Yarmouth Finance Committee reviews FY27 community services budgets, flags staffing and capital needs

The Yarmouth Finance Committee on Jan. 21 reviewed proposed FY27 operating budgets for community services departments, hearing officials describe staffing gaps, growing service demand and capital needs that may require transfers or future borrowing.

"I am Dave Condon, Director of Natural Resources and I have held the position since the Spring of this year," said Condon, who outlined the division’s work on trails and conservation areas, environmental law enforcement, shellfish propagation, harbor operations and animal control. He said the department has eight full‑time staff, is down two positions and has relied on grant funding and nonprofit partnerships to maintain services. Condon told the committee that the Community Preservation Committee is funding the local match on a $2.5 million construction project.

Condon said the shellfish program has grown beyond quahogs to include oysters and bay scallops, and that ‘‘there are over 35 people on the wait‑list’’ for mooring slips. He reported a nearly completed town‑wide assessment of more than 60 water access points; band‑aid repairs have kept some locations open while the assessment is finalized, and he told members he did not believe any site currently posed an immediate liability.

Diane Kane, Community Services Director, summarized Senior Services activity and demand, reporting 35,695 "touch points," about 3,174 phone calls to the center, roughly 30,000 meals delivered through Meals on Wheels and 2,165 transportation calls. Kane said staffing losses — including an open Programs and Transportation Coordinator and an anticipated summer vacancy for the social worker position — constrain services and that transportation fuel is paid from the town fuel budget.

Library Director David Aronson told the committee that the system holds about 68,000 items, including 14,000 non‑print items, and that open hours have increased (from about 2,400 to roughly 4,600). He said patron visits are just under 110,000 for the year to date and that summer reading participation rose from 200 in FY24 to 324 in FY25; operating expenses largely meet state minimums and some part‑time salary lines were increased to account for cost‑of‑living adjustments.

Scott Gilmore, Director of Golf, said municipal golf recorded about 97,000 rounds last year (approximately 46,000 member rounds) and that the enterprise has recorded roughly $3.5 million in revenue to date, with $369,000 in membership sales for the upcoming season. Gilmore said modest fee increases (3–4 percent) and product additions such as electric carts and tournaments are intended to fund capital needs including irrigation and bunker renovation at Bass River and wastewater work at Bayberry.

Committee members asked about fee parity with neighboring towns, safety of access points, electric cart safety and program overlaps; staff generally responded that comparisons are ongoing, studies are planned where needed and that some proposals (for example, a library building project) will return when state approvals and cost estimates are available.

The committee did not take a budget vote on these community services items on Jan. 21; next meetings were scheduled for Jan. 28 (Wastewater financial update) and subsequent budget hearings.