Assembly postpones vote on $20 million Aqua Fund borrowing until April 1

The Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates voted on March 18 to postpone consideration of proposed ordinance 2026-07, a $20,000,000 supplemental appropriation for the Barnstable County Aqua Fund, until the regular meeting on April 1, 2026.

Deputy Speaker Carl Frizzell moved to postpone the ordinance so bond counsel and the Clean Water Trust could confirm resolution language; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote. Clerk Kirk Fletcher recorded 12 delegates voting in the affirmative, representing approximately 77.83% of the county's population for the tally noted on the record. "Bond counsel recommended that the resolution language be checked with the Clean Water Trust ... we should, by then, have clear direction from the trust and bond counsel on the resolution language," Deputy Speaker Frizzell said during the debate.

The finance committee had recommended adoption of ordinance 2026-07 at its March 9 meeting, noting the borrowing would support residential sewering and septic projects over the next two years and that the borrowing is secured by property betterments rather than the general fund. Finance director Carol Coppola clarified at the committee level that the security for the borrowing is property betterments, not the county general fund, a point committee members flagged as important for bonding mechanics.

County Administrator Michael Dutton told the Assembly that delaying two weeks would allow staff time to secure final language acceptable to bond counsel and the Clean Water Trust without jeopardizing the county's position. "We can afford two weeks of time to make sure that we get the language absolutely correct the way that bond counsel and the Clean Water Trust wanted," Dutton said.

Next steps: the ordinance will be taken up again at the April 1 regular meeting for consideration once bond counsel and the Clean Water Trust have provided guidance and technical revisions have been incorporated.