[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6069552,"mediaKeyId","3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d","parentId",3068144,"title","Cape Cod Chamber proposes local tourism-district assessment; Yarmouth among first towns eyed","audioSeconds",1163,"startMs",10019000,"endMs",11182000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d&start=10019&end=11182","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d/thumbnail_10019000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6069552/Massachusetts/Cape-Cod-Chamber-proposes-local-tourism-district-assessment-Yarmouth-among-first-towns-eyed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069552-4fb85d751218d52bb0aa5cdd15818cc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810129&Signature=BtB8B4mMxxx0-7Gyw7WTV0NsRwhkWeRJ8oRLjUea0bPuEtnMhf79Uyq6hmWAv9Xz35yV1mWKl5RiZYW3702UZ8MiQJxnMvJvwvQAQ1V36kgh7Od8QeSy44CV6xHa2hY0vSfeldcRtESczEbjjLR~E-0H5vnH4sHTjn4kJAg27DE7ZagjiCB2rXPD1FT1DGX1zJQnkwV5zjzrvtjLBLu7EWoPk4XufLVEgRNBqc5n~RBuz5b7gvkOyln5qX-zeVY5sXGX8WVUqQ0ybiXRDgJ05bweWxqswkeEFEnGlQLl5ZCmbpOtxdgRp0fui5PUkH5~GushPeJLl5OkWWRt3l4QTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts","date","2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","article","The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce introduced a proposal to form a Tourism Destination Marketing District (TDMD), an industry-led assessment program that would raise local, stable funds to promote lodging and events on The Cape.

Chamber CEO Paul Mezwicky and board chair Lisa Oliver explained the model, which is authorized by Massachusetts chapter 40X (enacted in 2021) and requires a petition signed by lodging businesses in a proposed district. Under the state process the Department of Revenue would collect the assessment and remit it to the regional tourism council (the Cape Cod Chamber) for spending on agreed activities.

Nut graf: The Chamber described a town-by-town pilot approach rather than a single Cape-wide district. For the initial Yarmouth petition the Chamber said the eligibility cutoff is lodging businesses with 85 or more rooms; by that standard Yarmouth would have 12 qualifying properties. The pre-formation committee proposed a 1.5% assessment rate; proposed spending in the draft district plan would allocate roughly 75% of revenues to marketing and sales, 10% to business practices and workforce initiatives and 15% for reserves and administration.

Key details and next steps
- Petition and threshold: State law requires petitions from businesses representing at least 62% of eligible lodging properties in the proposed district. The Chamber reported it already has petition signatures from 10 of Yarmouth's 12 qualifying hotels and said the group is prepared to file once the town completes public-notice steps.
- Uses of funds: The draft plan prioritizes marketing and group-incentive programs, destination-development projects and workforce-related initiatives. The Chamber specifically cited tools to sustain visitation during bridge construction and other local infrastructure work; it also flagged off-season events and sports-tourism as target areas.
- Governance and collection: If formed, the TDMD would have a five-year term, renew by majority vote of paying members, and be administered by the regional tourism council with oversight committees and an audit requirement. The DOR will collect assessments and remit them to the Chamber for programmatic use.
- Timing: Chamber staff said they hope to file petition materials after Town Meeting and requested the Select Board's cooperation on scheduling and required public hearings. They indicated that if approvals proceed on schedule the district could begin quarterly collections as early as July 1, 2025; a later filing would delay that start to October.

Ending: Board members expressed general openness and asked procedural questions about timelines, overlap with existing town tourism funds, and the proposed rate. No Select Board vote was taken at the meeting; the Chamber requested the town's cooperation on scheduling the public hearing window so the petition could be filed in time for a July collection start.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Yarmouth: Select Board - 3-4-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce proposed a Tourism Destination Marketing District (TDMD) for Yarmouth that would assess lodging properties to fund regional marketing, events and workforce initiatives.","taxTitle","Town of Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts","taxId",68581,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6069557,"Dennis-Yarmouth Regional budget: 4.496% operating increase; school committee uses reserves to lower local debt service",1983,7157000,9140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d&start=7157&end=9140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d/thumbnail_7157000.jpg","/articles/6069557/Massachusetts/Dennis-Yarmouth-Regional-budget-4496-operating-increase-school-committee-uses-reserves-to-lower-local-debt-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069557-98fe37e35c1311ec1df39221d13d30c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810129&Signature=FyqcMCXPtuRB7IwIUysF8dOoZDHHRtsKssmJQJob1sHRm7Fhpxc-pKNt2-aZ-udaao5pNR41wad2PQL5-pB7kDVrQ~FM2ViEPKARIcgNXllmS2hrC5LKPGDM2mWCdpm0uE383-uEGWvaFeAjCkiC~KuQrjN69lCdOI7Q33SFuL5YAbsylLDdORe5jNw8Qly9TaPhfZ6fGaQ~Tow4cruHnBpnXlNa4-uV50fwr2THkYynoDXDZqQI~DvDz4pYfNIhAzWEBTWRhbOIJdjGoyhTuuL-dXf~zVsZPs3UObORhs5aTSOOwYeockKVXArwpq8oQ1aUDeHscFYoy1B84clzCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District Superintendent Mark Smith briefed the Select Board on the district's FY2026 request, which he said represents a 4.496% increase in the operating budget.

Smith described the district's strategic priorities, including an emphasis on eliminating achievement disparities and creating consistent administrative systems across six schools. He identified out-of-district special-education tuition and transportation as drivers of cost growth and said the district is absorbing significant transportation cost increases because of off-Cape vendor use.

Nut graf: the school committee voted to apply $416,150 from the district's excess-and-deficiency (E&D) fund to pay a last high-school bond payment; that action changes the debt-service portion of Yarmouth's assessment. With the school-committee vote, town staff calculated a revised Yarmouth debt-service assessment of $2,388,423 for FY2026 (a reduction from the prior estimate shown to the board), though final assessment calculations are part of the district's intermunicipal process.

Smith and his team also noted demographic shifts: the district has seen steadily increasing enrollment (the district cited about 3,120 students during the meeting) and growth in students eligible for high-needs categories (socioeconomic disadvantage, English-language learners and special education). Smith emphasized the complexity this trend adds to budgeting and programming.

Ending: Town and school leaders agreed to continue intergovernmental coordination as the budget and assessment work proceeds; Smith said further materials and clarifications are available in the district's published budget packet.","Dennis-Yarmouth Superintendent Mark Smith presented the regional school district's FY2026 budget and an update on assessment calculations; the school committee voted to apply $416,150 from excess-and-deficiency to retire a final high-school bond payment, reducing the district's debt-service assessment to Yarmouth.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6069562,"Cape Cod Tech presents $993,000 budget increase; leaders cite enrollment growth and contract costs",305,5959000,6264000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d&start=5959&end=6264","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d/thumbnail_5959000.jpg","/articles/6069562/Massachusetts/Cape-Cod-Tech-presents-993000-budget-increase-leaders-cite-enrollment-growth-and-contract-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069562-b446a7c9121aa898430e89e0bca2e3ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810129&Signature=ZXQaYXaRcPWsCEHsCIpONVaSRKKe3UsZ-oUswknRvXquTnzORVyuEs4NQGttsjEhyIR1oekDnIc-83s~GtKhrdMPrP5PJvKtJvw8~HIHLspjtvw2muChFCVfktyX7ynQ8UZVeRk3yFaEx4mghHSzux7MiabkWDT9UDZiOKDf1qp~Yi6gD9pfQBfho95ZJeQUptpH0htGH0GENL~A8x9XWjo~OjvqckqV8AowAlNo6-A-ig9eLCfRRA98TK3fPdrvbFthccIAkEW~mEzIJUz38qbmsJll7qNyedHj8QBFbkmzsqbqP6F6Qsf5Q--tCiwP7YwLORHlgXCzzXF9fD7dww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Superintendent Robert Sanborn presented the vocational school's FY2026 budget during the town hearing and said the plan is the largest he has presented during his tenure.

\"This is the highest budget I've ever presented to a board of selectmen in my tenure,\" Sanborn said, and described drivers that include increased enrollment, transportation costs from a new five-year contract, contracted service and a desire to slow the use of excess-and-deficiency (E&D) funds.

Nut graf: the regional technical school reported enrollment growth (Sanborn cited a current roll of about 681 students and a wait list exceeding 150), rising transportation and service costs, and a strategy to reduce one-time reliance on reserve balances. The proposed operating budget increase was presented as about $993,000 (a 5.68% increase overall). Officials said they trimmed capital requests modestly and will rely on reserves and other revenue sources to smooth transitions.

Other points raised in the hearing included the district's work to expand renewable energy options for bus charging (selecting electric buses for a contractor fleet but keeping diesel backup availability) and the school's longer-term satellite campus plans for program expansion (a leased 33-acre site in Harwich under active fundraising).

Ending: Sanborn and committee members said they will continue outreach and that the school committee had reviewed and approved the budget and held a public hearing before presenting to town officials. The district emphasized that vocational programs carry higher per-pupil costs because of equipment and program needs, and that the budget seeks to balance operational and capital requirements while supporting instructional programs.","Cape Cod Regional Technical High School officials told Yarmouth's Select Board that the school's FY2026 operating budget is higher than previous years, driven by enrollment increases, transportation contract changes and negotiated compensation adjustments.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6069567,"Finance committee: Yarmouth's FY26 budget \"balanced\"; capital plan highlights wastewater, water and fire staffing",458,166000,624000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d&start=166&end=624","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d/thumbnail_166000.jpg","/articles/6069567/Massachusetts/Finance-committee-Yarmouths-FY26-budget-balanced-capital-plan-highlights-wastewater-water-and-fire-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069567-74bdd490d821cc09d8560161f9130a93/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810129&Signature=lv~uo64l2GaEOjfRIVQbADDP-WG63AzFQD1Xg8ZDbhG5MiSaCGHrcjccSk0zeoqlh9teNNZo6lFCKTnEmGtn~fwEcwo4Qj5dBdhoPIWqpPeMSj2XeE7x-f~Jt55M0VPxRkBqBLCkyfhFRM5WjfrqqQVZT8YIeoZ0EveYiuNYo08R-yN1K3SNTTblpoKMOJthPZkNAOHnlQaEGP0izCncYp7QgIeF3bfHXGdO61LHQyyPcpaKz61yvWr3i~ihKDb6NjXah9pIBli0mvTF12wsoN9PkGzDRIdilqDvjxfjlFT5-CcoyoT8xQDHnMGJTd3HMr2NY-~T3u699ikbZpDVhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Good evening. The Yarmouth Finance Committee opened a four-part public hearing on the town's operating budget and capital improvement plan (CIP), saying the proposed FY2026 budget is balanced while outlining major cost drivers and capital projects.

Finance Committee Chair Richard Simon led the discussion and said the document he and the committee reviewed meets charter and state requirements and that the committee's review will inform Town Meeting voters. \"Yarmouth's proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026 is balanced and its financial affairs are being very well managed by the town officials,\" Simon said. He summarized three overarching priorities that guided the committee's review: financial stability, workforce development and infrastructure.

The nut graf: the committees identified significant capital demands tied to wastewater, water and municipal facilities and recommended using free cash and bonding strategically while preserving reserves. The committee reported a vote of 7-0 to recommend 25 of the 34 warrant articles that appropriate funds; remaining articles will be considered at its March 12 meeting.

Most notable items discussed
- Fire staffing and proposed override: The town is proposing a property-tax override to fund a planned two-step increase in fire staffing that Simon said will require $845,004.76 in FY2026 (about a 1% impact). The committee described the request as tied to public-safety needs and multi-year staffing commitments.
- Wastewater finance plan: The town continues to prepare to finance Phase 1 of the wastewater project, which Simon described as a $207,000,000 undertaking. The plan spreads debt and repayment across user fees, subsidies, betterments and property valuation increases.
- Water and PFAS response: Water department items include a $5,050,000 article to design PFAS treatment for wells 10 and 11 after well No. 10 exceeded a newly promulgated Massachusetts maximum contaminant level, and an additional $2,000,000 to add to a previously authorized Route 28 water-main project. Public Works Director Jeff Colby confirmed the affected wells are off Forest Road on the west side and said staff suspect on-site septic systems as a likely source, though no conclusive source has been determined.
- Equalization tank rehabilitation: A $4.4 million rehabilitation of a septage equalization tank was presented as an enterprise-funded need to prevent leakage and restore safe operation.
- Rolling stock, facilities and a facilities condition assessment: The Capital Budget Committee emphasized updating facility condition assessments, starting engineering where structural issues are identified (the senior center was cited), and creating a rolling-stock portal to improve ten-year planning and replacement forecasts.
- Fleet and public-safety equipment: Presentations included police cruiser lease requests and a multi-year cruiser replacement program; an annual lease payment of $58,850 beginning in 2026 was cited for a new cruiser authorization. The Fire Department requested planning authorization for a Quint pumper (combination pumper-ladder) with an estimated cost presented at $2,000,000.

How projects are funded: Committee members repeatedly stressed that many large capital items are enterprise-funded (water, sewer, golf) and not charged to the general tax levy, while smaller capital items and some roadway work rely on free cash or levy funding. Finance staff reported certified free-cash figures and explained that, if all warrant articles pass, the town's remaining free cash balance would fall substantially (staff gave a working estimate of roughly $1.7 million after the meeting's warrant appropriations, subject to final adjustments and accounting).

Public comment and timing: The meeting served as a public hearing for capital and budget items; attendees asked project-specific questions (for example about well locations and equalization-tank condition). The Finance Committee will return on March 12 to consider outstanding articles.

Ending: The hearing closed after the committee answered departmental questions and community members; the Finance Committee and Capital Budget Committee will forward formal recommendations to the Select Board and the warrant for Annual Town Meeting.","At a March 4 public hearing, the Yarmouth Finance Committee and Capital Budget Committee reviewed the town's proposed FY2026 operating and capital budgets, recommending most warrant articles while flagging several large capital projects and a planned property-tax override to fund fire-department staffing increases.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6069547,"Select Board approves HERO Act clause 22I, designates municipal hearing officer and constable as \"special\" employees, confirms appointments",1186,12254000,13440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d&start=12254&end=13440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3068144-4a06c6c9afdf6bf9206063719567a71d/thumbnail_12254000.jpg","/articles/6069547/Massachusetts/Select-Board-approves-HERO-Act-clause-22I-designates-municipal-hearing-officer-and-constable-as-special-employees-confirms-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069547-40554a19b4147db9186170d9f981f4d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810129&Signature=DEPQ61HtStCM3OhODTuwbaoU0TQEoG3mVUy83pk1cBKSGJ-IJbbbdIbjhC8hzvPbDo0W2gMWqEr36DDk1XR-AiN9FA6YXI9DSc-vMyN3b8MDuiBAjTHRgzuPdrUihllEPkmcJvIUY0r8d4q1D3qQBYJJ229TFwwY~Sp3hwbJCb8HUTHxAXcyjG5QR8TUQ1x-IxiK40vxyoynGg9V1aSQPEU2Ks3cjmN3vHIw00~hwRzlzWG8rnQUut4I3-69xV4QSHvWTtasrCjCrI64bzh7Nec9o~MGV-fpLYCt9B9beda5hPgo0N67BrJd4W8Yn5x25RL5CH46fQrWOHfvFYE-WA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the end of the March 4 meeting the Select Board took several procedural and policy votes.

HERO Act: Select Board Member Mark moved that the board \"accept clause 22I of the HERO Act for fiscal year 2026 and make 22J a priority for consideration for the FY27 budget.\" The motion passed unanimously.

Special municipal-employee designations: Town Clerk Mary Maslowski reviewed the conflict-of-interest implications for part-time and lightly paid municipal roles and recommended two designations. The board voted, unanimously, to designate the town constable position and the municipal hearing officer position as \"special municipal employee\" status under Massachusetts conflict-of-interest law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268A, '1(n)). The designations allow those part-time roles to participate in certain town matters that otherwise could create conflicts under standard rules.

Appointments and routine votes: The board confirmed nominations and appointments presented at the meeting: Ellie Tierney was appointed as a regular member of the Conservation Commission (three-year unexpired term through June 2025) and Peter Malpass was appointed to the Community Economic Development Committee (three-year unexpired term through July 2027). The board also approved routine actions including a motion to close the public budget hearing, and approved March 12, 2024 meeting minutes.

Ending: All votes noted above were unanimous; the board directed staff to update the town's lists and to circulate appointment paperwork.","The Select Board voted unanimously March 4 to accept clause 22I of the state HERO Act for FY2026 and to treat two part-time roles as special municipal employees; the board also confirmed two committee appointments and recorded other procedural votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cape Cod Chamber proposes local tourism-district assessment; Yarmouth among first towns eyed

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional budget: 4.496% operating increase; school committee uses reserves to lower local debt service

Cape Cod Tech presents $993,000 budget increase; leaders cite enrollment growth and contract costs

Finance committee: Yarmouth's FY26 budget "balanced"; capital plan highlights wastewater, water and fire staffing

Select Board approves HERO Act clause 22I, designates municipal hearing officer and constable as "special" employees, confirms appointments