What do we need to know to be informed voters?

Thursday, October 17, 2024
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To help raise awareness about important articles in the warrant, the Orleans Citizens Forum hosted a presentation to discuss these at The Orleans Senior Center.

The panel, moderated by Walter North, included the following speakers and topics:

• Mark Mathison, Select Board Chair, reviewed Funding Housing Trust (Article 20) and Housing Initiatives (Article 21)

• Jamie Balliett, Vice Chair, Advisory Recreation Committee shared the Recreation Committee’s work on the Pickle Ball (Articles 9) and Recreational Facilities (Article 10)

• Hakim Janah, Vice Chair of the Energy and Climate Action Committee shared their work on Climate, Sustainability, and Environmental Action Funding, (Article 12)

• Kim Newman, Town Manager, discussed free cash: What is it?  How is free cash determined and how is it spent?  As part of this discussion, she shared information on Article 11: Acquire Land Located at 72 Tonset Rd

• Constance Kremer, Chair of the Finance Committee was available to discuss more information on the warrant.

Each presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Orleans Citizen’s Forum
Thursday, May 2, 2024
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Major projects, a revamped budget, and new feasibility studies will be voted on at the 2024 Spring Town Meeting on Monday, May 13, at 6 p.m. at the Nauset Middle School Gymnasium. Warrant articles include Rock Harbor Commercial Wharf improvements, the FY 25 Town/Schools Budget, and funding requests for three studies: the creation of a Town Campus at 46 and 58 Eldredge Parkway, the creation of a shared, multi-use pathway to and from Nauset Beach, and a “regionalization and efficiency” study for “future elementary school needs,” in collaboration with the other Nauset Regional School District towns.

Our panelists:

• Kimberly Newman, Orleans Town Manager, described changes in the budget for 2024-2025 and the proposed study for a Town Campus
• Michael Herman, Chair, Orleans Select Board, provided an overview of the warrant articles and shared the Select Board’s perspectives
• Nicholas Athanassiou, Chair, Orleans Finance Committee, summarized the Finance Committee’s review of the upcoming warrant and its assessment of town finances in general
• Nate Sears, Natural Resources Manager, will discussed Article 33 which asks for $8.3 million to fund improvements to the Rock Harbor Commercial Wharf

Martha Sherrill and Emily Miller from EXIT 89, the hyperlocal e-digest, moderated.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Thursday, February 29

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Home to Nauset Beach and surrounded by coves and inlets, Orleans rhttps://vimeo.com/906867711elies heavily on the ocean, ponds, and bays for work and play.  The forum on Cape Cod’s Blue Economy focused on how it has shaped the Cape, and how its impact may change in the coming years.

We learned more about this important resource with questions by such as:

• What is the Blue Economy? 
• What Blue Economy initiatives currently exist?
• How is the changing climate impacting our waters and what effect will that have on our businesses and tourism? 
• How has the fishing industry changed throughout the Cape’s history and what will it look like 10 years from now?
• How can the Cape continue to benefit from our largest and most abundant resource?

• Aubrey Church, Policy Director, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance
• Hemant Chikarmane, Professor of Microbiology and Chair, Department of Science, Cape Cod Community College
• Katy Acheson, Economic Development Director for the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation, Inc.
• Cameron Hadfield will moderate this meeting

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Thursday, January 25, 2024

Each year, at the Annual Town Meeting, voters assemble to debate and ultimately approve funding for operating the town during the next fiscal year.  Included are funds for the maintenance, improvement, and creation of capital facilities.

Orleans has over 40 buildings or fixed equipment and owns over 100 pieces of rolling stock. The Town Charter sets up procedures for maintaining and updating these capital assets by requiring the development of a five-year Capital Improvements Plan.  The plan is prepared by the Town Manager annually and submitted for a review process on January 15^th.

This forum provided an overview of three critical parts of this process, presented by the following panelists.

• Kim Newman, Town Manager, presented the draft of the five-year Capital Improvements Plan
• John Ostman, Member of the Long Range Capital Planning Committee, presented the recent work of the committee, which is charged with projecting out an additional 15 years to alert the town about longer-range needs
• Alan McClennen, member of the Long Range Capital Planning Committee and OCF board member, moderated

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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Time to ask: Where are we and what’s next on the 50-year sewer plan? Who’s paying and how? What are “non-traditionals” like PRBs? View this comprehensive progress report on all-things-wastewater conducted by Orleans & MA DEP panelists.

FORUM PANELISTS:

• Marybeth Chubb, Section Chief of the Wastewater Management Program, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection discusses the Commonwealth’s initiatives to clean up Cape Cod waters.
• Kevin Galligan, Orleans Select Board and Chair of the Wastewater Management Advisory Committee provides an update on Orleans’ wastewater management project: progress & what’s next.
• Michael Giggey, Sr. Vice President, Wright-Pierce Environmental Engineering describes Orleans’ role in the Pleasant Bay watershed compact: the regional approach to cleaner water.

PROGRAM MODERATOR: Ryan Bray, from The Cape Cod Chronicle.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Tuesday, October 24, 2023
150 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans

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All over the nation, school districts have been working hard to overcome difficulties that arose from the pandemic for children, teachers, and administrators.  Orleans schools have faced these challenges and have had, and are continuing to have major successes, including the Nauset Regional High School Building Project, and the academic achievements of Orleans Elementary School. There are still areas that the schools are working on in their post-covid journey to ensure that our students receive the help and support they need with respect to their academic, social-emotional, and physical growth and development.

This forum explored the progress the schools are making in these areas, and provided parents and other community members, and educators an opportunity to ask questions and voice your thoughts regarding this transformative time in education.

Forum speakers included:

• Gail Briere, Orleans Elementary School Committee Chair
• Brook Clenchy. Superintendent of Schools
• Judith Schumacher, Nauset Regional School Committee Vice-Chair
• Michael Brink, Moderator

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Watch it on YouTube
(Note: there are problems with the early part of the recording)

Orleans has new leadership: A Town Manager, a new Select Board Chair, and turnover on the Finance Committee. The September 28 Orleans Citizens Forum offered residents a chance to hear from some of these leaders on an array of subjects found in the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting (October 16:  our economy, natural environment, human resources, public safety, recreation, and wastewater, to name a few.)

We tried a more interactive format allowing lots of opportunities for questions.

Our panelists:

• Kimberly Newman, Orleans’ Town Manager: shared her early impressions of Orleans, her thoughts about where the Town should be heading, and how key articles in the upcoming warrant might move the Town in that direction.

• Michael Herman, Chair, Orleans Select Board addressed key articles in the warrant and discussed the Select Board’s goals for the coming year and its progress to date. 

• Constance Kremer, Finance Committee provided the Finance Committee’s views on Orleans’ financial situation as well as discussing warrant items. 

Moderating the forum were Martha Sherrill and Emily Miller from EXIT 89, the hyperlocal e-digest with a mission to explain Orleans town issues and demystify Town Meeting.

 For more information about OCF, click here.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping
the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town