On April 25, 2019 the Orleans Citizens Forum hosted a forum on several important warrants scheduled for the Annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 13.
Orleans Citizens Forum
Town Meeting Warrant Articles
$47 million Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan
Acquire land on Lonnie’s Pond
Main Street Streetscape plan
The Panel
Alan McLennan, Board of Selectmen Chair
Lynn Bruneau, Finance Committee Chair
Tom Parece, Wastewater Consultant
Mark Robinson, Executive Director, The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts
Alan McLennan and Lynn Bruneau provided the perspectives and recommendations of their respective committees. Tom Parece provided an overview of the elements and timing of the wastewater project. Mark Robinson presented the details of the proposal for the town to acquire a conservation restriction on 18 acres of Sipson Island. Alan summarized the proposal for the purchase of 1 acre on Lonnie’s Pond. Tom Daley provided an overview of the streetscape plans and timetable for its completion.
The audience of almost 90 citizens applauded the potential that the wastewater project might be accomplished without any increase in real estate taxes. This potential depends on applying all of the new revenues to this project from the increases in motel/hotel taxes and new taxes from short term rentals of private homes. Yet some concerns were raised during the Q and A that these new taxes would negatively impact private rentals. Applause also resulted when it was learned that $1.5 Million of the $2.1 Million cost of the streetscape project would be funded by a state grant secured by the town.
Video segments of the Forum will be available soon as links to this OCF website.
Click here to see all the photos from the forum
The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our Town