Finance committee restores $50,000 to fire department overtime, approves minutes

The Town of Yarmouth finance committee voted unanimously to restore $50,000 to the fire department’s overtime budget, reversing pandemic‑era cuts the department said hampered operations.

Committee members reviewed an email and a written request from Deputy Chief John Sawyer asking the committee to reinstate the $50,000 cut made in FY21–22. Town staff and the finance director told members they reviewed the request and recommended restoring the funds; the committee discussed budget capacity and noted the tech‑school assessment and other items left room in the proposed levy to accommodate the request.

A motion “to increase the overtime budget as indicated in the email from Deputy Chief John Sawyer” was moved and seconded, and the committee recorded aye votes from members present. Town staff said the motion will be used as evidence in the budget process and that the item will appear on the warrant materials prepared for town meeting.

Separately, the committee approved a package of minutes with corrections (including a spelling correction to the name Robert Ciavara) after brief discussion and a roll‑call vote.

Members also discussed drafting the finance committee’s report and agreed on several themes to include in the report to the town administrator and selectmen: grow the commercial tax base, invest strategically in infrastructure to support business and workforce, address employee compensation and housing attainability as recruitment challenges, and consider fiscal‑impact analysis for commercial growth tied to sewer and other infrastructure projects.

The meeting concluded after routine business and a unanimous vote to adjourn.