announcements. >> Okay, let's go to um public comment.
>> Okay, we have some people on Zoom that we will take first. I see some hands raised. I do. >> All right. I see a Zoom user. Zoom user, please um recognize yourself and
identify yourself for the record. >> Yes, Madam Chair. Joe Glenn from the Irish Riviera on Route 28 in the old Irish village on the parade route not far. I now you're making declarations. Maybe you can declare the Nucket Sound
uh for the weekend uh souy sound or something. But um I just wanted to uh make some clarifications about seems like a long time ago we uh had discussions um about the regional
agreement and the composition of the DY school committee. Um, and I had made a reference to uh a 10 member board only because it's the simple math to figure out um what seven out of 10 is um and
that that was the original compos composition of the board of the school committee and the in the AR regional agreement which we were talking about. Everyone knows the arm assessment is near 70%. So that would be seven out of
10. And that's what I I was going with. I don't care if it a breakdown is six of nine for 66%. Um but it has to be fair. It's about fairness and equity. We hear that all the time and accuracy. Um we're talking
about the enrollment because that goes to our assessment that you guys have to do the tough decisions about with your budget. So even five out of eight is 62%. it's getting away significantly from where we know the average
enrollment is in in in the assessment of what we pay. Um, and we think that, you know, the the composition of the board should be fair. Um, but this notion of rounding down from four and a half people to uh four and rounding uh from
just over two and a half% down to two is just not fair out of seven members. Um, and it's not in the spirit of the RA. And the catch here is that the vote of the school committee to make any uh to to to even hear as we've seen um uh
discussions about the fairness of the regional agreements and getting down to um uh uh fixing any inequalities or or anything in the regional agreement. It first has to start with a vote of the school committee that is the composition
isn't broken down properly. So we're we're Yarmouth is is unfairly uh taxed without representation and and and and it's sometimes overused but we're assessed without representation. But speaking of that, we haven't been
represented and you know, hopefully uh or I think guaranteed we're going to have better representation because anything's better than zero representation um in the first district. And that goes to we've had no one
arguing defending the school committee or the or the district or or the town um up at the state house where all that money is coming from. Um, you know, I I don't know if we're getting any money. Uh, you know, you just referenced from
the um uh if the district gets any money for the shelter. Um, but whatever monies that we we should be getting, we need representation of that and that's what it goes to. But the other thing about the budget, which you're going to have to address, I mean, I don't think 1.5
million is going to fly. I think the sweet spot is usually around 500,000 to 800,000 and that's you know with years of gaps where there's no override or debt exclusion. Um so I think it's going to be a tough cell for you guys. Good
luck with it. But the other thing is the excess in deficiencies which I mentioned because people don't understand it. We don't take you know we can't take money from deficiencies. It's all about projections. So the the the school uh
the district makes a projection to uh what they think we're going to get back from the state. If the projection is wrong, it's good to have a little cushion. Okay. But if it's wrong by a million dollars and the town of Yarmouth has given an override of a million
dollars and in the it goes into the excess. Well, Yarmouth has given that money. The taxpayers of Yarmouth has given that in the assessment of of a million dollars. Well, guess what? We don't get that back because if it goes to the END, we don't get 70% of that
back. It could be a 100% if if the school committee in the district decides we're going to fix something in a building in uh um for a million dollars in Dennis. Well, a hundred 100% or a million dollars could go to that. I
think that it should be in the regional agreement that any of the excess and deficiencies um should go back proportionately um to the towns the the 70% uh back to the towns. They should have a cushion for if anything goes wrong and in the and put it in the
capital budget. Um but that's something that's been overlooked for a long time. So I just a couple things that I wanted to point out. Uh good luck with the budget. Um, if there's any uh questions that anybody needs to know uh from me, I'm certainly happy to to help. But uh
thanks for your time and have a great evening. >> Thank you, Joe. Cheryl, >> can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Sorry. I apologize if there's a barking dog in the background. Um anyway, um first of all, I I did want to
come on here tonight and um say a big thank you to the town for the updates that we got during the blizzard and also a special thank you to our first responders, our DPW crews, and all the utility workers who worked around the clock to keep residents safe and restore power. I think everyone really did an
outstanding job and we'll really appreciate it. Sorry. Um secondly, um I'm here tonight because I wanted to comment on the transfer tax that was recently approved by the Cape Cod Assembly of Delegates. Um a couple
of weeks ago, um I attended that meeting via Zoom and I was deeply disappointed that the delegate for Yarmouth, Susan Warner, voted in favor of the tax. That disappointment is amplified by the fact that the measure passed by a razor thin
margin of just 51.4% 4% and one vote could have changed the outcome. Once again, it just feels like the voices of constituents are being ignored. Um, residents are already frustrated. 72% of the voters supported a state audit that
has still not happened. And now we're being asked to accept yet another potential tax with no clear safeguards or transparency and no accountability of how that money will be spent. Many of us had zero confidence that these funds won't simply disappear into the bureauc
bureaucratic abyss. At the assembly meeting, dozens of Cape Cod residents spoke against the tax and only four spoke in favor of it. One of the four was Michael Hulcom, the district director of Julian Seir, the same state senator who appeared before
this very board back in September to aggressively push his tax. Another supporter was Raphael Richtor. And if that name sounds familiar, it should. He's the owner of Mercedes Cab, which is the company that received a zero big state contract related to the
Healey shelters for transporting the illegal aliens. He also happens to be very close with Mr. Seir. Two other supporters who spoke in favor of the tax were young women who shared emotional stories about struggling to live on the Cape. And while I can
appreciate how difficult it is to afford a home, especially for young people, what they didn't disclose is that both of them are employed by an organization called the com community development partnership, a nonprofit whose mission
is to create quote accessible and stable housing through bold systemic change end quote. This organization stands to benefit directly from transfer tax revenue. And one other little tidbit, Mr. Richter is on the advisory council of that
organization. To many residents, this does not look like grassroots support. It looks like insiders advocating for a tax that benefits their own networks while everyday Cape Coders are left footing the bill. Quite frankly, this feels like yet another scheme to fleece taxpayers.
I have zero confidence that if this tax comes before Yarmouth voters and passes, the money will not be managed transparently or in the best interest of residents. People are paying attention and if and when this comes to town meeting, many of us will be watching closely and pushing back hard. Thank
you. >> Thank you, Cheryl. Okay. Is there anybody in the public here uh tonight that would like to speak? Yes, sir. Please, Vita, I'll get back to you. My name is Barry Margolan, 27 Robera Drive, West Yarmouth. I'm the vice chair
of the Yarmouth Energy Committee. We have a unanimous request of our volunteer team tonight before the board to update our name and charge and I just wanted to let you know that I'm here on behalf of the committee if the board has any questions when that comes up.
>> Thank you, Barry. Is there anybody else from the public? Mr. Nano. >> Okay, Vita. Hello. >> Okay. Uh, is it uh possible to I joined
a little bit late, but just what uh Miss Ball just talked about. Is it possible to get Miss Warner to explain herself how on what basis she voted the way she did? Uh, all I can say is that I've asked I
sent her an email and um asked her to, you know, that she she was welcome to come here and update the board and the public at any time of what's happening on the county and I did not receive a response. >> Oh, wonderful representation, isn't it?
You cannot get her to to come. Uh, in other words, demand demand that she show up and explain to the people that you We can't demand anything. We I mean we as a board have never formally asked her. I sent her an email with my thoughts based
on what she was voting on and at the end of it I I did ask her to come um that she was welcome in public at any time to update us and the board. I mean and the public but as I said there was no response and >> we we can't demand her to come.
>> I don't remember though. Was she elected or was she appointed uh uh when somebody stepped down? >> She's an elected member at this point. >> She is. Okay. All right. Thank you, >> Mr. Nanelloo. >> Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you very much.
Tom Nel, for the record, very historic town of Yarmouth. Actually, 387 years old this year. Brought my 250th United States of America. So, we got them beat. But anyways, um just to let you know, um
we have uh well, first of all, let me back up. I'd like to also thank everybody for the huge efforts over the course of our Hernando visit. Um it was uh remarkable. I was out there. I'm a snow fighter and
I like to go out and show my appreciation to all the snowfighters, the DPW, the private contractors, uh, everybody from holding a shovel to a spoon. Um, we all we all put it together and opened up our town and I think we were pretty safe, too. I
don't think there was any casualties, but there were sure a lot of damage. Mother Nature showed us that pruning is a good thing. Uh, with that, um, also like to say, um, you probably all know in about 113 hours, it'll be a bunch of people walking down 28, and we're real
excited about that. Uh, we also like to thank from the parade committee. I've been with them over a decade now. Uh, we'd like to thank all the municipal employees, the town administration, and you folks for helping us put this on. We
have over a 100 participants. Uh, as you know, the weather with the storm, um, it may not be good for everyone, but then again, let's educate people and tell people that the town of Yarmouth has stepped up and for three years now
been putting it on television. So, if you feel unsafe coming out, there's other means to watch the parade. So, if you want to stay in the comfort of your home and have your shamark drink, that's probably the best thing to do. But if you want to come out, we'll be happy to
entertain you. So, um, DPW has been working very hard, the police department, as you know, with all the detours lately and the details. So, they're more details and and detours. So, we really appreciate their efforts. And, uh, we also have the staging area,
which is down at the Parkers River Bridge, which we all spent $6 million on that bridge. And I believe a few years ago We took the initiative with Kyle Pettisini here about the banners and just to let you know there is no banners
there this year. Kind of sad. We project our image. we go to our awards communication team has done a great job and uh you know we have projected our community in five other continents and uh so this is really big
for us and um whatever happened with the banners it doesn't really matter but I know in 2027 they'll be back so we really appreciate that considering this is where we host the parade and everybody looks at our town through that lens which is very important so with
that Um, like I said, 113 hours left. Uh, we want to encourage everyone to enjoy the event. It's a family fun uh activity. The parades committee under the leadership of chairman Desmond Kio
has done an outstanding job. Uh, we have the Irish Olympic medal women's boxer as our grand marshal. So, don't think anybody's going to get away anything, but she'll put you down with that. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you, Tom. Thank you for that
update. Is there anybody else from the public? Okay, moving on to our 615 item. We are going to have a presentation on the short-term rental study that uh UMass will be doing the presentation about
Carrie Spritzer. we'd like to invite from the University of um Massachusetts Donahue Center will be joining us >> and Carrie I'll be advancing your slides so that the public can see them as well
here. You don't have to share your screen and >> so maybe help me walk through those. >> Oh, good. So I can see which slide you're you're showing. Perfect. Um great. And um I just want to say um good
evening everybody. Um it's a real pleasure to be here. This is a project that's spanned um quite some time now. I think it's we were scheduled to present this in in the fall and now um it's almost spring. So um first off I wanted
to just um advance the slides and give a quick overview of the study. So the UMass Donahghue Institute is um based out in UMass Ammerst and we do applied uh research in our economic and public policy research group that I'm a part
of. Um so we were asked by the town of Yarmmouth to study the various impacts of short-term rentals on seasonal housing and seasonal housing in Yarmouth. And the goal is to provide some actionable recommendations to the town regarding you know um potential
regulations. This involved a bunch of different tasks. Um we started with um data collection uh and analysis. We conducted um several key informant interviews um with folks um throughout the town.
We looked at different short-term rental um regulation scenarios and then we created a final report that hopefully everybody has had a chance to look at. Um the next slide is just a quick project timeline so you can see you know we're here at the final report and
presentation um stage um almost over a year later. Um I'm going to try to speed through because I know um you guys have a packed schedule um but the the flow for is I'm going to talk about um some of the trends overall in the town really
regarding population and households. Um I'm going to talk about the just touch on some key factors regarding the housing market. Um the current state of short-term rentals, what we found in our qualitative interviews about the perceptions of the impacts of short-term rentals. We're going to talk about what
are some current regulations in place, what are some potential regulations the town might want to consider, and some of the costs and benefits related to those regulations. and then we'll close out with um some conclusions and recommendations. So um I this is the section I'm going to
try to go pretty quickly through since it's probably um data that many of you are familiar with, but um you know Yarmouth like much of the Cape um had seen growth in its population. So um
over the you know 2000 um the covid pandemic like much of the cape the the town saw a growth in both total population and also in the number of households and this is true across um the town
here. Um you can see that the household income in Yarmouth um has grown but relative to the Cape and Massachusetts income in the town is is somewhat lower. Um and you know from one of the this is one of the reasons you know Yarmouth has often been considered kind of one of the
more affordable communities on the Cape although you know obviously um still out of reach for many. Um and you can see across um communities Yarmouth Port has you know higher median household income relative to South Y and West Y.
You can keep going. Now, um, one of the big concerns around short-term rentals is often, you know, the perception that, um, they're using stock that would be used by year- round renters. Um, and throughout the state, um, and Barnstable
County being, you know, real high renter cost burden. And this is the concept um that a renter for for housing to be affordable for a renter the or homeowner the idea is that you spend 30% or less of your income on housing costs.
Unfortunately because of the high cost of housing throughout the state and and um you know your county as well we're seeing higher render cost burden. And so you can see in Yarmouth um it's gone up considerably since 2018. I just want to
point out these bars are um representing the margin of error. So, you know, with the census when you get down to lower and lower um sample sizes in smaller and smaller geographic areas, you'll see that the error gets larger. So, we put them there just to to show that there
there is some um some potential overlap in the estimates from 2018 and 2023, especially when you look at the neighborhood level. But um render cost burden now is is quite high. Um
seasonal vacancy rates um are high across the Cape in Massachusetts there um you know it's it's well below 10%. But um when we go out to Barnstable County and on the Cape you you're seeing seasonal vacancy rates of um you know
well over 30%. And while Yarmouth is slightly lower than the the county average as a whole, um it's still quite high. Um and again, that dip in the seasonal vacancy rate, it's again within the margin of error. So, it's possible that from 2018 to 2023, it's it's stayed
fairly fairly stable is how we're interpreting that. But it's still nearly one in three units is seasonally vacant, meaning it could be um you know, healthy personal use or it could be a short-term rental um in the community.
So moving on um to talk about the economy and housing market. Um again while slightly lower than Cape Cod overall the share of housing that is seasonally vacant far exceeds um that statewide average. And this is again kind of the next slide highlights how
this has remained fairly stable over stable over time. So, you know, back in 1990, 30% of the units in town were um seasonally vacant. And today, when we look at the data in 2023, it's it's um right around 30%. Although, you'll see
the total number of units that are seasonally vacant has increased over that time, you know, growing from um just under 5,000 to, you know, 5,256. Um can we go on to the next slide? So
overall um the Cape and um all of all of um the town of Yarmouth have significantly lower um amounts of rental housing overall. So many more um owner occupied units in the communities. So that means that you know on those for
for renters they're already um year-round renters they're already you know struggling to find um units in a community communities on the cave. But then when we talk about short-term rentals, that that puts additional pressure on on those rental units as well.
Um, all right. So, now I'm going to get into the meat of of the presentation talking about some of the data on short-term rentals. So, we um triangulate several sources of data um in order to understand the short-term rental market. One um source of data is the department
of revenue registry of lodging operation operators. So um short-term rental owners are required to register their units with the state's department of revenue. Um and so we were able to get that registry. Now one thing I'll note um there is some concern that um you
know units stay on that list even if they're no longer active. Sometimes we're not sure how how good the Department of Registry is for off units that might have been operated as a short-term rental and then the owner decides um to no longer um operate it as such. So, if anything, we think this
estimate might be a little bit high, but overall um there are over 1,400 um short-term rentals registered with the state's department of owner registry. Um, we really wanted to kind
of zoom in on those units um that are um not owner occupied and non-exempt meaning um you can be exempt from the state tax on short-term rentals if you operated for 14 days or less. So um that
blue section represents the owner occupied units and those that are used for 14 days or less. And the thinking there was just that those types of units are less likely um to kind of put a strain on the housing stock because they they remain available to year round folks who are the owner occupants. But
those 1,200 units, 88% are, you know, not owner occupied and they're operated for over 14 days. Um as you can see the units are you know kind of focused in south Yarmouth and west Yarmouth with only 13% of the units
in in um Yarmouth port. Now the other source of data if we go on to the next slide that we use is from a tool called AirDNA. Um they scrape um data from the common websites for short-term rentals Airbnb and Verba or vacation rental by
owners. So, this allows us to kind of look at um those units that are rented using those apps. And I just want to point out like obviously there are also real estate agents who are, you know, renting out short-term rentals and they may never appear on the apps or folks
doing, you know, rentals through word of mouth, but this is a good picture kind of we use this data to really look at, you know, what are the rates that folks are able to charge? Um what's that trend over time in the rates? Um so on the apps we've seen um roughly around 900
units pretty steadily on excuse me on these apps um when the average daily rate is adjusted um to show um $ 2024 and the typical units are renting for about $350 per night in 2024.
Um, and at a rate of $350 per night, a short-term rental operator could collect the equivalent of one month's rent rent in less than 5 days during peak season. Um, these rates are significantly higher. And then we also show here, you know, kind of the breakdown of those um
units listed on these app-based rental sites. The the most common um size is a three-bedroom unit, but obviously there's there's variation across the board. Great. We can go on to the next slide. So, so those are the quantitative, you
know, findings um regarding some of the short-term rentals. What we wanted to do is to understand um how folks in town, you know, are perceiving the impacts of short-term rentals. Um concerns about short-term rentals really depend on where you sit in the town and the
economy. Um year-round rent residents, second homeowners, we um hotel operators and public sector employ employees all have different priorities and concerns when thinking about short-term rentals. And we viewed our work as bringing this data to inform the decisions that the
town has um to make, but recognize that like obviously these need to be informed by local decision makers. So we talked to um you know individuals from the Chamber of Commerce, the Select Board, Housing um trust, realtors,
neighborhood associations, motel and hotels. And um we think this h adds important context to the quantitative data. So we can go into some of the findings from those. So um many interviewees we talked to did link um the housing
inventory and affordability challenges directly to short-term rentals. Um you know they felt like they were um demand for short-term rentals was squeezing out um housing for yearround residents. Um but then there were others who were who
weren't as confident in that statement. Um and they you know rightly pointed out that you know short-term rentals um you know may turn into become year round rentals if they are not short-term rentals or they could stay seasonally
vacant. Um but they're not necessarily linked. So there is um some debate on that topic. Next slide. Um, I think the most kind of common complaint from from folks we heard um was issues around quality of life. This
included things like traffic congestion, people concerned about um having more cars in their communities as people, you know, would use um multiple cars at a place that maybe was designed for one or two cars. Um also just concern about the
traffic related to um maintaining a unit. So cleaning services coming in um things like that. There was also a feeling that folks who um you know stay in short-term rentals are not as committed to um to the community around
enforcement. Interviewes um you know really wanted to know more about the use of housing units in their community. Um they mentioned a desire to have better access to information on um registration and licensing of unit units. um they
felt like there was a space to create um more readily accessible information for for town residents on short-term rentals in their neighborhoods. One of the um other topics that came up which I think is is an important one to raise is the issue of social connection.
um you know, and this also could be tied to, you know, seasonally vacant units as well, but they felt like there was the rise in short-term rentals. Um made it feel like, you know, you could be in a community, but um you wouldn't know anybody in your neighborhood because they were just visiting for for a week.
Um one woman said it feels like nuclear winter. um talking about um her neighborhood in the offse there was quite a bit of concern about this idea of investors um operating in
the communities I will say um even though there was concern about this we weren't able to capture really good data to document back this concern up um we looked at data from you know both we looked at the um ownership of the units
that were in the registry, but we also um used some analysis done by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to who um has a great study called Homes for Profit. Um so even though um there was concern over this, we didn't find great evidence that there's a ton of
investor activity. Um but clearly there was an appetite in the town for maybe regulating investors differently than you might regulate um a you know seasonal homeowner who might have a desire over the long term to become a a year-round resident when they retire or
you know a a seasonally vacant unit um that's just owned by by a single per um family or individual. Um, second home ownership also came up quite a bit um, in the interviews and that was because a lot of the folks we
talked to kind of started off their their um, residents in um, Yarmouth as second home owners themselves. You know, they might have bought the home when they were younger and then retired um, to the community. And so I think there was an appetite for maybe treating um, second homeowners who were using um,
short-term rental income to kind of subsidize the cost of owning the home um, differently. somebody who, you know, owned five properties and and never occupied the home themselves. Although, um there was also appetite for potentially, you know, um taxing second
homeowners at a different level um in order to help subsidize um the cost of regulating these units and and others. And then finally, the other thing that came up um through our conversations was a real recognition of the role that um
tourism plays in the economy. So residents um you know noted this in two ways. One was that seasonal workers along with year-round residents are really struggling to afford housing. Um and you know obviously they're needed in order
to to keep things moving during the the high season. And then there was also, you know, um a recognition that the folks who stay in short-term rentals, you know, participate in the tourism economy and and um you know, will um stimulate the economy by spending money
in when they visit. So, I'm going to review some of what's happening right now and um then I'll talk about some of the potential changes that might might be available to the town. So, um again, this is probably not um news to anyone here, but you know,
Yarmouth has adopted zoning regulations specifically for short-term rentals. Um and these are going to be um suns setting in 2026. So, there's a requirement to register with the health department. Um and there is a fee of $180.
Not short-term rentals are currently not allowed in units designated as affordable or accessory dwelling units. Um There are requirements about off- streetet parking and restrictions on one night stays. So those are not allowed. Um and there is a requirement to display
registration and have 24/7 contact. So a lot of the things that um folks said they would like to see enforced are you know already on the books. Um the other thing is just going back to the role of um short-term rentals in the economy. Um the next slide
um there is a local option room tax revenue. Um and so this has um here we have it the trend over the last four years which were available. So you can see um the both the traditional lodging and
short-term rental revenues have increased lately since 2021 when we were kind of seeing that post pandemic um decline. um and short-term rentals contributed, you know, over $6 million um over the last uh four years through
this um taxation. So overall there, you know, we kind of viewed it as there being kind of two big um reasons to regulate. Um one was about um community um concerns about quality of life. So we definitely heard from
residents and folks that, you know, they're concerned about public safety, parking, noise, and large gatherings. These are reasons um to, you know, enforce existing regulations and potentially consider new ones. There was also this concern around um preserving yearround housing and and workforce
housing inventory. And I will say here, you know, this one we kind of highlighted potential because the thing with the regulation is, you know, seasonal vacancy drives a lot of the um concerns around um access to year round
housing and workforce housing. So regulations of short-term rentals don't necessarily um you know mean that we're going to see a growth in year- round housing. It really needs to be the the um transition of existing short-term rental.
They just transition to seasonally vacant units that aren't rented out on the apps or to to folks who are outside of the the owners, then we have a no increase in year- round housing, though you might see a reduction in some of these other quality of life concerns. Um
some reasons for concern about regulation that we wanted to address were, you know, the idea that um you know reducing any any type of regulation is likely to reduce the supply of short-term rentals and that would reduce the amount of available short-term rental lodging uh would in turn reduce
the occupancy tax revenue. Um and as I said, some units may remain seasonal and not reenter that um pool of yearround housing. And if there's reduced tourist volume, you know, like if there aren't enough hotels and motel to accommodate this demand, you could see economic
impacts of that on the town. So, um I'm going to talk now about some of the potential regulations. And this is just a v visual visual to help kind of highlight um you know if we we propose that most if not all of these
regulations are likely to reduce the supply of short-term rental units um just because that's the nature of of regulation. Um, some of the units may remain seasonal second homes, but some might turn into year- round housing. But the only way to kind of ensure that
those units either um change into year round or workforce housing is through, you know, an additional step. So, not just the regulation, but an additional step. So, you need to have things like Drestrictions or incentives like the lease to locals programs to keep housing units available for year-round
residents. So this is what this is trying to um illustrate for for folks. So the first um regulation I want to touch on is quantitative unit caps. Um so these are pretty common and um you
can have them in a few different ways. So there can be a percentage cap. So this is something we saw in Palm Springs where short-term rentals are capped at a share of um a neighborhood's total housing units. In Palm Springs, they use 20%. Um, if a neighborhood's under that
threshold, you can add additional units um to the registry, but once it's met, then there are no new um unit applications issued and everybody has to go on a wait list. So, just for reference, um we provided that the data here. So, right now there are 30% of
units in in Yarmouth are seasonally vacant. about 8% of the total housing units are um registered as short-term rentals. And like I said, that we think overstates the numbers. Um so it's somewhere probably between the number of
town registered units was 5% and 8% is what we're seeing as the current um you know share of total housing units that are in um in the short-term rental um use. There could also be um investor
restrictions. Um for example, in Great Bington, there is a short-term rental bylaw that took effect in 2023 where registration requirements and qualifications were used to really um focus on um sorry I'm seeing I'm going
to interpret this as moving ahead. So there there's also um zoning tools that can use to um institute quantitative unit caps. The other option is to to um limits not on the number of units that somebody can hold but how intensely those units can be used. So you can have
maximum number of stays for a given time period, maximum number of days or nights and you can also have length minimums. So restrictions for short stays like your already has in place for the one day. Um we have some data here to kind of inform um those. So right now um the
total number of reservation days um for short-term rentals according to um ARDNA is on the next slide. Um so you can see uh very you know only 10% of short-term
rentals were used for 14 days or less. Um you know over a third were pretty intensely used with 91 more um reservation days or more per unit. So, um you'd want to think about these um existing
um distribution of reservation days before setting any any regulations here. I will say this is um from AirDNA and again if somebody's renting units um also through a landlord or not a landlord, a real estate agent um it wouldn't necessarily show up here in
this data. So, if anything, these are understating the intensity of the reservation days. We also looked at the length of the average registration. I know Yarmmouth restricts one day, so I'm not sure what this these 16 stays or
one day um how they got in there, but um again, this is coming from AirDNA, but the typical stay we're looking at like the most common is is four days. Um, you know, >> one example of this is, um, you know,
Williamstown, um, in Math Berkshire has implemented a 90-day rental maximum annually for short-term rentals in a calendar year. Um, so that here though you could do a you could consider doing um the length
of the um you already have a one day restriction. You could lengthen it if you wanted to reduce kind of the the turnover. Um other strategies that we wanted to talk that we talk about in the report are the idea of creating incentives to encourage property owners um to rent to
yearround local residents. Um this is a pro um a tool that's been used in I think um Nucket Province Town. Um placing deed restrictions um could also be used to kind of that's the other um
to keep affordable housing units um uh with owner occupancy requirements. Um these sorry let me step back. So, the owner occupancy requirements are um just
that you could require that an owner be um present in the short-term rental unit. That, as I showed in that first slide, would mean that the vast majority of short-term rentals that are currently registered would no longer be um legal.
I think it was um it was only, you know, 1,00 um out of 438, you know, 100, sorry, 1,272 were nonowner occupied. So, it's less
than, you know, 300 um that would meet that owner occupancy requirement here. The other um thing which is already in place is you could put ADU or multif family restrictions to limit the type of residential properties that could be used as short-term rentals. And this is
something um that's already in place in Yarmouth. So um again I'm just kind of speeding through this but the conclusions and key takeaways are that you know we really are not suggesting that there's kind of
any silver bullet here. I think there's um a need for really targeted regulations um and a interest in you know looking at owner occupied units, second homeowners and investor operated rental properties um and potentially
designing regulations for for those different types of owners. There's also a strong interest in kind of improving enforcement of what is already on the books. Um increasing public access to that short-term rental registration data. um exploring incentive based approaches to expand year- round
housing. Um this could be the things like the lease to locals program and also you know in the report we have a lot of examples of regulations implemented in other localities and we talk about those trade-offs. We really want to emphasize that there's no single
policy that could address all of the concerns expressed by the stakeholders and I think you know whether or not you're targeting quality of life or looking to you know retain more housing for year-round residents it's going to require a multiaceted strategy that
combines multiple approaches and um hopefully this report will help guide that. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for taking all of this data that people should know that it was a very lengthy
report that she um summarized. And is this available on our our website, Bob? >> Yes, I believe it is. >> Let's make sure that it is. Um I have I have a couple of questions for you before we go to the board. One is can you can you talk about the lease to
local program, what that is? Um who manages it or if we're involved with it? I don't No. And can you just talk about that? >> I'm happy to. Yeah. Um, so the lease to locals program um, you know, that's kind
of the nice term um, that's used. Let me look at So the town of Providence has um, used this program and I believe they've contracted um,
with a an organization to help them um, administer it known as Placemate. It's a private firm that partners with the municipalities to implement this program. But the idea is, you know, how I said in the beginning that given the rates we're seeing in AirDNA, it would only take about 5 days to rent out a
short-term rental unit and get the equivalent of a month's rent um that you'd get through a year- round lease. So, the idea here is that you create incentives through um grants. Um in Province Town in 2024, I think the grants range from 6,000 to $20,000 per
unit. Um and the idea is that those grants make it more attractive for um landlords to rent to local um you know folks who work in the community. So it's kind of a carrot rather than a stick. Um >> I'm all about the carrot.
>> Yeah. So so um I think the other place that's happening right now is in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Um and so there are some examples, you know, in the region locally where that program has been effective. I will say, you know, it's it's not um so in the first
year, I think we we cited that there were 39 pro properties in Province Town that housed um 68 tenants. Um and it cost the town um $528,000 >> for how many tenants?
>> Um 68 tenants in 39 properties. >> So, >> all right. That was Province Town rents. I will say, you know, Yarmouth is is expensive, but less lesser than Province Town,
>> right? Okay, let's go to the board. Liz, >> I spent the afternoon reading your report and I was so um excited to have it organized in such a great way. Um
it's been uh certainly something that we've all been talking about and it's in the newspapers because so many communities have been trying and adopting different strategies and uh when we had our one cape Cape Cod um
commission's one Cape um forum this uh where are we? I guess it was spring and a lot of it was about what the the towns are trying and so this was a really wonderful condensation of all of the
different um efforts being made and and and it in including the seasonal communities aspect which I think is so important for us now to consider um as we go forward. So and I after having
really read it and and actually taking a lot of notes. I am am al on your signing along with your um feeling that it's there's a we have to find a combination
of strategies that will work for for Yarmouth and um we've talked a little bit about the residential exemption for instance and that's something that is being looked at but not perhaps right now a little bit in step with our
capital improvements So, um it's going to be a fodder for really really important good um conversations. But I I hope that what we will be able to do is make a decision on seasonal communities. Um and this will
help influence that because I think seasonal communities is something that will be very beneficial to to Yarmouth to sign up for. Thank you. I agree with Liz that the seasonal communities designation is crucial to
our strategizing. Um I wanted to ask you given that you have very specific data for Yarmouth and for some other towns. Do you see any models with towns that are reasonably comparable to Yarmouth
that we might want to look at um at their studies and their policies? Um, I'm aware there a number of seasonal towns in Massachusetts, but maybe one about this size and with the retiree issue. Um, and with the u the seasonal
work issue. >> Yeah. I mean, there are definitely I bring up Province Town because that's a place where um, you know, we've worked before. I know that it's not a complete onetoone comparison given the the differences in housing prices and um and
rental costs. So I would also say you know the Birkers is doing some interesting work on um on seasonal communities as well. It's worth looking um to those examples. The one thing I'd caution is just that a lot of the um regulations, you know, haven't
been in place for as long as one would like in order to make, you know, real strong um you know, conclusions from their impact. So, a lot of the places that have done work regulating short-term rentals like um are places like New York City where they they
banned Airbnb um for a while. So, that is not a great example um necessarily for Yarmouth, though it is one of the only ones that's really available and good good hard you know study and research data from >> okay so you would Williamstown then be
the closest that you'd suggest or >> I'd have to look more closely at the demographics of Williamstown I think um you know the Birkers are different and they kind of um
their demand is a little bit you know different in terms of when the intensity of it is there's the summer season but there also folks who who travel out to the Brookers in the winter. I think I'd really look at the Cape um and your neighboring towns on the Cape for for examples. Um and I know Province Town is
one that's been very active. I know Nantucket is active as well, but they're you know they're a little different with the island nature and and the really extremely high cost of housing. >> Good. Thank you. >> Yeah, >> um thank you. I I'm still kind of going
through your study. There's an awful lot to to learn from it. >> You you certainly have given us um a wealth of information. Um I think at this point that's really it. Thank you, Mark.
>> Yeah, thank you and thank you for the presentation. Um I think for me the takeaway, one of the big takeaways here is that the short-term rental situation or the market is not creating a serious problem in terms of affordable housing. I think there's been a concern here in the town and around the Cape that
short-term rentals are making it more difficult to sustain some of our year- round housing inventory. And I I I I you have to tell me if I've got this wrong, but that's the impression that I'm getting from the study is that um the short-term rentals market is not a
problem here in Yarmouth for affordable housing. Is that what you're saying? >> I wouldn't say it's not a problem. I would say that it's part of a larger issue around seasonal vacancy. So, I think what we're really trying to emphasize is that if you, you know, regulate the short-term rentals without
paying attention to, you know, increasing the stock of year round housing, you're not going to necessarily see an impact on um >> on the availability of year- round housing. And, you know, a big issue with how you know,
understanding housing market is it's it's really is a lot of it's around supply and demand. So, when there's um you know, not not enough supply of year- round housing and there's strong demand, you're going to see the cost go up. And I think that's what we see out on the Cape and in a lot of the seasonal
communities um where folks are also competing with, you know, second home owners, short-term rentals. So, >> I'm not sure I got an answer to my question. I I there was there was a lot there, but um I'm really trying >> I guess what I'm trying to say is if you want to regulating short-term rentals
alone is not going to solve the housing affordability issue. um you need to also think about how to um encourage year- round use of housing. >> Yeah. Okay. Well, this is a question that comes up in the community quite a bit. There's a concern that short-term rentals are the market is contributing
and I think having a clear answer to that question I still think is very very important. I do agree with uh the the recommendations that are coming out out of this about the uh the value of having incentives to promote uh access to year
round housing. I think that's that's a very helpful recommendation. Um, and I think there's there's work that we can pursue on that. So, I I I think that's a that's a very good takeaway. But, um, again, I I'm I'm I was genuinely
interested in having a study help us understand to what degree the short-term rental market was creating, uh, more pressures that were challenging to manage in terms of affordable year- round housing. And so, um, you know, I'm
glad to hear it's not a serious issue, but, um, again, I'm not sure I got really the the kind of answers that that I've been looking for here. Um, I hope that the report itself can be of value to the planning board in terms of
the work that it's doing in updating its regulations. I mean, that was the other value in this is to try to understand the role of short-term rentals in terms of uh the affordable housing supply here in Yarmouth, but also to provide the kind of information our planning board and our planning department needs in
order to sort of fine-tune uh the regulations that we have that are going to be expiring so that we can make sure that uh we're making the right tweaks and the right changes uh in in in in the months ahead as we lead up to I think what what would be the fall the next
fall town meeting. So, that would be our game plan. So, uh I'm going to be genuinely interested in hearing some of the questions and comments from the planning board representatives that are here tonight, some of their thoughts, and I'm hopeful that uh they can take a lot of this work and and run with it and
come up with a set of recommendations that can be be very helpful in terms of making changes to our to and improvements to our own short-term rental regulations because we we need to do this. Other towns are doing this. I know we're going to be looking at what some of the other towns are doing and some of the issues that they're trying
to tackle. So, I think in the in the in the grand scheme of things, I think this adds to a body of knowledge that we're sort of developing so that we can help do a better job on on dealing with this issue and coming to town meeting with a better set of regulations going forward. So, thank you.
>> Bob, do you want to respond? >> Yes. I I wanted to just make a few comments um on behalf of the affordable housing trust and and I I too want to hear very much from the planning board and maybe I can help set up a little bit the discussion as it moves forward and
um the affordable um housing task force is one of the agencies that funded this study and you know with Mark's leadership um you know we built upon um the studies that that were done in Provincetown and some of the other communities using the Donahghue Institute and I really want to thank Carrie Spritzer and her whole team for
all all of the work they did. Um, this was a tremendous amount of data for our community. That's enormously helpful. And to put a little bit finer of a point on on Mark's question, what we learned is that, you know, the the question, do
the short-term rentals impact the availability of year-round affordable housing? The answer to that question is yes, but it really is only in a marginal um viewpoint. It is um not a significant
driver in terms of the housing and the issues that we're dealing with are are far larger. you know, as an example, with only uh a little over 5% of the housing stock um associated with the short-term rental market, it's far less
than in other um seasonally oriented communities where the growth in short-term rentals has become a major issue and it's taken over the housing. Um we see, you know, routinely nationally. the model that I think um she used was one of the communities is
is trying to keep it under 20%. And we're so far under that it is not something that you can be seen as taking up um a tremendous amount of the housing, but it is there. There is that that portion and we need to be careful with it. And some of the significant um
things that you know we've learned and Krie mentioned this and it's one of our biggest concerns and um a lot of this data was more pronounced even in the more seasonal communities like Province Town where if you attack this and say
well short-term rentals are a problem and we need to reduce the number of short-term rentals and you just put a cap on it. Um there is absolutely no guarantee that any of those units will become yearround affordable rentals
which the community needs. So what we learned in our study is that if we focus on anything at this point in our history, it does not appear as if the sheer number of the short-term rentals is overwhelming. But what we're looking
to do is and and I think this leads us closer to those types of incentives that specifically tie the use of the property into um having something that people will affirmatively take the step of converting it into a yearround um rental
housing opportunity. And there's a lot of things preventing that. People, you know, are scared to become landlords. um there's people who want to retain these seasonal homes for a portion of the year for their own use and don't want them tied up in that and and a number of things. So having programs that study,
offering assistance for people to investigate, converting to year round in terms of legal assistance, other assistance, providing financial assistance, those we feel are are the the programs that would be the most helpful in trying to use this seasonal
um population or housing stock um as a potential conversion to to year- round housing. And and also I I think one of the concerns that we have with just um a a general ban on them or limiting the
amounts we we have to understand that the short-term rental market is a significant economic driver for our resort economy here. Uh it drives all the the businesses. It drives um fuels just a lot of what happens. So um any
steps to lower that number you know will have um economic impacts. So we need to again be sure that if we're reducing that economic engine that's just you know feeding our community. We
need to make sure that those units that we're reducing are transferred to year round not just not rented not bringing people to visit our community. So that is an important issue and um the next piece of it you know we we talked about
having a strategy that is multifaceted and and I I really need to you know at this point um you know mention the planning board in its efforts as we've gone through this study over the previous few years and the bylaw that
they've adopted um that is on the books right now that the planning board will be working on really is the the bylaw that has the safeguards for the quality of life in our community. Issues such as
the um length of stay, the parking, that type of regulation. And um I I want to say my hat is really off the um planning board participated in our meetings that we had to um meet back and forth with the Dani who Institute to study this
issue and to develop solutions and and you know they were there every step of the way at the table and I know right now they're working very very hard on the new bylaw and I and I think that that that's where this kind of feeds in and I and I think by continuing the type
of regulation that they have started started and to ensure that you know even though it's not a massive amount of the housing in in the community that you know there are potential quality of life impacts that that that we feel are the number one types of issues is to stay on
top of the quality of life issues and then also develop other strategies that we can investigate the types of incentives that we can offer these seasonal homeowners. And there are still a lot of seasonal homeowners that um are
not in the short-term rental market as well. Um so the numbers of seasonal vacancy does not match up directly with short-term rentals. And that's another key point. So um with with that, I I think those are some of the key takeaways from on the affordable housing
trust standpoint. Mary may have a lot more to to weigh in. She's been so great in in terms of gathering all the data on this, but I I really think you know the planning board has real key stake in this. >> Thank you, Bob. I completely agree with what you're saying. I know I think I've
been saying for the last two years that we need to start incentivizing year year round rental and it's really about what we want for our town, right? What are we what are we trying to achieve here? Are we trying to put restrictions on it as you said for the public safety things
which I think were have been mostly addressed or are we trying to create year- round housing? It's a little bit of both. Um the study does I I agree with Mark in in the sense that it's it's not um it's not glaring. Uh the the one restriction that personally I think that
I would be willing to look at would be the corporate ownership. Um, >> but that doesn't seem to even be something that we're dealing with either. So, um, I would love to see the incentive piece um, and try to get some
of our people to rent it. I think one of the things that we should be doing is pushing our legislation legislate legislators to um, do something about the legal and judicial system when it comes to tenants. Um there are a lot of
people that do not want to get into the rental business and because people are there and they they can't get them out, you know, and that's really an unfortunate thing. We learned that, you know, during COVID there were they were allowed to stay for two years without having to pay. How does somebody who own
a h who owns a house and has a mortgage? How I wouldn't be able to do that? I don't know a lot of people who can. So, so that's another piece of it that we need to work to try to they should have uh housing courts that that help and assist homeowners because without that
we're not no matter what we incentivize it, it's not worth it. $20,000 if you have somebody living there for a year that that damages your house, it's not worth it. So, so it's a combination of things. What I'd love to see because, you know, we talked a little bit about the seasonal communities. These are all
decisions that are coming up um that involve housing and I'd love to see us um maybe digest this a bit and have a housing forum with our with our planning board and our CEDC and everybody that's involved or affordable housing trust. We've done this before >> people together again.
>> Um, we did this before a few years ago and um, you know, I think to to always be in the same room and be able to listen and talk to everybody and and hear all the different sides so we can come up with a plan of of where it is that um, the residents want us to to
take this. Um, you know, I I was surprised to see some of the the comments from from this study from our our uh people. I'd also like to learn more about placemat and the um lease to locals program. Um you know, anything
that we can do to incentivize it. But again, I think we all have to be on the same page in terms of asking for some type of um system to be in place to help our homeowners uh you know get people out of their house in a less than six months to
a year if you know I mean nobody wants to see anybody homeless. I get it right. We've we've you know, but at the same time, if we really want to solve this issue and get people to rent their house instead of it sitting empty, it's something that we
have to we have to try to uh advocate for. >> Um >> yeah, and again, the seasonal communities, the pros and cons with that from from a housing perspective, I've love I'd love to hear I'd love to hear from the planning board on that as well.
Um, so I don't know how the board feels about that having a maybe a round round table in a >> That's a good idea >> in a in a time, you know, whenever the planning board's prepared to, you know, after you guys discuss it and want to come. I think that it would be something
that would be helpful tobody. >> Current bylaw is it expires in November 2026, >> so >> it'll be before then? Yeah, we'll have to >> And can I just add one last thing, Tracy? or just interrupt you. I do I I was very struck. Thank you um for
bringing forward the note about um the response time requirement from an owner when there is an issue and not that was in the in the report and I thought I know that a lot of the people who are
frustrated by this um short-term rental it is because of traffic and noise and so on and that seemed like a terrific and again that's one of those >> I think that take a lot of different ideas, but for November 26, that might be a good one.
>> I don't know how you can make a a a line from our traffic to short-term rentals. I mean, it could be people passing through the town. It could be people at a hotel. You have no idea where that traffic's coming from. I'm talking about >> traffic, it's parked cars on the >> That's already been addressed in the in the bylaw.
>> Well, you you guys know what I'm talking about, right? The response time for an owner, it's it's in the report. Oh, you have that now. So the an owner has to respond if there's a complaint in two hours. >> Okay. >> Two hours. Wow. We we they did do a
really great job of, you know, covering all the things that protect neighborhoods as far as trash and parking and all those things that people are concerned about >> because that was something that was raised in the report as a possible solution. And I guess it's something for us to recognize that it's been
implemented already. So when you read the report, know that that part's been implemented. >> If I might just um >> the two things that really I came away from with this on this study that
surprised me. Number one was that the number of short-term rentals was really much lower than I thought it was going to be. Number one. And number two, that the number of uh short-term rentals
owned by outside companies, >> investors, was also much lower than I thought it was going to be. Um, and it it just left me feeling that I really need to kind of go back to the drawing board and start from square one because
I thought it was going to be real easy, you know, okay, we're just going to go out and that's not the answer, right? But and but I also want to say that when it comes to the issue of of um long-term housing, I uh wholly agree with uh Tracy
that we're going to have to look at what we can do in the incentivizing of homeowners to, you know, to to help them help to make it attractive for them to make it a long-term rental. I mean,
there are so many right now in I can see the rationale for it, but there's so much favoring the side of the renter and not the landlord. And I think
we need to start looking back at at some of that because to open your home um as Tracy said, so many people are opening but if they're opening their home, they're opening it because they need they need money
>> and they don't want to be delayed on when they're going to get that money. And um they also don't want to have themselves involved in a lengthy legal battle because now they've got somebody living in that home that they can't evict.
>> So, yeah, I I think that that's something we're really going to have to take a look at is what what can we do to help the landlord >> in these situations? And I took very quickly was looking at that placemate while we've been sitting here. Uh, Province Town, the interesting concept,
you know, that leads to locals, I think, is a very interesting concept. >> Yeah. And we hear the argument too all the time when we do create our our our units here that you know we sit here and we always say we want local preference right and then we find out that local
preference really is only a certain amount that you can require and you know then we we it's the people of the town sometimes that are frustrated with the density that we allow and we do that because we want people to afford to live here that are already here and yet a lot
of them get filled with people that are outside the town. So that is a very frustrating thing for our people because they're putting up the sacrifice of the funds that we're giving, the density that we're giving, all the things that we're giving so that way we can keep our people here and they don't get they
don't get in the units. Um, but one of the only things I was going to say about that, um, you know, these statistics are only as good of the as the people that are following the law. So, these are people that are putting their that are registering their their short-term rentals. So, while we sit here and say
that we it's only 8%. It's probably higher than that. There's just a lot of people that are doing it that aren't registering it and um you know, paying the inspection fee, which is really unfortunate because um people, you know, from the outside renting there should
verify because you know, we had a situation. Look what happened to the family in Dennis, >> right? they went to they went to an Airbnb that didn't have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors or whatever it is. I'm not saying that that family specifically, but I'm just saying generally speaking, if I'm going to rent
somewhere, I want to make sure that it's it's an inspected unit, that it has smoke alarms and it has a carbon monoxide detector and it's safe. So, um there's a benefit to that, but not everybody >> follows the rules. So, I think that the number is probably a little bit higher
than eight, but um I I don't know. I mean, she's talked about the the room for error, but anyway, there's there's just a lot to digest here. I know that you guys are probably um going to have some conversation on that. So maybe we can get together with them, Bob, and
find out a time where um when they're ready that before town meeting uh that we can talk about the seasonal communities and um this housing to talk about what incentives that we can do and how we can afford it because um I remember a time not that long ago
when we when the Cavalere redeveloped and I was floored that we were paying I think it was $60,000 a unit to make it affordable. Right. To me, that was for one family that was a lot of money. Um, and now to make a
unit affordable, we're talking probably hundred and something thousands. I don't know what the number is, but it's a it's a large number. And um, you know, if we can keep a year- round rental for x amount of dollars, I think it's something that that you know, we should
look at. I mean, obviously, a home ownership is always um an ideal situation where where um you know, at least where, you know, somebody's getting a home for it, but at some point in time, it's very very difficult like what what can the town afford to
subsidize for one family? >> You know, $100,000 is is a that's a lot of money. um and what we could do with that $100,000 to possibly, you know, get housing for several families.
>> So, that's the way I look at it. You know, I mean, obviously it'd be ideal for home ownership, but even if we can get them year- round rental here and get them to stay, then, you know, maybe we can do that for five families. >> Just a just a quick question. We we build this as a joint meeting with the
planning board. Uh are we going to give the planning board time to ask >> if they want to speak? Sure. Absolutely. Tracy, while they're taking their seats, can I just ask you a procedural question? If we wanted to do anything about the short-term rentals, would we have to do a home rule petition to the
legislature? >> No. No. We could we could Well, it depends upon how we want to do it. So, if we're asking if we're going to ask for um funding for a program, you know, we would have to get funding authorized by town meeting to start a program
through the affordable housing trust. um or or something like that. So, there's a lot of different ways that we could do it. >> Okay. >> Hi, >> good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board. >> Thank you for joining us. >> Uh thank you for this opportunity to join you this evening for this
presentation of the Donna Huegh study. I'd also like to thank Carrie and the UMass team for their efforts gathering important data about Yarmouth's STR profile about obtaining feedback from various members of our community and
providing various options for potential regulatory and zoning provisions that we will be considering. The planning board however has expressed some real concern um for as to the purpose of the analysis and this goes to um uh Mr. Forest
comments um and and how that relates to affordable housing um squeezing the box of S STRs does affordable housing pop out of that and it doesn't in in our opinion. Um,
and so our focus will be on taking all the best information in this report and improving the existing STR. We need to keep a short-term rentals policy and we need to have a a new zoning bylaw for special town meeting. At the minutes of
our February 4th meeting um reflect that um we agreed that the strategy and several of you have mentioned um limiting corporate ownership. We had a general discussion about that. We think that is something that we should seriously consider including LLC's. That
gets a little bit complicated because some of those are family related. >> Um but we we we think that those are some of the STR um improvements that we would look at. We also want to look closely at Nantucket West Tis and Provincetown who have already
implemented changes to their STR. So they have things on the books that we can actually look at. Um the the one other comment I wanted to make again with you in I've said it before I said it at the affordable housing uh trust
meeting. Um for me I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to do with this study if it was meant to be something that was beneficial to you know creating affordable housing rental units. It wasn't and most of us felt that way
like where does that where is that going to come from? And I just I realized just listening to all of you tonight that you know there's two ways we can do this. We can do it with a stick or a carrot. And most people think of zoning and regulations as a stick. >> And most people think of a carrot as
incentives. And I think it's the incentives that are going to make this happen, not the stick. because um and if we start to tighten and put caps on things, it will affect our availability of revenue for wastewater
>> which is a key revenue uh that provides a key revenue source. So I I would really like to thank you Bob for your comments because your thoughts really mirrored I think most of what we have been thinking and talking about at the planning board uh and it was articulated
in such a great way. So, that's kind of where we are. You know, I'm not speaking for all of the members who are here. I'm sure they may have their own comments to make, but that's kind of the general direction we're going to take because we have a calendar in front of us to get to uh special town meeting and have public
hearings and come back to you and talk some more about it. Um, and so that's our plan going forward. >> Excellent. Agree 100%. I think it was uh set out to be just informative and for us to just kind of go through and you know I think her suggestions are there but um I I agree I'm a I'm a camera
person. I think that the work that you have done if has um should stay in place my personal opinion and it protects our neighborhoods and um does all of the the safety security type of stuff. But in terms of in terms of us looking at
creating affordable housing I think it's um it's the incentive side. So um >> and the one other thing I I would mention that you also uh talked about we do have things on the books for quality of life um it's the enforcement of them. >> Yes,
>> that's really key. Um we have we have the ability to enforce them. Um and I think uh from the the building in uh building commissioner and his staff, they do as best they can, but it all comes in it's got to come in from a
neighbor. um they're not going to be driving around looking for um issues. Uh but I think we all agree that enforcement isn't is is a concern for neighborhoods. Um and in many cases many of those residents do do call um and
there is a response. Uh so um but I we could also tighten I think those quality of life issues. We do have them on the books but maybe there are some other ones that we should consider. But that's the stuff we're going to be looking at. >> Excellent. So thank you. >> Make a comment. I just I did have a
constituent come specifically because of um an area neighborhood with the STRs and he's had to complain. The police have had to come but and it's just not going away. So it it as you've recognized it's still an an out it's
still an issue. Don't know how to fix it. And >> I'd like to welcome any members of the board um to comment as well if they'd like. Who >> else? Kathy, Mary, anybody who have anything they want to add? >> I guess the only thing is is is coming
up with some type of mechanism to get the people who are identified as a quality of life problem. Getting that information to the right people. So, if people come and they call the police and the police come, they may not even know it's a short-term rental. They may not understand the full problem. That information may never get back to the building department. did talk to Mark
and I think last year he got like one actual complaint that came to him in the building department and then he was able to call the owner and deal with it right away. So I think a mechanism of getting people to the right place and help working with the police to help them get that right information to the building department so that we can do the
enforcements that's needed. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Megan, you want to add anything? Mary? No. >> Okay. All right. I appreciate everybody coming and and Carrie, we very much appreciate your presentation and the
information that you've provided. Um it's uh been a long time, a lot of work that you put into it and uh hopefully we can have some type of round table to discuss this and uh where we're going to go with this as far as far far as that and the seasonal committee. Go ahead,
Joyce. Madam Chair, I was wondering if we could move up the energy uh committee um item because it actually I believe the name change was made in part to make it match the language of the planning
board's comprehensive plan. So, you know, they might have an interest in that um renaming of the energy committee to match things in your >> Yeah, good idea. Does anybody on the board want to move it? >> I'm fine.
>> Yeah, that's good. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. >> Now, I saw Kathy makes the motion over there. Were you saying that you supported the >> I see it's a great idea. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Get Get it on the record. Appreciate it.
>> I move. >> Yes. There's a minority opinion in the back there. Do we want >> We We see it. We understand. >> All right. Well, who's doing that presentation? I believe it's just a simple request, right, from uh the vice chair of energy
committee. >> It's all written up. >> Well, I I think if Barry could come to the table and maybe be prepared to answer some questions about it, that might be helpful. >> But this isn't what I guess what I'm what my concern is is we're looking for
a change in a charge. >> Yes, >> that was the request, >> right? But this has a mission and a vision. I don't I don't know where the charge is for me to read. Is does anybody have a charge?
>> I think the charge is within the the title and vision. >> We could just make that the charge. >> Well, we we can work on the charge. I think the idea is that the change to the charge would be to include a mission
sort of envision that is a little more comprehensive and then so what what we'd have to do is get the charge and maybe add the the vision and then bring it back to the board for approval. >> Okay. Well, why don't you just explain what it is that's in our packet for the
public to understand and then we can >> deal with the details. as the energy committee has been reconstituted over the last year. I think there were two members a year ago and we're up to six. We have another candidate waiting um
review. Um so we're just about at full strength. The committee has taken the Yarmouth local comprehensive plan which has a section on climate mitigation and energy and in the implementation
provisions of the plan assign the energy committee a large roster of tasks to help in the implementation of the plan. Um, we've been developing a a work plan to
execute on that and to align the committee's role with the local comprehensive plan proposed to call ourselves the climate mitigation and energy committee which is how the
local comprehensive plan defines this uh field of work. Um, and the the vision and mission statement are essentially the way we've described what we're supposed to do. A strong and prosperous
town powered by clean, affordable, and secure energy committed to climate mitigation and a sustainable future to inspire climate mitigation and clean, affordable, secure energy sustainability throughout the town, municipal buildings, schools, commercial businesses, residential homes, and
transportation vehicles. And that's actually somewhat more detailed charge than we currently have. We actually I I tried to um find out through Pam Barnes what our current charge was and
actually it was very hard to go back to figure out a source document >> um that defined our current charge. So, we've sort of been chargeless. Um, >> and the oldest document that that she
found was 2009, but the committee goes back to the 1990s, I think. Um, so we're um I mean, we'd be happy to obviously accept whatever mission the board assigns us, but
>> yeah, that's why I was wondering >> felt like it it filled the it filled the >> the void. Okay. No, because our our charges um not only talk about vision and mission, it talks about membership. It talks about um how long you keep it. There's there's a lot a lot to go in
into it. So, um on the surface, personally, I mean, I support the name change, but I can't until I see what the charge is. Um >> I you know, I >> maybe one of us can get you a template. >> Not me. >> No. Um >> now we can update the charge if if the
the idea was the request comes in and then it has to be presented to the select board on the name change and the vision and the mission and then if if it's something the board um wishes to do then we'll take the charge and we'll incorporate this in. I think there is a charge. >> I do too.
>> It's just not as inspirational as >> uh no I think you know there's a few things in a charge that um you know it's it's an advisory board. I think that it's extremely important that it's an advisory board that's not involved in um you know procurement as it has been in the past. I don't think it's appropriate
for our boards to be involved in procurement. So I I want to see what it is that we're asking them to do. I mean obviously I personally I think affordable energy is um a worthy cause for our residents but our it's it's an oxymoron at this
point. We have done nothing but increase uh energy costs for our residents by all of the mass safe programs and all of the other programs that are just transferring those cost to somebody else. That's my personal opinion. I know you disagree with it, but um I think we need to do more to get residents uh
rates down. And um that's where I would >> Madam Chair, I'd like to make a motion. >> Yep. Go ahead. I'd like to move that uh we as a board support the redesation of the uh Yarmouth Energy Committee as the Yarmouth Climate Mitigation and Energy Committee and that we ask the town
administrator to work with the current committee to come up with a revised charge uh to present to the board of selectmen in the select board in the in the near future. >> I second that. >> Okay. Any discussion on the motion? Yeah. All those in favor? I >> I opposed. Okay. Great. Passes
unanimously. Thank you very much. Look forward to seeing that. All right. So, next we have a Parker's River Landing policy and management of the park use. >> Hi, good evening, Megan. >> Hey, how are you?
>> I'm well, thank you for asking. >> How are you? >> Great. >> Great. Thanks for being here tonight. This is an exciting um this is an exciting topic to uh talk about uh events at our new Parker River Landing space. Um
there's some history that precedes you. I know you're a Yarmouth resident, so uh it probably doesn't. You know, we've had some great opportunities before we did the investment there that um you know um didn't go over as well as we would like.
So, um I'm interested in your presentation here tonight and we I I know we already have a lot of um events so to speak that are interested in utilizing the space and I'm very much looking forward to the grand opening of the space. So, >> yes,
>> with that we are too let you uh I'll let you take it away. >> Okay. So, what you have in your packet is the existing interim policy for use of the drive-in site, a draft event space policy, and um a map of the area,
and a template license agreement. So, it's important to to know that what we're developing here as a policy is for the event space only and not for the entire park. Um I think that'll come at a a separate time. So what what we've been developing is is for the event
space. Um so when we have an applicant or a person who is interested in using this event space, they'll first have this policy and it is similar to the existing interim use policy. The
differences are that this is more of a policy rather than rules and regulations. um because we we feel that those rules and regulations will come in the in the form of a license agreement. Um so when
we have um an applicant coming before us, we would have an interview of sorts, like a pre-application meeting, so we could review what their thoughts are, what their plans are, and to make sure that the what they're looking to do fits
the space. When you say we, who would that be? >> We um right now it's me. Um and we we would mean we would develop a community development team, which would most likely be myself, the
economic development program manager once that gets filled. Um assistant town administrator and administration um for that pre- application meeting. And during that time, we would give them
some suggestions and then move forward with an application. And once we get that application, we would have a formal team meeting of um community development, building, zoning, health,
fire, police, um to go over their application and their site plan and answer any questions they have and have them answer any questions we have. And at that meeting, we would kind of hammer out the details of a license agreement,
which would review security um what types of uh permits and licenses they would need. If they were having food trucks, they would need health licenses. If they were having alcohol, they would have to come through uh the select board for approvals.
um if they were having entertainment that would have to come before the select board for a separate application. Um so any event that includes entertainment, music, that sort of thing wouldn't be just an approval process
through a simple application. It would be um through the select board just like it is now. Um, and during that time we would have a chance to explain what the sound study gave us. Um, as far as input
of where the stage goes, where the speakers go and things like that, being very mindful of the neighbor, neighbors, neighborhood. Um, and we'd also talk about time limits of when you can start and when you can finish and when the
sound has to to stop. We do have our our sound bylaw and noise bylaw that we we would make sure applicants have um access to and understand. Um and during that that meeting, we would tell them what a license agreement
would look like. Um and that license agreement that you have in your packet is a draft. I realize there's a paragraph that repeats itself. Um, and it and it includes the majority of the things that
we would be looking to nail down. Um, for smaller events or events that don't require as many things, we would we would exclude those and have a a more streamlined license agreement. Um,
>> how about a fee structure? >> Feature, we are working on a fee structure. The plan is to uh refine this draft policy for you to look at along with an application and a
fee structure for your vote on. Um the fees that we've seen vary greatly from town to town and from space to space. There aren't really any spaces on the Cape quite like Parker's
Riverlanding. Um, so some of the fees that we've looked at are very small and I don't think they're appropriate for for this type of space and um, the work that will go into coordinating it. Um, and they go up to four or $5,000 a day.
Um, so we wanted to vet those numbers before bringing them to you tonight. Um, tonight we're just I'm looking for guidance on this policy as it as we we look at it. >> What about um
Okay, so there's insurance policies in there that are required. Um, sometimes we have town sponsored events where um the town requires all of this from a town organization which um you know
we've found has been problematic. Um, for instance, we've done Memorial Day ceremonies here. We've used the property. We had to request to use the property. Just regular citizens doing something on behalf of the town. And at the time, they wanted um a certificate
of insurance from somebody. It's really a town sponsored event. So, how do how are how is that going to be handled? If we host some type of event and use the space as the town at at Parker's River, >> I would imagine we would talk to our insurance agent and if the town is the
town can't really insure itself. We have already we're already assigned, we're already insured. >> How do I explain that? >> They ask in individual citizens sometimes do things on behalf of the town. Um, you know, we lost a great volunteer because
she was asked to get a certificate like she was going to go buy the certificate of insurance so she could have a ceremony here. Um, >> policy, huh? >> I know. Well, I'm just saying we that's something like that we should discuss if it's a townsponsored event that
>> well for for example the the 250 at the Independence Day event that we're planning in June uh that is a town sponsored event and we're not looking for a certificate of insurance. We're >> but who's applying for it? So it's it's
just I'm just saying that these are things that we need to think of because it's happen it happens >> and people are very black and white. They say okay oh you need a certificate of insurance if I guess it depends upon what the town accepts is their own and what they say is
>> right sure >> you know what is some some >> town sponsored event that they write under the town right >> and it's the private events and we need to clarify that too >> and >> so like maybe some of them we can accept and there's no the there's a fee waiver
process or whatever it's just I'm just thinking out loud based on >> things that people applied for use of space in the past. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> I wanted to just add a comment too onto Bean's remarks. Um, you know, first of
all, very appreciative of the effort. This was a yman's work and it's, you know, taken some time to go through all of the issues. Um, our office participated very strongly in this and also I got to hand it to Megan. She involved some, you know, resources that, you know, we had with the town, had a
lot of experience with some of the larger events and um allowed us to really highlight, you know, some of the key issues that need to be looked at for each event. And what um I support the most out of this policy, the reason I I I think it's a very solid one for our
community that it uses the technical review team methodology that um it's similar to our existing site plan review process with the same individuals involved and and what it's designed to
do is to um we have an intake process where we can organize the application, make sure we get all the materials, but we leverage the expertise of every single one of the departments um in order to weigh in on some of the larger events and to cover some of the critical
areas that we have listed out there. So when we do these events um police department, fire department, DPW building, they all have critical things to offer and then we can get everyone involved so that we put together sort of
a comprehensive analysis and then when we come to the select board, there's a a major event, they need an entertainment license, they need an alcohol license, you have the benefit of the the full report. And um I I do think the comments we spent a lot of time talking about, you know, is it a town event? Is it a
private event? And I and I I think it it you know, we could call that out a little more in here, but what what we talked about doing is for the town events, we can kind of have a streamlined process. However, if it's a major big event, which we haven't really
done a lot of major town events, but we have um template, the guidelines that um you know, we won't have to buy additional insurance if it's a if it's a town event, but if we're going to do some of the other things, I mean, the
the key items in here really are to ensure that all of the logistics are taken care of because if you do a major event and it's not properly planned out, you know, that's when may have types of problems and things. So, I I think that, you know, we could probably tighten it down a little bit, but I just want to
say I appreciate the um the work that went into it and judging by, you know, where we're at now, I think it's a great start. We're not ready to jump in um for this spring and start approving all of these huge events. But I think that that's going to come >> um pretty quick. So what what we want to
do is we wanted to have a chance to get feedback from the board areas we should look at and then tighten the thing down and then and then come back have have more discussions about it. >> Great. Um is the um the drive-in site committee
still in effect or they are they now disbanded? They were disbanded, right? >> I'm pretty sure they were disbanded. We were sort of transitioning from that committee now to >> I just didn't know if they had a chance to look at any of this. It really wasn't in their charge, but >> Right.
>> Okay. Mark, do you have any comments? >> Yeah, I do. And I I would agree with the sentiment that this is a good start. Um, one of the things that I think would be important uh to add into this is to make it clear that um the property was
acquired by a town meeting vote. >> We should make reference to the town meeting vote. We should also make reference in the policy to that it's protected under article 97. >> All right. I would recommend if you haven't reviewed the legal opinions >> and the legal work on article 97 with
respect to this site that you do so. >> Um because at times it was flagged as an issue when u there was some discussion here in town about providing exclusive use of the site and that runs runs a foul of article 97. Um, I want to point
out that the um, Commonwealth's policies, rules, and regulations regarding the use of article 97 property are evolving. And so we need to be current on what those policies and requirements are. And I think that that
needs to be reflected in terms of this overall document in terms of how it can be used because we we have to follow those guidelines and those requirements. So that would be that would be my biggest suggestion in terms of making improvements here.
>> Thank you. Great. Thanks, Dorcis. >> I think it's a great start, Megan. Thank you. Um it everything really I was going to say, I think it's already been said. My my big concern was again those town versus
private. Um it it's we've got to be a lot clearer in in that language in our definitions of what a town sponsored event is. >> Okay, >> great choice.
Um I think I think that's an important division and but I do remember um a thing from um energy committee in the past using the senior center that um we had someone from the senior center sponsoring energy committee for the
event and that was that was fine. So I think the what is town sponsored if it's not clear somewhere that I don't know about probably would be important to to indicate. I mean, is it one person or is it like the whole town sponsoring? But
thank you for all the work >> um the event site that you're that you mapped that includes the bathrooms. >> Okay. Well, not exclusively. No. Um we would we would have them be able to be
used by the event, but um they are part of the park, right? They are part of the park just like >> and as you pointed out in your documents that the park will be open. >> It will be open >> presumably unless it's after hours. I would expect >> if if the p the park has a closure. Yes,
I would imagine. Right. >> Um I'm I was a little bit worried about the kayak access and having an event which does have alcohol involved. um if that's what they license and I'm I don't
know if there should be special consideration for either keeping that um somehow really cordoned off or if there even needs to
be a special officer there to the safety officer >> for at when there is event of course that would be paid for by the event um sponsor. So that I thought that I just see that as a as a dangerous aspect.
>> The the only thing I can say to that is when we approve an alcohol license um >> supposed to stay on >> Yeah. we need to make sure that it's contained and so that it doesn't get in the hands of minors. So that's something that we can make sure that um it doesn't doesn't go out of a certain perimeter.
I'm just thinking that though that people have will have been drinking and there is water nearby. >> So, it's just it's something that maybe uh when you're look talking to an insurance person, it should be asked if that's if there is a concern if there
needs to be special insurance for that kayak launch area. I don't know. I have no clue. But it seems like a bad com. >> Madam Chair, we could we can make a condition that the use we will not allow alcohol to be consumed on the water. Oh, well that that's a given.
>> You're talking about after the fact that they Well, I mean, you can't >> you've got people >> they could go down the road and get into go into Parker's River. I mean, what what you can't >> Yeah, it's just I I'm have no solution. I just wonder if the questions >> No, I think it's a good issue to raise and I think it's worth investigating to see what
>> do you think we have to be cognizant of the property and the way that it's laid out >> when we do any approval of alcohol licenses. Yeah. The other thing I thought um but Jim wants to say something I think. >> Do you want to comment on that? >> No.
>> Okay. Um >> make a comment but it's not appropriate unless the >> chair recognizes me. >> Right. I was trying to do you want to recognize? >> Not really. >> Okay. >> Maybe when we're finished. >> When we're finished. Um, the other thing
I wondered if it is possible to have I'm I'm thinking about the concerts and electricity use and I don't know how the meters are set up and I don't know if the if it could be possibly be that the meter is
you know there's a reading before the event and a reading after the event and that cost is pushed on to the event sponsor. Mhm. That is something we've considered um putting on a search charge type thing for electrical use. >> Yeah. But and making sure that you have the right meter so you can monitor that.
>> I don't know if they're separately metered, but >> that's what you should check and we'll find out. >> Those were and then of course the license agreement obviously needs more work. >> Yes. >> West Yarmouth and the name of the park is wrong and there's missing pages and never mind. I'm okay. Good. All right.
Jim, >> would you like to say something? Madam chair introducing >> and very excited about this is actually going to happen in in May and I'm looking forward to hearing more about your plans for our grand celebration of
this new park. Um I would caution that this is not the only event space that we have in town. >> Homer park property across the street. So when creating this, there might be some thought given to make sure that um >> universal
>> that it's more universal so that it can be applied in any of the different um town parks or recreation areas. So that's my two cents worth. I thank you for giving me the time and uh >> let's give him three cents. Yay. Good to see you back. >> Um >> don't mention my
>> Oh, shoot. Sorry. >> I do think it's great. It's a It's really hard to foresee all of the potentials. I mean, we certainly didn't the last time that we tried this. Um, and you know, I'm really excited about the beautiful space, but we know we have
to be cognizant also of the neighbors that are there. And, um, trying to, you know, if we're doing music that we, you know, I think what what happened the last time was it was every Friday or Saturday night, you know, so they need to be able to live in peace, too. So
maybe we have to really look at rotating it. Maybe do like a Sunday afternoon or restrict it to only so many um >> Friday or Saturday nights per month. Um but you know I we can look at it on a
case by case basis but it's it's hard because you don't want to you know you don't want to make it appear like you're you're excluding certain people for certain reasons instead of looking at it and having some type of policy related to that. So, but I do think it's important and we need to remember that
we um in my opinion, we didn't do the best job of managing what we had and and somewhat ruined it for ourselves. Um it was a great it was great events that we had. A lot of people really loved it, but it wasn't really fair to the neighbors at the same
time. And I don't want to see that happen again. I don't want to see it get to a point where >> um you know, we can't have events there. So I think we really need to be cognizant about doing it and I don't think it should be arbitrary. So to any extent that we're able to craft
something within the policy that gives us the teeth that we may need to not allow something. Um I think that that's really important. Again, I think it's hard for us to sit here and say, "Oh, you can't because you
know, the neighbors are complaining, but we approve this one and we don't approve that one because we're trying to space it out." So, I don't know how you wrap your your your mind around that, but it was it was an issue. And um I think Mark was here at the time. >> Yeah, I got a lot of calls
>> and I would spend a lot of nights there. Uh, so I think Megan's cell phone number should be definitely advertised in in the policy. >> No, but I think um quite frankly we learned a lot from that whole exercise. The reality is we did
>> and I think and that information was used by the committee in the way in which the the site was designed. I know uh concern about sound and impacts to the neighbors. Um so I think we we've learned a lot from that and I think it's been reflected in the design of it. But
as the chair says that there are other things that we certainly want to keep in mind for example and that is is I think the neighbors were okay with some entertainment but provided it wasn't excessive. All right. So we had
sometimes where it was very busy multiple nights so that if there is let's say a request to handle um you know let's say a concert series. I mean there are other there there are folks that have expressed interest in in in
doing more concerts there. The question is going to be what's tolerable >> in the neighborhood. And somehow we need to keep that in mind because I think um like I said residents were okay with the kinds of uses. I think what what hurt us was the intensity and the sustained
noise. >> Um folks didn't mind having some activity. It was just a question of how loud it was and sustained it was. Um >> and so as the site was designed the sound sort of comes to goes in a different direction. before when we were
dealing with all the noise the sound was being blasted across the way and now it's coming in the other direction >> and so I think the extent to which as we manage the site there are ways we can
design or work with um uh the people that are occupying the site ways to still continue to keep those we have to do it from our point of view in terms of how we manage the site it may very well be things that can be done that are obvious >> that can help sort of reduce noise and
impacts. >> Um, >> we may want to think about, you know, do we want to on a on a on a proposal have a public hearing or public some kind of public opportunity to comment. There may be some events that we we want to hear
from the public. I mean, I think you should think about that. >> Well, any entertainment license would be a public hearing. >> Oh, so it would be an entertainment license. That's what we'd be envisioning. So if we had the Boston Symphony come to Yarmouth and do a concert for us if we were so lucky.
>> Yes. Yes. They would have to apply and come before the select board which would be advertised. >> So there'd be an opportunity for the community. >> Maybe a hatshell sometime down the road. >> Here you go. A half shell >> would help deflect the sound and uh but I I do agree that sound is going to be
our number one obstacle in in balancing all of it. >> Yeah. that the hours. Um, >> yeah. And you should also be aware when we did this last time, um, the health agent, Bruce Murphy, like I felt he lived out at the site. He he was there
constantly. I I don't think we re fully appreciated and realized the extent to which the use of the site required town staff >> and some departments to really spend an inordinate amount of time there. Now, Bruce did never never complained a
minute. I mean, a lot of the town staff that worked on this didn't complain, but they clearly the time and energy uh was quite significant. And that's the other thing is who on our town staff is going to be fielding the application and
helping shepherd this because >> it takes a lot of work. It really does. Cath poor Kathy um you know, with all the other things that she was doing, you know, this kept this kept her incredibly busy. So Kathy was very busy. >> Um we had members of the I think the
driving committee. I think some nights I was out there. Jim Jim was out there. Um and Bruce Murphy the health agent spent. Now remember now this was co so we had to be very cautious of those requirements but there were food issues and other issues. So >> we didn't have water like we have now. I
think with when it comes to food trucks and food, that's one of Bruce's top things is, you know, obviously the health of everybody and having water, running water for these uh food events is going to >> right >> help. >> Yeah. I think the challenge in in doing this is making sure that there's
sufficient staff time to support working with whoever it is because think about it, there's going to be the people that are there utilizing the site. their hands are going to have to be held >> and then there's the whole business of going through the whole process of it. >> I I just want to make it clear that
there's a fair a significant amount of time that's involved in managing the site and to the extent to which we can capture some of the revenue maybe to support staff on that. >> Um that's what I'm thinking is the administration >> we may have to get an enterprise fund >> so that way we can
>> there you go. >> Yeah, I think >> staff >> overtime whatever it takes. I mean, and and maybe the fees the fee structure is based on the uh anticipated participants, >> you know. I know one of the other things that we had the last time was they were
selling tickets and the line of cars. We know they can't impact Route 28. So, all you know, >> there was there's a lot like Mark said that we learned >> there's a there's a lot to this. So, I think we want to >> yeah, >> at least keep that in mind. We may not
get it right the first time around. So this may be one of these. >> We can amend it. >> What do we call it? Adaptive management. >> Yeah, it's a live document. What it is? Isn't that the term? Adaptive management. >> Call it a live document. >> You know, when we when we find these things, you know, we may have to >> we may have to living
>> change the the policy and the license as we go along. >> So, >> you're gonna you're gonna have your hands full with this, Megan. Right. >> Good luck, Megan. >> Kathy's going like this. Kathy is just really >> happy. Yeah.
>> Sorry. Not sorry. >> No, I mean I believe it's going to be, you know, we say all the it's going to be a fantastic uh event space. It's going to really add to the quality of life for our town and and the things that we're going to be able to offer. So, they're they're going to be amazing things, but there are going to be some
kinks, as Mark said, that we're going to need to >> we're going to need to address. And I think you know staff as you are very well aware and I'm sure you're learning but Kathy knows gets very tapped out. You know we do a lot with a little
>> and um so you know maybe maybe we have you know maybe we can afford at some point in time to have staff dedicated um to these events. I mean, if we could only be so lucky that it's that successful, but um at the same time, there's going to be some time before we
get there that it's going to have to be managed by by others. And uh you know, it's who are can we haven't even talked about the maintenance of the who's paying for the maintenance? Is the maintenance in the budget? All of those things that we
have every time we take on a new park. So, you know, the bathrooms, cleaning of the bathrooms, >> um, you know, you have these events that's going to >> raise it. And nothing drives me crazier than to go to Oldtown House Park and see the port the portaotties there when we spent probably a million dollars to
build the bathrooms because because we don't have the people to clean them. I don't want to see that kind of stuff happen here, you know. So, >> Sure. >> Anyway, >> anybody else? Thank you so much, Megan. I don't know if we gave you enough
direction on this. Okay. So, so we'll see you soon. >> Did we plant enough fear? >> Thank you so much. >> She's still smiling. Isn't that nice? >> All right. So, we're going to do our first review of the annual town meeting
warrant. >> So, if you want, I can walk through the various articles and >> let's do it. folks can interrupt with um any questions or or issues. We don't need to vote anything this evening. We're going to have another reading, but we wanted to get oriented to the
articles as they exist. >> Just procedurally, Madam Chair, and and to Bob, um is the warrant closed? Have we closed the warrant? >> Yes, the warrant was closed and the um there's >> Doesn't that require a vote of the
board? Um no the board adopted the schedule the schedule when we started >> and and some of it is done by the town's um charter that establishes for the um annual town meeting for example
there's >> just old school we used to vote to close the warrant >> always voted on certain dates to >> this is my problem I'm old school but >> so no more articles >> when we when we remember when we um approved the um calendar that had the dates listed So, you're saying that that superseded that in the charter, our
requirement to close the warrant by a certain date? >> The um the >> we approved the schedule, please. He's telling us >> So, so the warrant was was closed. There's a deadline for in the charter for um people to submit
petition articles and articles articles to be submitted to be put on the warrant. And then um we established a deadline for the departments, boards, and committees a little bit after that. and and those all passed in January. >> Understood. We're are historically >> we would take a
>> You're saying that that's superseded it. It's basically giving the public knowledge based on our schedule, but historically we always voted to close the close the the date for the um petition articles and to close the
warrant so that nothing else could be added. I just want to make sure we're in alignment with the charter. You're saying we are based on the schedule we adopted. >> Yes. which said when it was open, when it was closed, all of that stuff was laid out. >> Okay. As long as we're in compliance. >> So, we're um at this point, we've been
closed for for quite some time now. So, um we the only like like the select board could add additional articles until the time that you execute, but nobody can submit any new articles to you. It would have to be voted by the select board.
And um I want to point out also that um you might have picked up a couple of typos in the the one that we sent home and um we've been you know reviewing it with a fine tooth comb. So um I this evening I have a um
>> this is this is fixed right the typos >> this as 33. So we can say what what's in >> new one. She left a new one for you that fixes a lot of the typos. So, if you see something that's not fixed in the one that says 33 2026,
that that's the one from from today because it changed a little from the one that was sent home in your packet last Thursday. >> Okay. >> And you know, we we definitely took advantage of the extra week that we had.
>> Great. Take it away. The first article is the budget adjustments and the big item is the the snow and ice where um it was in at 800,000 prior to the blizzard. So the actual costs are going to be over
1.5 million. >> That's sort of >> Wow. You're going to be what? >> 1.5 >> over over. >> I thought you said five million. >> So like double. Yeah. >> Between 1.5 and 2 million I estimate. But they're um calculating the costs and some of the work is ongoing. The storm
cleanup is still continuing now. >> And and why does it say FY 2025? >> Because it's a current it's well no it should be 26, right? >> Be 26. That's it's the this is the one that's the current fiscal year and next year is going to be FY27.
>> Gotcha. And article two is the omnibus budget article and this sets forth uh the numbers for the general government departments um in the same format as
we've um used in the past and then moves into um article three. We have the budget broken down into the various um enterprise funds and constituent groups. So the general fund is in article two and then we get into the enterprise
funds. Article three is the budget for the golf enterprise fund. Article four is the budget for the water division which is a special revenue budget not an enterprise.
Then article five is the septage enterprise budget. There's a typo on the the italicized. >> Sure. Let me see. >> Instead of at on the date 701 2025, >> you want to say as of
>> and the others you say as of, not at. >> Which article are you on? >> I'm sorry. Five. in the um right above explanation in article five it says at07012025 >> instead of as of at's probably okay but
all the other ones say as of >> thank you thank you much appreciated and um so that's that's article five and then article six is the wastewater enterprise budget article
Article seven is another special revenue article, the cable television communications budget. And um after that we get into the education budgets. Article 8 is the Dennis Yarmouth Regional School in Oops.
Sorry. Yep. Did you want to put So we we talk about the revised regional agreement in the italicized explanation. Did you want to have a date for that revised regional agreement?
>> Where are you talking about? Oh, >> article 8 explanation >> and page 15. >> Page 15 at the top >> in the um italicized. Is there a reason to have a date since we're about to revise or we may be about
to revise >> it 20 whatever it was 2018 revised regional agreement. Is there any reason that it needs to be dated? >> No. >> Good. Moving on. >> It doesn't even need to say revised. I don't understand that. It's based on the regional agreement that's in place. I mean what what >> we could take the word revised out.
>> It's just based on a regional agreement, right? >> Yeah. We just when you look at it, it says revised regional agreement on it. That's what it says on the title page. So, >> well, I think that that was from probably maybe a few years ago based on >> it was so big that it was revised. That was the revised one. >> Yeah, but it is the regional agreement. >> It's just the regional agreement. Good.
>> Absolutely correct. >> Okay. So, yeah, we'll take the word revised out. >> Just shaking in my boots, waiting to see what those yellow lines show. >> Oh, god. >> They met last night. >> Did they vote last night on a number, Joyce? Um they still have until March
9th, but it seems like they're they're fixed. They had some other things that they um they sadly deleted that will mean it's a lower amount than what they presented here. >> Do you want you know I was going to give you an update later, but since we're on this, why don't we just take a second?
I'll give you a part of my town administrator's report because um on Monday we held our our big meeting with the the school committee and the town of Yarmouth and the town of Dennis. Well, just the school chair. >> Um, yeah, just the school chair and it was with the superintendent of schools,
he um led the meeting and so the school committee chair had attended as well. And um so the the update when we received the initial proposal, I think it was um over um by approximately 3.2 million from um what available revenues
we had. And the good news is that they've they have made um a number of cuts. um not I wouldn't say cuts but reductions in their requested increase and um so the shortfall where it stands now is approximately 1.5 million. Um
however they haven't finalized that number. We had requested that if possible we'd like to get that number down closer to 1 million. We felt that, you know, that would be a more appropriate amount that um would, you
know, be easier to seek for the override, develop contingency plans around. And there were a couple of critical numbers in the budget that um you know, from the finance committee. They met with the finance committee. The finance committee reviewed and these are some of the um administrative and side
items. They do not impact the classroom or the educational component or the strategic plan of the district in any way, but deal with issues such as um you know the um insuranceances and um transportation costs. just simply
tracking them year to year to ensure that you know the rest of the budget is um as accurate as possible so that if there's any additional flexibility um if there's some reductions maybe they can come from items that aren't required as
opposed to the classroom and and so the superintendent's office is still looking at those. So there are some potential areas that we may see it u reduced further. We hope that's what we requested, but we're going to meet again. But at least that's the the update that we've gone from 3.2 down to
1.5. So, it's a lot of discussion. Everyone is working toward that and but it won't be zero. So I I think that that's what we determined is that there is a structural element of their
shortfall that um that simply having a 2 and a half% increase um they feel will cut the education services to a point where it's going to damage things. And so um there's that element >> as well. So
>> so bringing it down to the um to the 1.5, where does that leave Dennis? Are they going to still need an override or they all set now? >> No. Dennis is um indicates they'll they're going to go for an override. They need an override this year. >> Anyways, >> yes.
>> If if um meeting last month, there's any indication we're going to get push back at town meeting about the eliminating 10 of the paraprofessional positions. um special ed people came and and spoke about experienc that was at the
recommendation the the the >> the superintendent recommended that as a change and um >> you know >> we're $3.2 million. So it's that's not going to fly. You have to you know I mean as sad as it is I think you have to
I mean obviously it's up to the school committee but I'd be looking to do something different at $3.2 2 million to to see if you can get your budget passed because it could be, you know, if we bring 3.2 million and it fails, they're going to be looking at probably bigger
cuts than that. So, um, it's unfortunate, but I trust his judgment to say that this is a restructuring that he's wants to do and that he's looking to find some some uh savings. So, >> um, >> he insists it will eliminate some
one-on-one stuff that isn't needed, like people with, um, kids with IEPs that don't require the one-on-one that could work in a group of three or things like that. So, >> well, I know at the same time, he's working really hard to get the uh, achievement up. So I I mean I guess I
you have to trust the professionals to say that if they're going to you know I don't believe it would be in his best interest to do something that would >> be detrimental to the achievement. So I mean it's hard it's always hard when we do this. It's always hard. We've we've had to cut deans. We've had to cut uh
you know so many so many things that it's just been sad over the years. But um you know when they when they really analyze it and he comes up with something I I I would hope that the school committee is as hard as it is because it's real people right you know
in these you don't want to go backwards. Okay. So, you want to get back to that's just where the school budget stands. But the key thing right now is article 8, that's the school budget. U we still don't have the numbers and um but we're going to have another meeting. He's
coming in. Um the school committee is looking and and they're going to >> Well, we have our public hearing, right? >> Right. >> We have our whole budget public hearing >> and he'll be part of that. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Great. >> And article nine. So, article 9 is the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
District budget, which we're also waiting on their final. >> Um, >> did we feel there'd be an override in that as well? >> Yes, that that is probably um >> it's a I think in that 600,000 range. So, so whatever the one school comes up
with, it's a combination of the two, >> right? So that it sounds like 1 point well let's just say off the cuff 1.5 million but we'd still have to add in another 600,000 for the >> that would be that would be two articles
two two ballot questions. >> Now that is >> that would be up to us to decide >> up to the select board to decide. >> And we have that on the agenda for a discussion and review of possible ballot questions. How you want to >> Yep. >> structure that. >> Okay. >> I'd like to see it as two.
>> Mhm. Yeah. >> So that's that would be article 9. And then um that is the end of all of the FY27 operating budgets. And from there we move into the section of the warrant that contains the capital budgets and
again we start with the restricted revenues and article 10 is the golf capital expense. I had a question on uh in the italicized explanation it says the retained earnings account
currently has on the on page 16 the retained or currently has a 3,280,000 etc. But then in article three it has a different retained vault enterprise reserves retained earnings is two.9
million. Should they be the same? >> Yes, they should be the same. You can't have two balances in the same account. >> Yeah. Well, I wasn't sure it was the same account. So what they did is they um that's
probably more accurate because um looks like the um article three is after the special town meeting >> held in November and article >> nine there 10 um went back to when it
was certified in October 30. So why don't we put the article three one in so it's more it's more up todate. >> So 10 is more up to date. >> No, I think three is because
>> three is as of 11:17 after the November town meeting, >> right? >> Nice catch. >> Yeah, Tom Sullivan doesn't have to stand up. You're taking all this fun away. >> Okay. Thank you very much for that.
>> Sure. >> And then article 11 is the water division capital expenses. And I think there's still for some reason they have that 3.06 highlighted. But
>> I I think we just need to review that again. Make sure it's accurate. >> Article 12 is the lease cruiser financing for the new leases. And then article 13 is the fire
department capital expense. >> Can I ask a question about that one? >> Yes. >> The payment to the stabilization, is that a fire department stabilization fund? >> Um, no. that is um and it's a payment. It's a payback. >> I remember. >> So that so it's the final payment of a
payback and and we have another one of those proposed for this article um that when you see the replace engine 47, that's that's a million. And um so what
this article does is it takes that million out of the capital stabilization fund so we don't have to borrow it and pay interest um because interest rates aren't as low right now as they've been. And then um we're going to have um a repayment plan from the ambulance
receipts >> for that back to the capital stabilization fund. So it'll be a good way of keeping that capital stabilization fund. um you know to have a feeder to it. >> Why doesn't it have a balance for the stabilization fund here?
>> It's the only one that has it. It doesn't have a balance in the stabilization fund in the article. >> That's the the town stabilization. >> No. No. >> I thought it was >> fire. No, the payment from the 89,000
>> is from the town stabilization fund. >> It's to the town. >> It's it's to the stabilization fund. But the the fire ambulance the fire department has a has a stabilization fund, right? Reserve receipts. >> Yeah, it is a reserve receipt. It's not a stabilization fund, but it's ambulance
receipt account, right? >> So, you want a balance of the ambulance receipt account in there. >> Oh, don't we usually >> What's in there? >> It's different than a than an enterprise account. I don't know.
>> It's one of those ones where we don't have a big balance in it. We take in a little over 2 million and most of it goes into the um salary budget for firefighters and then the rest of it goes to capital. So they pretty much >> Well, the water fund, is that a
stabilization fund? We give that balance. >> That's enterprise. >> Yeah, it's a little it's different. It's a special revenue fund. It's not an enterprise fund and it's it's not a a reserve receipt fund. It's a but we can put ambulance. There's no reason why we
>> think we should be consistent. >> Okay. And then um article 14 is the um various departments capital um expenses. This is what we call the omnibus capital article. It's comprised of um some raisin appropriates
and $2.6 million free cash. >> So >> which which um number three design services for illities projects which project? Um let's see.
>> That's a parking lot for the senior center. I know they're doing something. >> That's one of them. Um I don't have the whole list, but there's a list of um >> capital will be coming to us, right? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> We'll get capital >> question for that then. >> Okay.
the part the 18 is the parking >> and they have they have a number of um projects there there is a list so we can get that >> yeah because it'll get asked and um in the explanation we it says the FY202
oh well maybe it is FY2025 funds the proposed 2025 capital improvement program >> probably should be 26 too >> it's 26 Time flies when you're having fun, I'll tell you. >> Oh, yeah. >> I never thought we'd see 2025. And now
it's just time in history. >> Y 2K. Remember that? >> When I'm 64. How old >> I know I am. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And then, um, article 15 is the library
construction article. Now, we've got the library team coming in um >> 24th, is it? >> 24th. And um so we're still waiting on the final dollars for that, but heard >> and they're going to clean up the language where they have
>> questions. >> Oh, no. Thursday. >> Oh, Thursday. Okay. I was going to say, okay. >> Down at the bottom of their explanation, there's a couple of like should it be submitted or and should they have the word and in
there? Yeah. Um, see, this is what I get for letting them um, edit my >> I wrote a a perfectly fine explanation and I sent it to library to please edit to make sure it's good and they sent it back with question marks. Maybe um,
>> and you can help get a hold of these guys. We get >> But I don't um, >> get rid of the question marks. Be more confident. We'll have to tell them. >> Yeah. just tell it like it is, not the and and but. Um,
so yeah, that that has to be cleaned up. So that's article 15. Then article 16 are the easements for national grid um over the wastewater facilities so that we can have the gas service to the wastewater um treatment plant when it's
constructed. And I think the primary use for the um for the gas is to fuel the generators. Um it's not going to run on a lot of gas out there, but but they do need a gas line. >> I think there was another Let's see.
Gas between natural and service. Oh, the second line not in the explanation. Wait a minute. Natural gas line. Natural. Okay. in the explanation. >> Yes. >> Equipment necessary to provide natural service
>> you want to put in natural gas. >> Gas gas. >> It's so great to have extra eyes on this. You know, it's one of those things I read it 10 times >> and it looks like natural gas to me. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you.
And then article 17 is a supplemental appropriation for the septage equalization tank rehabilitation. And remember we put 4.4 million toward this project. There's two tanks. And when the bids came in um they needed additional
funds to do both of them. And um this way we get both tanks done um and that septage plant is good for another I've got another typo in in the
explanation. Um it's the fourth line up right under 4.4 million. You'll see the word engineers and it needs to have an apostrophe because it's possessive. engineers estimates.
>> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, that's article 17. And from there, >> hold on. We already did the septage, right? We did the septage. What is the
>> We did the septage budget. >> Septage Enterprise. So there's 3.2 million in that and we're So the 4.4 is already out of that number or >> Yes, the 4.4 is it's a borrowing and the
two um the 2.8. So it's not just a cap pays you go. So what they're going to do is they're going to pay it back. >> Okay. So that's >> from Deceptage. >> Gotcha. >> That way they get to use a combination of the existing retained earnings and
the future billings. So that >> is in which is a a good way to do it when you have a capital project that has a like a 25 year lifespan. um you know the generally accepted practice is not to fund it upfront is to fund it over
the life of that and that is a equity distribution among you know the revenue raisers and the users um and that's article 17. Now, article 18 is a transfer of phase one sewer collection system funding. And this was
from one of the original articles that um back in 2021 um that was put up for um sewer collection design and engineering. and they have an amount of 400,000 left
over that they're going to transfer into the phase one construction account and and this is just going to help augment that. We're very tight with um everything that's going on in the project. So that'll be a big help to
finish things off and consolidate the funding. That's article 18. And then article 19 is the engineering for the Bayberry Hills discharge. And and again, this is looking like a $35
million project. And so what we need to do is we need to get the designs completed. And um this will be the $1.8 million, not $8 million, eight $1.8 million gallons, 1.8 8 million gallons
per day of groundwater recharge for the effluent from the wastewater plant that >> um right now we do not have. So we need the Bayberry Hills uh discharge. >> Can you read that first sentence, Bob? I think it's got
>> of the explanation of the article. >> No, the article >> to see what sums of money the town will vote to raise, appropriate, and transfer from available funds in the wastewater stabilization fund >> because then you give the amount >> in the amount. Yeah.
>> So, should it be seems like you're saying to see what's >> You could you could change that. I mean, I wouldn't say it's illegal, but I I I prefer to to see >> you have it's >> if the town will vote to see >> if
>> that's that's the way I this right now, I would say to see if the town will vote to >> um raise appropriate and transfer >> the amount, right? forget in >> the amount of and it's clear
>> and then it's probably right but the last sentence of the explanation I think that's just information it's anticipated that the construction funds will be requested at the April 2027 town meeting that's just looking forward
>> yes when when's it coming back >> that's fine Okay. >> Okay. >> And it also makes it very clear that this is money for the engineering and design. >> Y >> and then article 20 is for collective
bargaining wage adjustments for um ongoing negotiations and that covers currently um we're starting up with the um police patrolman and supervisors. So
this will be very necessary. >> And article 21 is continued Madaki's building maintenance costs. >> We get to um article 22 is for the transfer and sale of surplus property.
And this is one that the board approved to move forward with. And so needs a couple of things. Uh, it needs a town meeting approval and again it's 0.15 acres that is um located on I think it's Lake Avenue. Is it
>> Lake Road? 14 Lake Road. >> Lake Road. 14 Lake Road >> and it's map 49103. We saw the pictures of it. It's in the middle of that that neighborhood. And um so in addition to the town meeting, we still need to get an appraisal and do the procurement. It's going to be a whole bid situation,
but this takes care of the town meeting piece. And um then after that we get into article 23 which is the tourism revenue preservation fund and it's laid out with the amounts for the
>> program areas. Then article 24 is the seasonal communities. It says designation. It's supposed to say designation. >> Designation. >> I just noticed that. And um now
>> it's dissed. >> Next week we have a joint meeting with the planning board to discuss this. >> And um I just want to say in terms of foreshadowing the um the planning board has a lot of concerns about there's the
pros and the cons. And the con is there are requirements under the act that the town has to adopt for zoning that involves things such as tiny homes and um a couple of other things that the planning board has been intensively
studying. And um you know we tried to make this so that we would have a joint meeting. we would have a comprehensive set of recommendations and um I know they have another meeting scheduled but um the last I checked in the the
planning board has a lot of reservations. they may feel that a process we're ready for this >> put it on hold and request >> the state to to change some of the regulations not the law >> I don't think we're ready for it but that's just me
>> but we'll be able to we wanted was um this is the first chance we've had to do it so we want to have a discussion with the board present the pros and cons and you folks will make a decision as to whether the article stays in or not but I just wanted to say we we put it in as
a placeholder And I'm very very much cognizant of the fact that the select board has not had a chance. >> I just think it needs more vetting. I mean, >> well, we'll see. We'll we'll talk to them. We can make that decision. We'll see how many questions we have left after. >> So, just, you know, I put this in as a
placeholder. >> Big exclamation points on this one to talk about. Okay. Yeah. >> So, um, so that's article 24. And then uh we move into the section for the community preservation act. And the
first article is the estimated revenues that just establishes the benchmarks >> housekeeping. They do. >> Yeah. For all of the different funds that um are required under the act. And then the next article um begins to move
into funding the the actual components of it. And article 26 is the affordable housing projects 895,000 and they're listed out A through E. Then article 27 is the CPA recreation
projects. Um that's where um I think >> Quick question, Bob, sorry. Are you is there going to be a presentation or anything on the affordable housing projects? >> All of it. >> Yep. CPA will be before us. >> Yes. they do a full presentation
>> because that's exciting. >> So, packet land resiliency that falls under recreation because of what the boating. >> Yeah, it it it falls under um >> recreation because of its its use its
use as the as boating. Yes. So, it it's eligible. And this is great because um if you recall, this is a like a$ two and a half million dollar project and we're trying to leverage a major state grant to get this done. It'll be a big improvement. >> Yay. >> And um by having CPA come up with the
500,000 really takes >> I'm just surprised that that's a little bit of a stretch, but I'm h I mean I'm happy if it off our shoulders. I was really sweating, you know, cuz I here I am trying to make this big pitch. Listen, we're going to use this capital
improvement program to try to leverage the state grants and they do exactly what you asked for. And then now I get the bill for 500,000. And so, um, it's not like we couldn't have funded it, but I think it helps a lot having community preservation to assist. >> I think it's great. I just am surprised
it fits the criteria of the of the >> of recreation >> of recreation in the CPA. >> That's fine. >> And article >> figure out what is it on the facility that is recreation, >> but that's how we've been getting the money all along for
>> No, you got the marina there and you got commercial boats there. We've gotten a lot of CPA money up to now and it's because we've always designated packets landing as recreation because it they're very tight fitting as to where you can get in and hey I I can remember Gary
took that to to council. Those that was back when I was on um we >> I think packets landing when you're talking about the the actual structure is a little bit different than a res coastal resiliency program. But >> we're talking
>> again I if it fits the criteria and they approve it, then that's great. But I don't see how it fits under the C CPA tracing on this. I don't I I have questions about it, >> but if council's ruled on it >> and >> do some of us need to go and play
conspicuously there. >> We doesn't have to be conspicuous. You play, I'll video or something. >> I'll videape you. >> And this also preserves the whole park. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> it could be under open space. >> So, it's park maintenance.
>> I love his confidence. >> No, you better not put it under park maintenance because park maintenance doesn't get covered by CPA funds. >> He was just >> Well, well, you can you can improve like a park major improvements. >> Okay. >> There was a time when when it first came out, they wouldn't, but now you can
>> I remember fighting over whether you could put lights on a ball field. Mhm. >> said, "Wow, you didn't buy this with CPA, but that's all changed now." They sort of realized it. >> And article 28 is the open space, which um under here, this is the crawl pond
restoration, which we're working with the Friends of Bass River. >> Can I just ask one thing in article 27? >> Yes. >> At the top header in the black, all the rest of them say appropriate from FY27 and um the the CPA for recreation says 26.
>> I got to check that. Why does that 2027. >> I'll I'll thank you. That's a good catch. >> I'll make sure it's accurate. I I assume it's 2027, but sometimes um >> yeah, >> you know, I don't want to just make an
assumption. >> Okay. And then so article 28 is the open space projects for coral pond restoration. And another great project and this is another >> wait a minute CPA. >> What is crow pond?
>> That's the pun run pun. Stinky pun. >> Oh, >> this is our little ride on the bass river. >> And this is another example of the use of CPA to leverage some significant grant monies. >> Army Corp of Engineers is sitting on a huge chunk of money for that. So
hopefully this will move it along. Article 29 is historical preservation projects under CPA. >> And then we get to article 30, which is the zoning article we'll be talking about next week with the planning board. And that's for the setbacks on Route 28,
which is kind of interesting. And this evaluates the impact of the right-of-way takings from the mass DOT for the improvement of Route 28 on the compliance of VCOD properties with the setbacks. >> I just I'm going to talk about what I
talked about with you personally so that they hear me and maybe have time to think about it in advance. But there should be a sunset clause on that, >> right? because these are for this is for relief for people that are um property owners now where they're going to do the
expansion of um Route 28. But this to me 10 years >> losing property. >> Yeah. And they want to keep those which I totally understand but I'm thinking 10 years down the road somebody buys that they still don't you don't you're not going to give those people that flexibility at that time. >> Right.
>> That's my thoughts when I read that. >> That's a good point. There should be a sensor clause in there or for current owners >> in there now. >> It's just food for thought. Just food for thought, right? And I have to have it now.
>> Yeah, it's it's one of those things where um >> Well, I think it should only be >> done immediately, but it it's got to be done. >> If you don't do it now, you'll forget. >> Yeah. But if somebody buys the property knowing that that's the it's for to me this is for somebody who owns property
that we're putting an additional burden on, right? >> Somebody buys the property and the burden's already there. It is what it is at that point. >> Am I wrong? I don't know. We'll we'll talk to them. >> So, um I just want to go over the the
the schedule is that this is the first draft of the town meeting warrant. So, um I think it's tightening up a little bit. We'll have things filled in now. Um next week, March 10, we have set for the second reading of the warrant. And um on
March 24, it's scheduled for the third and final reading of the warrant. And that would be the night to execute the warrant. So, there's basically three readings on the warrant, and this is the first of them. Oh, and on March 10th, the zoning we're
going to planning is going to come in to talk about those setbacks. So, that's where that concern should come out. Tracy for >> let's see >> catch on that. >> All right. Is that it on the warrant? No other action you need from us. Okay,
Joyce, board and committee actions. >> Okay. Well, short and sweet tonight. Um, I'd like to recommend that we accept the resignation of Kellen Bogle from the library board with thanks. She's also
promised to uh try to attract new members to the library board to make up for her absence. >> So moved. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. and then um an appointment to the recreation commission uh for an
alternate term that will end July 31st, 2026. Vicky Fulture LeBlanc. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> no heavy lifting here. >> Great agenda review. >> That's good with your bum arm. You don't
have to do heavy lifting. >> Not that we'd be capable of it. I want to bring up the fact that um the same group that has been promoting the fairness resolution has uh brought the signatures to the to Mary Mlowski for it
to be a ballot question. So, but it would come to us to approve that as a ballot question. So, >> so when she brings it to us, that's what we said last time. >> I just thought I'd give you a heads up. >> Yep. >> Okie dokie.
So, we've got a busy um >> Yeah, coming up. >> We are straight out because all of the hearings that were on tonight's um >> got pushed off as well due to the storm. So, we are full up next week. >> And I did have some people very upset
about the possible noise issue, but I I won't say anymore because it's not on the agenda. Never mind. It's not on the agenda. >> Noise issue. That's next week. >> Next week. I've heard from people too, Liz,
>> and talk about it. >> Won't be fast is all I'm saying >> on now on the 24th were um I think moving just because of the scheduling um till April 7. Um, we have a a dog hearing complaint
>> that has been filed and >> um I just want to say this one. We spent an enormous amount of energy trying to mitigate the concerns and issues um in the neighborhood, but sometimes there's disputes that um you know people just resist. >> So, this is not the um family that
wanted to have us change the licensing. No, this is a a complaint um complaint about a dog a vicious dog complaint. >> Oh, >> and so that comes under a separate section in the statute. There's so um I
know DNR has uh conducted hearings and numerous follow-ups and um I've also met with uh um you know poor people involved and um they are you know pretty much demanding a hearing in front of the select board. So that was According to
the statute, that's our final step in the process. >> Can I just I'm sorry to hold us up, but what did happen with the change to the licensing to accommodate the people who sent the letter because their trying to remember now? Their son, I
think, needs a >> service dog. >> And can you help me remember? That's what I thought this was. So, >> yeah. No, that that's not in there. And um No, I think that that was provided for in the new bylaw. And
>> do does it Okay. Okay. As long as it was okay. So, you want to move that on dog hearing? Is that >> a to April 7? >> Okay. Okay. >> That that way. Um, I I think having all of that stuff on March 24, I think we
need to focus more on the um issues that we have on there, all of the town meeting stuff, and that's a big night. >> Hey, we've got packet landing coming in, too. So, I would check with council on that. I
know that they review it, but I said I would check with council on that article >> on the packet landing. >> All right. Individual items. >> Mark, do you have any individual items? >> I'll pass.
>> Joyce, >> I'm good. Liz. Okay, great. >> Town administrator items. We'll go to the consent agenda. >> I move that we approve the consent agenda. Second. >> Any discussion? >> Um, just so you all know on the consent
agenda is that letter to um the school committee. >> Bob wanted to make sure that we put it on there that you saw it before we signed it. I've signed it. So, uh, all those in favor. >> Any opposed? Pass unanimously. And
updates, Bob. >> Okay. Um, >> oh, and we the only the the only item and I know Tom talked about it at the beginning is we have our parade this weekend. So, everybody get out there. >> So, I need your >> No, we never got an invitation this year, did we? >> Well, I think that they were a little
bit um I mean I mean informal. I I want you to know that um I I did speak with the parade organizers. um they are very anxious to with heartfelt gratitude invite the select board to to be in the parade and we've made all of those
arrangements but I I need to know um who's going to be able to attend and we want to make sure that you know we have a few of the golf >> and I are going to ride a cart together >> she's gonna she's gonna >> I'm thinking about >> wing I instead of throwing candy which
I'm not crazy about doing um I was going to bring my dog on a leash and have Sophie with me. >> Great. Do you want to drive in a cart or >> No, I can walk. We canopie. >> The dog and I can wear green. >> Oh, yeah. >> Oh, okay.
>> Well, I have my hat ready. So, I mean, >> you know, some stuff that you do. >> I mean, I like to, you know, >> the candy part. No, >> we have all the buck crazy about throwing the candy. >> I'm happy with the candy. >> Well, nobody nobody likes us unless we have candy. >> They don't really care to see us, just so you know. I'll just do the dog
instead though. >> Yeah, but >> try I'll try it. >> They're going to say things like this. Who are those people? What? Why are they here? This is >> That's all right. >> So, unless you have candy. >> Yeah, I hear I hear you. >> Candy and they they like the candy last week last time. And but we did
run out. >> And no matter how much you have Bob, you know how it works. >> I know. Poor Mary Alice. >> Is Van coming to help us? >> Well, Von's coming. He wouldn't miss it from the world. I >> Oh, cool. >> Do we have to have Joe Flynn in one of the carts? >> If he if he's around, if he needs a
ride, um, we're here for him. Okay. I think that, you know, we've got I just want to make sure we've got what we need. >> We have three carts. I >> wouldn't give him his own cart, but I had to give him a ride. >> Because you're not going to kick me out, right? >> No, no, no. Joyce and I are taken. >> I was his last year. So, >> okay. So, two cartes. We have
>> We might not have room for Mr. Mr. Flynn then. >> So, I think we meet around 10, right? And take off at 11. Mhm. >> And any other um admonitions or anything candy then more candy that you if you think you have enough, >> you don't >> get more.
>> I don't even know how to explain it. >> And we're going to be there at 10:00. Is that what you said? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I think I had uh you have the sign. >> Julie Rogers. >> Um yeah, we have a sign. We we made a new sign. >> Okay. Do we want to bedazzle the carts or anything? Amy, what what's up with
you? How are you? >> Are you joining us? >> I will be there. Yes. >> Oh, good. >> All right. >> I already have my Irish net. >> Are you going to walk with us? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> There's a candy thrower. >> I like it. All right. >> So, we might need a couple of extra
buckets then, too. >> And Bob, I just want to thank you. I know that um there was a lot of nervousness and stress about getting the roads done and I know you worked really hard on >> making sure that we got the sidewalks plowed and we make this happen. So I
>> it's great teamwork, but at the end of the day it's all about the DPW. What an amazing crew. >> Well, they did a superb job. They everyone in town did really and truly. They all jumped in and helped out whatever way they needed to
>> with a smile and a nice admit some some folks in their >> testiness were not that easy. And by that I mean the public were not that easy for the town >> like like the deal with handle
>> fights at the gas pump and things of that nature is like but I'll tell you >> with a smile. >> We had a beautiful note from was it Joe Simmyi? >> A handwritten note. We had a couple. >> Oh yeah, that was really coming >> to the parade.
>> I don't I will not be able to join you. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> We have a uh there's a big environmental conference going on at the college. >> Okay. >> And I have to >> Okay. >> So, do you guys want a storm update? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> All right. Great. I no I I I did prepare
one just uh um and um again just in terms of the um response to the winter storm of 2026. Um we launched in our community um a comprehensive emergency response that I I think was uh similar to what we would
do for a major hurricane. Um and uh on late Sunday and Monday, February 22 and 23, we received over 20 inches of snow along with high winds gusting to 75 miles an hour. >> Oh wow. >> Um some of the major storm emergency
preparations began really in earnest on Friday. Um we opened up the emergency operations center um by 7 a.m. on Sunday, February 22. And we had that emergency operations uh center remaining
operational all the way through Thursday, February 26. And that is the key hub of our um >> was it the it's the high school, correct? >> No. Um the EOCC is at the police department. >> Department upstairs. Okay. The hub, right? Right. >> And they're responsible for conducting
constant coordination with between Eversource, all the town departments, MIMA, uh the Barnstable County Multi- Agency Coordination Center, um all of the um you know, and this is a time there's no power, there's no electricity, there's no anything. So that EOC um have being up and running
and and being the source of all the communications was absolutely um critical. and and it started with the um in terms of ensuring public safety, we had to have the police, fire, and DNR increase staffing across all of the shifts.
>> Um and we the chair of the select board declared a state of emergency at 900 p.m. on Monday, February 23rd, and the town's leadership participated in daily briefings with MIMA, Barnesville County Emergency Management. Um and uh we also
conducted daily uh meetings with our department heads and division heads for uh internal coordination and communication. Um and regular updates through our communications uh went out to the community, reaching record
numbers of individuals from any other previous communications we've had. Um, at the peak of the storm, power outages affected over 70% of the town's population and restoration efforts began as soon as conditions allowed.
Immediately as Tuesday after the storm, there was no restoration. They all of their crews um were assigned to help remove the lines from the streets so that we could do the plowing. Um but Eversource to their credit ultimately
flooded southeastern Massachusetts with over 2,000 crews. Now that was one of the things that this storm it was important that it was just southeastern Mass because a lot of times with the the storms it's like the whole state and we get lost. were like the end of the line
and by the time they get here, but but we had over 2,000 crews in our region to assist in restoration and most accounts were restored by Thursday evening. That seemed to be the key date there. And by
Friday morning, February 27, Eversource reported only single um sporadic outages here and there that they were trying to track down. But uh we maintain very strong communications on a just permanent basis. We had um the you might
know that the Eversource EOC is located in Yarmouth out on Willow Street. So they had their top brass and a lot of the um everything out of right there. And we had a person embedded in our EOC. So we had constant like ever source um
tied to our hip which you need in in these um emergencies. The as a result of all of the outages, the emergency shelter, the Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School emergency shelter, just our local one, was opened
on Monday, February 23 at 8 PM. Um and it remained operational all the way through Friday at 1 p.m. which it's a long time for a shelter. Um the coordination of the volunteers alone was a massive effort. Um approximately 250
individuals um were there most of the week and they stayed at night and an additional 50 used the shelter during the day. It was also our warming center. >> Oh, >> and the shelter was particularly important not just for our community but
as a regional facility because um the NSET lower Cape facility had to shut down and there were several days before Harwitch even opened up that they had no shelter and they moved 50 people to Dennis Yarmouth. So, um, we carried the whole,
um, >> MidCape, not not the whole Mid Cape because we had Barnsible Intermediate, but all of our town and then all of the rest of the Cape as well. >> And isn't there food service involved as well? >> There's meals. >> Yeah, >> there's food. We had the >> Family Table Collaborative. Yeah.
>> Yeah. The the county's job is is to sort of staff a countywide >> um action center that brings together all the various agencies and partners, >> right? So much of county staff helps recruit the volunteers, recruit the nurses. The nurses either come from the
county uh although this case DY put some nurses. >> Dr. Smith had asked their nurses to step up and they do take animals at the shelter. >> They did animals. >> Yeah. People came with their dogs and the dogs are very well behaved
>> and uh very well taken care of. We're We're trying to find out. >> Coco would have been >> well behaved, but >> we're trying to find out if they used the battery at all. >> They probably did. >> Well, >> um, >> we're going to find out. >> You'll find out. That's good. Yeah. So,
>> yeah, I I couldn't get a straight answer out of Steve. He was like, call C. >> I think he knows. >> Yeah, but he's their facilities manager. Um, but on that point, >> he worked around the clock for days. they the the school was was enormous for
us and and which kind of brings a point that I just wanted to mention that especially with the shelter operation and and things of that nature that we have some some unsung heroes in our community that really just stood out that we're going to need to you know
bring in and thank for these efforts and you know the um >> with the school what they did to host that facility uh was enormous the family table collaborative Americanore um volunteers uh were just incredible. Nick
Pascarosa was um just an amazing resource. >> He's the glue. He's the glue. >> He certainly was. I mean, absolutely. The RTA um helped shuttle everyone and and that's just to start the list, but we'll be working on that as we, you
know, get closer to the afteractions that we want to do. We have a lot of thanks that we want to do. And I wanted to add the Yarmouth police responded to over 310 storm related incidents between Sunday and Friday. Um the fire department also responded to hundreds of
calls for services which come in for the entire week. Triple the normal call volume four days in a row. Um crews responded to over 100 calls in the first 24 hours of the storm alone. And and that's just amazing. And the command
staff wanted, you know, me to mention um how tremendously proud they were of the commitment of the men and women of the fire department. I mean intensity of this operation even at even at extra staff um under very difficult
circumstances and um the fire leadership team also was hugely active um in storm and emergency coordination and control coordinating between the police fire DPW extremely strong for this event. I'm telling you,
I was very impressed with the professionalism of um all of these agencies. >> So, replicate this town by town, >> right? >> In each town, you had literally this kind of effort going on >> in virtually every community with people being pulled out of the snow. Uh the
folks that I felt really bad about were the folks that had to come all the way from the uh the lower >> cape. Province Province Town and Well, Fleet and Turo I think were 100% without power. >> Yeah. when the N because they had problems the new school N right they had
problems with the generator there so that shelter >> Huh that's that's awful >> yeah so literally they had everybody there and then they they had to literally >> truck everybody with RTA and other vehicles to bring them all here and so
that this place filled up >> and there's another thing that the fire department does that that you might not notice but serving as that coordination between whether it's the hospital, all of our major facilities. We had massive
facilities with people at risk that lost their generators, had no contingency plans, >> a lot of people on oxygen, >> a lot of medically fragile and people on oxygen that were at our shelter. So, it needed >> Heatherwood. I was startled that they didn't have a generator.
>> Yeah. So, they're went down >> and and we had to get them back up. I mean, you don't want to be evacuating >> no >> 7 800 people facilities. It's just >> but but it was the the fire department team that works between finding backup
generators for people, getting ever source on the priority lists and and all of these things that that you don't see. Um these guys are going 247 working on and and these are things that go through the night. And um I want to mention before I I stop here too is the um DPW
was just amazing during of the storm. 247 operations Sunday through Friday. Um and it it took most of last week to clear the snow and widen the 240 miles of roads that Yarmath maintains. And don't forget with the type of snow that
we have here on Cape Cod, >> the the backbone of our fleet really is the cadre of contractors in one ton trucks and 1.5 ton trucks that that have the plows and they knock out those smaller residential areas. Well, we
spent the better part of the beginning of that storm pulling every single one of them out >> because they just were too small to um get the job done. And the way Jeff handled it I thought was like fabulous is that they had to um commandeer every
piece of heavy equipment that they could find. Now here's something interesting is we've all uh lived under the um wastewater construction inconvenience that's been horrible for us. There's a silver lining that having all of those front end loaders and gear
around the DPW put them all to work out on the street and created these teams where a front end loader would lead the smaller truck and um get it like burst open and then the smaller truck can get it so it's a little wider. They went
painstakingly throughout 240 miles uh doing that and um >> all night every night changing drivers on the loaders. Um and the DPW continues to clear snow from 40 miles of sidewalks that the town maintains. Um the highest
priority was on the pathways to the schools which were taken care of first and then they started removing the snow from the sidewalks in the areas associated with the St. Patrick's Day parade. And thanks to the DPW, all of the roads and viewing areas are going to
be clear and safe for that on Saturday. Nice. And um that's just a miracle. We didn't think it was possible. If you'd asked me on Wednesday or Thursday of last week, I'd have said, "No, I'm sorry." Yeah. But um it really came together and it came together quick. >> Um
>> and the um >> Okay, now this is kind of important. The department is working right now on clearing an area at the waste management facility to accommodate dropping off brush from local residents.
>> And um the guidance is support is is sought from the select board regarding the fees. It's normally $65 a ton with a $5 minimum. Um due to the cost of having we have to have a contractor out there with equipment to chip and remove the
material. There's no way where that we can just store it long term. >> Um, so that's going to cost a lot of money. >> We did this during the tornado. >> Yeah, we waved fees for a while. We had a >> It was a very short period of time. >> I don't know if you're looking to wait.
>> The DPW is is suggesting that that they need until March 10 to clear the spot. And so they'd like to um go out to the community, ask everyone to hang on to their stuff till March 10. and they'll get it set up in um you know potentially a one to two week fee waiver like a two week period
>> maybe even a shorter period of time >> just something where people can >> I think that's what we did in the last storm was one to two weeks I think we did it one week and then we extended it a week >> we'll be in a position to >> so I think it's consistent with what we've done before I think what they're
asking for I think makes sense >> Tracy I think it's what we've done >> no I asked him for because I had a ton of people asking >> I think we should support that >> I just know that it's going to be expensive. So, >> well, >> I think the consensus is that we're behind it, right?
>> Yeah, I think that's that's fine. And we'll get it ready and we'll report back. >> I think if we can do it in a short period of time, that will save us money. That would be great. I mean, they I don't think it should we have to put restrictions on it. It shouldn't be for commercial. It should be for our residents, >> right? >> Just residential.
>> Um, you know, um, but maybe we maybe we start with a week. The local landscapers are doing it for the residents. >> Well, they can pay. I mean, they pay now. >> They pay to dispose of brush. >> I'm happy to be consistent with what
we've done in the past. >> I don't think we allowed commercial. >> We're not now. That's for sure. >> We can look at it. >> What we did last time is what we should do. Whatever we did for the tornado, >> that's all I'm suggesting is let's be consistent. We'll have to double check
that and I'll get together with Jeff and um it's good that we're meeting next week too so we can report back in. >> How do you prove though that these commercial people are doing it for the residents of our of our town? They could be taking it from any town and not not paying the fee. I think that that's
>> that's a difficult one. I mean >> well it's not an exorbitant fee. I mean $65 for a ton that's like take a lot to get a ton. >> No, if they're saving it between now and March 10th. I'm comfortable with our our our team handling handling it. Um,
>> however we did before. >> Yeah, however we handled it before. >> You need to be consistent. >> Yeah. I just want to be consistent. >> I have a a Are you done? >> No, let me wrap up here. Okay. So I that I covered DPW. Now just in terms of the
town departments again uh we coordinated very closely um you know over the weekend and into the week we had daily department and division head meetings to coordinate closely um with the public safety and everyone involved. Um the town hall and our other major facilities
were closed on Monday and Tuesday. Uh we had no heat, we had no power, we had no access. Um, as soon as we got uh, you know, back on, we were um, opening with full normal operations on Wednesday, February 25. And I'll tell you
something, I think the residents appreciated that. We had a lot of people visiting, you know, with just sort of days looks and and they just liked the opportunity to come into town hall and visit with us and share share their issues and concerns. I
mean, it was what we all knew. We were shell shocked by mother nature. the a whole bunch of us. And so I was really happy that we were able to get back online on the 25th. And again, I was greatly impressed with the leadership of all of our department heads, close coordination and commitment of of
everyone during the storm emergency. Um, but you know, the big three, police, fire, DPW, highly professional. You have some fabulous agencies there. I was honored to work with these people. I mean truly. Um we're currently
calculating uh the cost of the storm event for the full response and um that is a department by tomorrow but is a lot of manpower. It's a lot there's going to be a lot of cost and we're also working to get that information to MIMA and we're trying to make a request for
federal aid. We know hopefully at least we'll have some state but we're going to try to get reimbursed for for some of this. I mean the response was more than we did for the last hurricane. Believe me. I mean it was very impactful. This storm was hugely impactful for our community.
>> Not even but again >> more than the tornado. I would say >> we talked about the snow and ice and that alone was was a ton. And so >> just by nature of it being in the winter instead of the summer, you know, like in the tornado case, we didn't have to worry about heat,
>> right? I had just Yeah. I I couldn't get out of my house. And so I I wondered if we could put together I had some lessons learned like if you leave your house, you need to bring your your um Eversource account number with
you because if you don't have that, you can't find out if your electricity is back on. >> Well, you're supposed to be able to look it up by your address. >> I put my I put my address in. >> Some of the some of the we had some problems with the sometimes it worked great, sometimes it didn't work. So, one
of the things uh in our in our lessons learned and and we're going to be um working with the departments to identify some lessons learned and then we want to meet with the select board and share those with you and hear other ideas and suggestions that that you have. But, but that was one of our problems at the shelter
>> that the system that Eversource had in place to first of all notify individual people that your power's back on wasn't working properly. They were telling people your power was going to be on um at 8:00 and then they'd send another one. It's going to be on this is on
Wednesday. And then they said another one. No, it's not going to be on till Friday. And then and then they were supposed to have the lookup. So people knew when their power and and the system was glitching. It wasn't maybe it was overwhelmed. It wasn't working properly. And so we had to wind up driving people
around to go check their house and see if the power was back on >> because we weren't sure because the Eversource connection was a little hard. So there was a lot of that. >> And then the other thing was I didn't know how to get my garage door open without electricity, which I learned, >> but I couldn't look it up.
>> Cord, >> I didn't know but I figured it out. Like I bet you >> No, I had to do that or else we wouldn't have been here Wednesday. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We didn't get power back till what? Thursday. >> Yeah, I didn't get it back till Thursday. >> That was tough. But all these other people, too, that were doing, you know,
working for you and doing all this work, you know, they they'd go home at at the end of the night to like a freezing cold house, too. >> Oh, God. >> And they'd be back. >> Yeah. And the code red system has been revamped on our end as well, which people need to go back in and sign up for, >> which is another thing. Um, good point.
So, they got the the n the code red back up and running and we used it during the storm. Um, a lot of people that were recently added were dropped. >> Yeah. >> Um, so so people need, you know, if you've just because you signed up in the
past doesn't mean you don't need to sign up again. We need we're going to >> So if we signed up and we signed up again, will it will it know it's a duplicate? Because I signed up again. I just don't know if it will. >> Yeah, it'll be fine. Sign up again. >> And if it's the same number, >> you know, it only goes in once. So
>> So people need to do that. We need to make sure that that link is on our >> right. Put it in the select board spotlight tomorrow. >> Okay, great. >> I think it's important. I mean, these are all things I think people were starving for information and they really wanted to >> I'm actually curious if something had
happened to me. Nobody would have known. >> Sophie would have known. >> Sophie would have >> Sophie would have done the lassie thing. Gotten. >> There's no I had no phone. >> Yeah. The cell service. >> Get out of the house. It's just, you know, you got to wonder. >> Had no phone.
>> No, the cell the cell service was >> this is where this is where uh neighbor to neighbor can make a big difference with our neighbor. >> And my neighbors were gone. >> In our neighborhood, in our neighborhood, >> they moved. They left. They went to someplace else. >> We have
a a network of a couple of different neighbors that we keep together. My neighbor across the street from me is going to be 100. >> Yeah. >> On March 7th. And she never left her house. >> Happy birthday to her. >> And she and she was without power. >> She pat
um not until Thursday. >> Four days. >> Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. And >> how did she stay warm? How did she stay warm? Well, fortunately they had a generator that they brought in that another neighbor who Jeff who's a a box
who's a firefighter and an electrician hooked up her heating system to the generator so she had heat. >> Oh god. >> Wow. >> You know I lived by >> they did lovely things for each other. It was really nice to see >> and I you know >> there's no question about it. I I was
just stunned at the shelter the number of people that came in that were I mean you could see that they this was not an easy thing for them to do >> right here. I think that's where my neighbors went. >> Yeah. They >> folks were coming
>> there was nobody to check on >> and they people were incredibly patient. >> They were very um thankful >> appreciative. I mean, it was it was just it was it was really heartwarming to see folks coming in being brought in by
whether it was the RTA bus or the a a firefighter, >> fire department. Um, when we were tracing, >> you don't have a phone and you don't have a neighbor. I'm just wondering if I'm I'm not trying to it's not me squeaky wheel. I'm wondering about
people who like me and my situation could have been anybody. Do they put a red flag out on their mailbox, but they can't get out their house? >> Get out. For some people, they just never got out of their house, >> right? >> I was told that by several people that
if they didn't have the firefighter come and get them literally out of their home. >> How did the firefighter know to go to the house? >> They could call them. >> They were able they were they had access to a phone. >> But you're right. You've got a point there. What about the people that don't have the phone? >> Yeah. >> Right. Don't have a cell phone. The
>> land or it was four days. by four days it's gone. It's it's used up. >> No, I think I think this is this is why you leave it to the the the town staff, the emergency response people to do >> well preparing. People need to prepare.
You know, like I I saw a lot of people, where can I get gas? Where can I get firewood? Um >> yeah, >> you know, I think we learned lessons that we, you know, sometimes the meteorologists aren't as accurate and sometimes we don't take them as serious as they need to. And you know, you need
to be prepared for situations. You need to have enough food and water and batteries so you can charge your cell phone. You can get a a battery pack. >> I finally figured out because I have an electric car that I could charge it off my electric car. >> So, Wednesday night, I went
>> Really? You weren't aware of that? You actually figured that out? It took a while to I'm shocked that that I figured you would have known that right off the bat. I was kind of happy sitting by the fire by myself until Wednesday and then Wednesday I went, "Jesus, this is
starting to get weird." >> Yeah. >> But if you have no power, you know, that's kind of hard on the old electric cars. >> But no, it was all charged up. >> All charged up. So, it's like a battery. >> It's a battery. >> A giant battery >> and Yeah. So, I was charge my phone or
could have charged others. >> How many How much I mean juice could you generate from your car? Could you power your house for a day? No, >> just a lighter to I see. >> Yeah, there you go. >> I I think it goes it goes back to what Tracy and Joyce were saying about the
community. >> Yeah. >> Taking a village and people coming together >> and what's >> and registering with somebody >> and what I think is specialist is it's it wasn't just in Yarmouth, but like I said, it was replicated literally in every community here on the Cape. What I heard from people off Cape, all right,
was that we have we have and you the the the the the tragedy with Ravoli, right? And the loss of did think about all of the public safety people that came and responded to Yarmouth when that situation happened, right? So this is
this is the community that we have. We have towns that work together, fire departments that work together, police departments that work together. Do you believe that that were a truck from Ohio is who called my because I couldn't get through because Eversource had closed
off all the roads. Mayfair was closed so they were sending us down Fallen's Pond Road and the guys from Ohio had their phone out to try to direct me to my house to get around. >> It was so funny. >> But our agency coordination center is
unique and and that's something very special. Our mutual aid is is very strong. We're very >> strong here. Yeah. And it's and it's and it's what it's one of the many things that makes Cape Cod so special. That's the thing that I that's the thing that I picked up out of it because I I saw you know what Bob talked about here in
Yarmouth. You just saw that sort of replicated uh in community after community. And it was it's amazing how much of a gung-ho attitude each of the in each of the communities existed. People were just stepping up and doing what had to be done. And uh you know
>> it's easy to get cynical particularly when you >> these days when you pay attention to politics but when it really push comes to shove and a disaster happens >> yeah people >> people can really step up and we saw it in in in an abundance here through the storm. So I think there's a lot of good
that came out of this. Um >> absolutely unfortunately we we live in a society where everything has instant gratification. Everything's at your fingertips. So when something like this happens um you know people you know first they
get nervous understandably second they're cold right and they you have all that going into it >> the pizza won't be delivered >> what >> and they get frustrated and then they you know it's it's hard because they get you know our town employees have to >> reap that and that's not really fair
either that everybody's doing the best they can so there's a lot of good that comes out of out of the community but sometimes you also see the people that um just don't plan and get very frustrated and don't have any patience and and it is frustrating for them.
>> But um it's, you know, we need to we need to take a deep breath and >> sometimes understand that people are working behind the scenes. You don't see it. You can't see it when you're stuck in your house, but they are working around the clock and they were. And so,
>> um you know, I'm just grateful for that and I wish everybody was grateful for that, but some people they just They just can't see it. >> We have, you know, crabby people. But >> it it might be a good idea to um for the communications team to kind of highlight
sending out to folks. What did you learn from this? >> That's what I was thinking. That would be great. >> We we did it when I when I was the director at Heatherwood. We used to have make sure that that everyone had an emergency plan available and I myself
just went through it before the storm started. Like you Joyce, I'm by myself with the dog, >> you know, and and didn't have power until um Thursday, I think it was. >> But I, you know, like I had already stored up on my batteries. I had bread
and peanut butter, believe it or not, in the house, but on purpose because I knew I couldn't open the refrigerator or >> Yeah. And even to let people know that they then have to empty everything out. >> Everything out of that refrigerator. Exactly. Everything. Mayonnaise. >> Yeah.
>> I mean, like, yeah, I lost my entire refrigerator. But >> me, too. >> We And there is there is like a I think it's Mima puts out a booklet that you can get that You can even claim that on your homeowners insurance. Somebody I
heard got got funded back for all their >> and I'm even thinking, you know, we're we're talking about electrification. Electrification. >> If I hadn't had my gas fireplace, >> your what? >> My gas fireplace saved me. >> Me, too.
>> So, I'm kind of like husband >> sells gas fireplac. But I I had actually gone out and bought wood. >> Enough wood. >> And I had wood and that's what I was using in my house. But my house still got down below 50. >> Yeah. >> We in the living room next to the gas
insert. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I don't have gas in my house. >> The gas fireplace. >> It was I'm really thinking about twice now. Was cold. But I was grateful and blessed because I knew things cooked on mine.
>> You didn't even have that >> chicken on my guest. >> You had hot food. No, I I literally had peanut butter sandwiches to >> I'd like to make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Thank you.
>> We'll continue this fun next week though. This is