West Dennis bathhouse project moves forward; committee approves bid-phase funding from beach fund

The finance committee recommended Article 43, approving $375,000 from the Beach Improvement Fund to advance design and OPM work for the West Dennis Beach project so the town can put the project to bid and, if warranted, begin construction on schedule.

Recreation Director Dustin Pino described the project timeline and permitting constraints for a barrier beach site and said timing is critical to preserve contractor availability and permitting windows. He stressed the town's practice of funding beach bathhouses and similar projects from user-fee revenues (daily passes and resident stickers), not the general tax rate, and provided last-year revenue numbers for West Dennis (roughly $460,000 in operating revenue). "If everything works according to the plan, we'll have a hard number so that when we go to the selectmen and the finance committee and then to the taxpayers, we'll have an actual hard number that this will bring us to the point of bidding," he said.

The committee discussed project timing, barrier-beach permitting and the merits of using the beach improvement revenue model to avoid burdening the general tax base. The motion to transfer $375,000 from the Beach Improvement Fund for the project passed by roll call.

Why it matters: This would be the last town bathhouse replacement under the multi-year program; staff and committee framed the project as funded by users and necessary to replace aging facilities.

Next steps: If town meeting approves the article, staff plan to proceed with procurement so that work could begin after Labor Day, subject to permitting and contract award.