2026-11-04 - Board of Regional Commissioners Public Hearing

09:55I'm going to declare a quorum present and I'm going to call this meeting of the Barnstable

10:02County Board of Regional Commissioners call it to order. This meeting will be conducted

10:09in accordance with applicable laws. Anyone wishing to participate can do so in person

10:14or may view the meeting via live broadcast on our Barnstable County YouTube channel or

10:24our website Cape Cod.gov and anyone who wishes to audio or video record this meeting should

10:31please raise their hand and acknowledge be acknowledged by the chair. Bingo we have someone

10:36recording our meeting from the enterprise. Okay so I would to start our meeting what

10:42I'd like to do is begin with a pledge of allegiance to the flag. Pledge allegiance

10:50to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands one nation

10:57under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The next item on our agenda is I'm

11:10going to ask you just to join the board in a brief moment of silence to reflect on the

11:15bravery and the sacrifices of all those who have put their lives on the line in service

11:21to our country, protecting our safety, protecting our freedom and our democracy. Thank you.

11:43We normally have public comments so before we begin the public hearing I'm going to

11:48ask if there's anybody that would like to address the board on any other matter unrelated

11:59to the purpose of the public hearing. Hearing none, we'll move on to the next item. So

12:07we have called this meeting together this public hearing at the request of the Massachusetts

12:14Department of Public Utilities as well as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation

12:20and we honored a request by the the born select board to hold this meeting here in

12:26born so that we would have an opportunity to present some information to the community

12:32and receive input and feedback from the community. I would like to acknowledge that we have

12:40several representatives from the town of born here. I see Mary Jane Mrangelo here.

12:46I see Jean as our of it's here and I do see I think it's Anne Marie Soroni is here and

12:53thank you for being here tonight. Born by the way has been incredibly generous with

12:58their facilities and this is one of several meetings that we've had here recently here

13:03in the town of born. The Board of Commissioners play a very small but important role in making

13:11decisions regarding new grade public shared use railroad crossings and so the Massachusetts

13:21Department of Transportation has requested that the county board of commissioners determine

13:26that public necessity and convenience require the construction of two new at grade public

13:34shared use path railroad crossings associated with the Sagamore Bridge replacement project

13:41phase one of the Cape Cod bridges mid Cape connector crossing in the Keith field recreation

13:49area crossing. So we need to make a finding tonight that this work is of public necessity

13:58and so that's what this public hearing is all about. We are going to receive a presentation

14:02tonight from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Joining us tonight is Louisa

14:08Pywonski. She's the mass DOT executive director of the mega projects delivery office. We have

14:15Guy Resendez I believe is here guy from mass DOT the state utilities engineer John Weston

14:22from mass DOT the rail program is here. Dave Anderson from HNTB the program manager is

14:28here and I believe there are other people here from HNTB. So without any further ado

14:37I'd like to turn it over to Louisa and her team at mass DOT and HNTB and let us begin.

14:56Good evening. Thank you to the board for having us here tonight. We appreciate the

15:02prompt response to our request and as mentioned we have David Anderson, James Barnack, John

15:08Weston, Guy Resendez and I think Rich Bilski is here. Glad to have him here and I'd also

15:15like to acknowledge the presence of several members of the born select board with whom

15:20we've worked closely to advance this vital project. So we're going to start before we

15:27get into the details of the request with a quick overview of what we'll be talking about

15:33today. We're going to give you an update on the Cape Cod bridges. Many of you are aware

15:38that the project is moving ahead quickly. The Sagamore bridge replacement project is

15:43due to start construction late next year. In our work to seek your approval on these

15:49crossings is an essential element of moving this project forward. Then we're going to

15:55talk about the scope of the Sagamore bridge project, get into the fine details of what

16:01we're proposing and then talk about the schedule. And to start I'll say that our interest always

16:08begins with safety. We've worked very closely with our colleagues from the rail and transit

16:12division, Mass Coastal, the Federal Railroad Administration. Guy Resendez is our expert

16:18within the highway division, the district office. So we've brought a lot of expertise

16:25into this request because our interest is in making sure that people can cross those

16:30tracks safely in a much more rational and structured way than they're able to do today.

16:38So we'll start with a project update. We made a great step forward at the end of September.

16:46We received an obligation of $956 million from the Federal Highway Administration. As

16:53many of you know, we received a grant, a bridge investment program grant and a mega

16:59grant program, totaling about $1.2 billion. We'd already used about $36 million for

17:06pre-construction activities. And in September we completed a series of steps and documentation

17:13needed by the Federal Highway Administration to guarantee that funding for the bridge.

17:19So we were able to get access to $956 million in mega grant funding, BIP grant funding.

17:27And we soon expect to receive the balance of the grant funding, the mega grant funding

17:32in the amount of $371 million. That means Sagamore Bridge is fully funded for our replacement

17:39project. And funding is secure, not only in the federal side, but on the state side Governor

17:44Healy has committed $700 million in state funds and the Corps of Engineers has committed

17:49$350 million in their own funds. So we are at the, let me just put this down for a second,

17:59the stage of the project where our work on the design is complete. We have put together

18:05a preliminary design which has a lot of detail about what we need to see, what we will hand

18:11it off to the design build team that we select. Property acquisitions has not been a quiet

18:19topic here in Bourne. We acquired 13 homes by eminent domain. They are all acquired

18:26now and we will be moving forward with some minor strip takings and easements for the

18:33next several months, but the land that we need to build the bridge is largely assembled.

18:39We are going, the design build approach, this is a more rapid approach to get us to

18:46the start of construction. That process is underway. We issued a notice

18:50to proceed, I'm sorry, I wish we issued a notice to proceed, a request for proposals

18:55in late September. And we have already started interacting with the shortlisted three design

19:01build teams. So we're well underway toward the selection of a winner early next summer.

19:08And we expect to issue the notice to proceed for construction to begin in late 2027. So

19:14moving fast on Sagamore Bridge, a little stuck here. Did I just not apply enough force

19:28to it? Okay, really exciting next slide to come.

19:36Oh, thank goodness you're here. We've been using these arrows.

19:42Are we here? You're on this one? Or was I on that one?

19:50Thank you so much. Don't go far, please. Thank you. So we, of course, have not forgotten

20:01about the Bourne Bridge. We know it's vitally important to replace both bridges. They are

20:07the exact same age, both 91 years old. And toward that end, we applied for a bridge investment

20:13program grant, the same type we got for Sagamore in August of 2025. And a year later, we heard

20:21back from the Federal Highway Administration and they invited us to provide more information.

20:26They said they had rated us highly on two of three categories. And one where we got

20:32a medium rating was project readiness. So they asked us if we wanted to say more, and

20:38we certainly did because we had done a year's worth of work getting Bourne Bridge ready.

20:44So we were happy to provide them with lots of new information about permitting, design,

20:51everything that we needed. And so we think we will get a high rating in that category.

20:56That doesn't mean we're guaranteed to get the grant. They do try to distribute grants

21:01geographically. And of course, we got a big one for Sagamore. But we feel like we've

21:05made a very strong case to the federal government that in preparing the Bourne design in environmental

21:13permitting and doing a lot of activities to prepare it, that we can take a lead role

21:19in a system and replacing what is, of course, a federally owned bridge. So fingers crossed

21:25on that one, we will keep everybody up to date as we receive any additional information

21:29from federal government on that. Next, on the Bourne Bridge status, we have been moving

21:39Bourne Bridge along at the same clip as we've been moving Sagamore. The reason is, as I

21:45said, both bridges are the same age. We view them as both equally important. And we are

21:51prepared to make the same deal with the federal government that we did on Sagamore. We'll

21:55take the lead on constructing the bridges. We'll contribute funding toward it ourselves.

21:59And we will take ownership of the bridges if they provide their share of funding to

22:06the Bourne Bridge. So toward that end, we have covered both bridges in our NEPA and

22:12NEPA documents. We got a record of decision covering both projects. We have preliminary

22:18design complete on the Bourne as well as the Sagamore. So when we get that funding,

22:25we'll be ready to move forward with it. The only thing we have not done for Bourne that

22:29we have done in Sagamore is take land or take private property. And we don't think

22:33it's the right thing to do before we have funding in hand that would be taking it prematurely.

22:39So we're holding off on that. And just about that, I'll say we need significantly less

22:44in land and property for the Bourne than we did for the Sagamore. The rest of this presentation

22:51is going to focus exclusively on the Sagamore Bridge. But we know there's a lot of interest

22:55in the town of Bourne and beyond in the Bourne Bridge as well. So I'm going to turn it over

23:01to David now and he will take it over and he will turn it over to James.

23:06Thank you. So you see in this presentation, what we're doing is we're starting big and

23:13we're going to work our way down to the details. So I promise you, we will get to these great

23:17crossings that we wanted to kind of put things in context of the big picture. So this image

23:23is intended to show just the total scope of the Sagamore Bridge project. In looking

23:29at this, you'll see that north is to the right. That's the canal in the middle. And

23:33one of the more important takeaways from this image, because I get that things look pretty

23:37small on the screen, but the main takeaway is that route six is going to be relocated

23:43to the west a little bit. And why that's important is because we want to make sure

23:47that we can be constructing the new bridges. They're going to be twin bridges crossing

23:51the canal that we construct the new bridges while the existing bridge is still able to

23:56carry two lanes of traffic in each direction at all times. So that's why that was so

24:00important. And what you'll see here when you look at this plan and in some of the

24:05future slides is because we're moving over, it does require some reconfiguration of how

24:11route six and route three connect to the local roadway network. And we want to take

24:15that opportunity to really improve things and make these interchanges function better.

24:21So this image is just of the north side of the canal. So north is still to the right.

24:27That's the canal on the left. You can see a little bit more clearly how we've offset

24:34the new structures so that the existing bridge can remain in service. One of the things to

24:39keep in mind on this side of the canal is it wasn't that long ago that the rotary that

24:43was there was removed and a grade separation was installed allowing route six to go over

24:49scenic highway. So a lot of things were reconfigured at that time. So there's not like dramatic

24:54changes in how the user will interact. The ramps are except for one exception pretty

25:00much in the same spot, but it is expected that this will operate much better in the

25:06final condition. What you see there are those yellowish lines. Those are the bicycle and

25:12pedestrian paths that are being proposed. And one thing I do want to mention while

25:16we're looking at this slide, James will talk about this more in a few minutes, but constructing

25:21the bridges is it's a lot. It requires big equipment. These are big bridges and unfortunately

25:27doing so requires that the canal service road be closed. And one of the things that we

25:33are proposing in as part of the RFP that the three shortlisted firms have now is detouring

25:41people using the canal service road bicycles and pedestrians around the work zone so that

25:46they can safely navigate around the area while it's under construction. And again, there'll

25:50be more on that. A good example of how what that looks like when we get to James's presentation.

25:58So this is the south side of the canal. And here things really do look a lot different

26:03and will be different as far as how the users interact with things in the future. And the

26:08main thing that we were trying to accomplish is to separate the local traffic from the

26:11regional traffic. So a lot of ramps are located in different places. And one of the things

26:16we wanted to make sure is that, for example, if somebody's coming from Provincetown and

26:22they want to get over to the Bourne Bridge, they take that off ramp, they go down Cranberry

26:28Highway, then Ben Abbey and then up Sandwich. Those are local roads that really aren't intended

26:33to carry the regional traffic. So a move like that will all be accommodated right in this

26:37area here of the interchange. And likewise, going in the opposite direction, Adam Street

26:42will no longer be necessary as a way to get on the bridge. There'll be a ramp that carries

26:48traffic directly there. So that whole notion of keeping the regional traffic on the regional

26:52roads and the local traffic on the local roads was what we were trying to accomplish here.

26:57The other thing you notice is being different, is that Cranberry Highway currently kind

27:02of ends at Route 6, where the off ramp comes in and the on ramp goes off. And we're going

27:10to extend Cranberry Highway under the new Route 6 and connect up with the mid-cave

27:15connector. But what we're really here to talk about is how bicycles and pedestrians

27:20will get from Sandwich Road down to the Canal Service Road. And I know it's hard to see

27:24on this graphic, but James will have better graphics in a moment. At the end of the mid-cave

27:30connector, kind of towards the top of the screen, you can see that little yellow line

27:34going from Sandwich Road out towards the canal. And then likewise, down towards the

27:38bottom of the screen where Keith Field is, there's another yellow line going from Sandwich

27:42Road to the Canal Service Road. So that's what's envisioned will be where these crossings

27:48are that we'll talk more about in a moment will be located. And one of the benefits

27:54of this approach and having these two ways for people to safely get from Sandwich Road

27:58to the Canal Service Road is that during construction that'll be really valuable because

28:03it will provide a means of getting around that construction work zone when they're

28:07constructing the bridges. We did want to take the chance just to show what the user

28:14experience will be like for bicycles and pedestrians in the final build condition.

28:18So this would be on the Canal Crossing Bridge. And this is about mid-span. One of the things

28:23you see to the right is that things kind of bump out and allow people to kind of, you

28:29know, get off to the side, taking the view. One of the things we've seen is that people

28:33always want to stop mid-span anyway, so why not give them a space where they can safely

28:38do that. Another thing to notice is that the existing sidewalk on both the Bourne and

28:44Sagamore is about six feet wide, which is extremely narrow. What's being proposed here

28:48is 14 feet wide. And then the other thing that will be a real differentiator as far

28:53as the user experience is the separation that will exist from the cars and trucks that are

28:59using the bridge to where users of this bicycle and pedestrian path are. So like if you look

29:05at where a bicycle or a ped would be, to the left, those are the cables coming down

29:10that will support the bridge structure. And then if you go a little bit further left,

29:14you'll see the barrier that's installed to keep the vehicles where the vehicles are

29:18supposed to be. And then we're going to have a shoulder. So not only will there be these

29:22positive barriers separating the vehicles from bikes and peds from the safety perspective,

29:29but then there'll be this buffer of space that'll make it just a lot more pleasant

29:32for people using the facility. And then in this image, we just wanted to give you a

29:38taste of what things will look like when you're down at canal level. So one of the

29:42things we were seeing during the design process is as the foundations come out of the ground,

29:47they naturally wanted to be fairly close in elevation to where the canal service road

29:51is. So we wanted to take that opportunity to make a space where people using the canal

29:57service road could get off the canal service road, then go out to this area and it would

30:01be fenced in. And we just provide an opportunity to take a break, maybe have a seat and really

30:06experience the canal up close. So as you can see, you know, all along, we've been thinking

30:13about how bikes and peds are going to interact with this project. And, you know, one of

30:17the real key things in, you know, James can come up now is we're going to get down on

30:22the ground and how people will get safely across the tracks.

30:29Thank you, Dave. I'm going to turn on the laser pointer. So as Luisa mentioned, tonight

30:37is really about public safety and making safer crossings. This graphic is looking north,

30:44so the canal is up at the top of the screen. You have Mint Cape Connector, Market Basket

30:49down here, the existing route six and the Sagmore bridge. This is Keith Field over here.

30:55There are many informal crossings today where people cross the tracks to get to the canal

31:01service road. You can see that in the red triangles, there's one existing private crossing

31:07underneath the bridge that is used by the Army Corps or for maintenance and operations.

31:13And what Dave was alluding to is there's two proposed crossings that we're seeking

31:19for your feedback tonight. This one over here is the Mid Cape Connector, and then this green

31:24dot over here is the crossing at Keith Field. Just to go into a little bit more detail,

31:31the image on the left is the informal crossing. This is right behind the post office adjacent

31:37to Keith Field. You can see the worn path that many people use on a daily basis, and

31:43we're trying to make a safer crossing to not have these informal crossings. And then

31:48on the right, this is the private crossing that exists underneath the existing bridge

31:53that's used by the Army Corps of Engineers. As Dave mentioned, to build these twin span

32:01bridges, there's going to be a lot of heavy construction that is required. This is an

32:07example photo of the type of machinery, the heavy equipment that's going to be used to

32:14necessitate closing the canal service road. As Dave mentioned, we're going to be creating

32:19two temporary detours to allow safe crossing around the work zone, and the public crossings

32:28will remain after construction. Just to go into a little bit more detail, this is focusing

32:37on Sagamore South, so north is at the top of the page. You can see the canal. In order

32:43to do the construction, the heavy construction is in this purple color near the canal, and

32:48then over here in the Round Hill neighborhood, we need to close the canal service road for

32:53public safety. And what we're doing is installing a temporary detour on Sandwich Road. And what

33:00we want to do is install these crossings before the design builder gets noticed to

33:06proceed. So the crossings are there, and then they can establish their temporary detour

33:11as soon as possible, get people safely out of the work zone, and then they can start

33:15building the two bridges. As Louisa mentioned, we've done a lot of collaboration with many

33:26entities and agencies, really with Mass DOT, Rail and Transit, and Mass Coastal, to improve

33:33these crossings and enhance safety features. From a bicycle and pedestrian safety standpoint,

33:40we meet all the MUTCD compliance for signage and pavement markings. We're adding detectable

33:46warning surfaces. We're adding pedestrian scale lighting. We'll have visual and auditory

33:52warning devices on the crossings. We'll have gate crossing arms. And then at each crossing,

33:58we'll have a chain-length fence roughly 200 feet on the south side to prohibit people

34:07from informally crossing and make them use these safer permanent crossings. Again, at

34:16the railroad safety end, we are installing signal houses. This allows for better safe

34:23access for operations and maintenance. We've identified areas for maintenance vehicle

34:28parking to inspect the crossing. And really the best feature is we're improving the switches.

34:36So we're installing these foot pedal switches, which really prohibits future tampering.

34:46This is a proposed design of the Mid Cape connector. So from the plan, this is on the

34:52west side of the new bridge. I'll start from the south and work my way up. But from the

35:00pedestrian and bicycle network that Dave was mentioning, those yellow lines, this is a

35:05zoomed in picture. So people that are on Sandwich Road that want to cross the train

35:11tracks will take this. This is a 12 foot pedestrian and bike path. We have a raised

35:18landscape median. Not only does it add an element, an aesthetic element for vegetation,

35:25but it also prevents informal or unauthorized vehicles from crossing. This will be used

35:33for mass DOT operations and maintenance and also Army Corps operation maintenance, but

35:38we just don't want unauthorized vehicles. You can say, you can see these are the new

35:43crossing gates with flashers and bells. This is that railroad signal house. We have gravel

35:50parking for maintenance. We had the detectable warning panels because of the turning movements

35:57of the inspection vehicles. We've also added this maintenance roadway, and then the bicycle

36:03and pedestrian path will meander and connect to the existing canal service road, which

36:08will also have a landscape trailhead that will be for wayfinding for all users.

36:15The last thing I wanted to mention, this is that chain length fence that I mentioned

36:20that's roughly 200 feet on either side. This is an illustrative view of the plan that

36:28I was just showing. So this is looking south. So your back is to the canal, looking up the

36:33mid-cape connector, and this is what is proposed to be built. You can see the gates, the flashers,

36:42the fences, just really something that is inviting and a safe crossing instead of the

36:49informal crossings that exist today. Moving over to Keyfield, so now we're on

36:55the east side of the bridges, right behind Keyfield, adjacent to the existing post office.

37:03We're looking north, so the canal is up on the top. Sandwich Road is at the bottom. The

37:09pedestrian and bicycle facility will come down from Sandwich Road. It will be behind

37:14the outfield. It will take a right turn, and then we'll cross the train tracks and

37:21connect to the canal service road. A lot of the same safety features and railroad features

37:26are present here, as what I discussed at Mid-cape Connector. A few things I wanted

37:31to highlight, at Keyfield, because we do have an area where there are double tracks,

37:38we did relocate the switch roughly 150 feet east of the existing location. That allowed

37:45us to make this single-track location. It's much easier to have the crossing cross one

37:52set of tracks instead of two. And also by relocating the switch that far, again, it

37:58reduces the potential for future tampering of the switches. The other thing here is this

38:06chain-link fence. We did extend this beyond the 200 feet, because we wanted to extend

38:12it beyond that existing informal crossing right behind the post office that you can

38:17see here. Again, this is an illustrative view, looking south, so your back is to the canal.

38:25You can see the path meanders, crosses the train tracks, and then is adjacent to the

38:33outfield. And then over here, we connect to Sandwich Road. So this is something that

38:38would be built hopefully next year, and Luis will discuss the schedule.

38:45Thank you, James and David. So as we mentioned, this presentation is the culmination of just

39:07probably over a year's worth of work with our colleagues at the Rail and Transit Division

39:11and other agencies that have jurisdiction or interest in it, including Mass Coastal

39:17and the Federal Railroad Administration. We had two formal rail diagnostic meetings

39:22and eight coordination meetings. The last one was last week, so all this information

39:28is quite fresh. Mass Coastal will perform the work within the Rail and Transit Division's

39:35property prior to the bridge construction beginning, so likely starting next summer

39:41with your approval of this. And we'll have the selected design build team for the Sagamore

39:49Bridge Replacement Project complete the two bicycle and pedestrian connections before

39:55we close the Canal Service Road. And just want to clarify, when we've mentioned several

40:00times closure of the Canal Service Road, we're talking about just the portion of it

40:05where we have all this heavy equipment and movement in the order of several hundred

40:10feet, which is a small percentage of the overall length of the Canal Service Roads.

40:14But we understand it's important, and that's why we're rooting people around it with a

40:19safe alternative detour route. So that's it. If you have any questions, we'll be happy

40:26to answer them. I'll invite my colleagues to help with the response as well.

40:32Thank you, Luisa. What I'd like to do to proceed with the next stage of this public

40:38hearing is to invite the comments from the public first. And then I'm going to ask particularly

40:45born residents to give us your name, your address for the record. And then after we

40:52hear from the public, I'll invite any other local officials, county officials, other

40:59officials to come up and offer comments as well. So we're going to begin this phase

41:05of the hearing by inviting the public. I'm going to ask whoever would like to make a

41:10comment to keep the remarks brief for a few minutes. And then at least let's get through

41:17everybody and then if we've got, we will have more time. If you'd like another bite

41:21at the apple, we can do that once we give everybody a chance to be heard. So who would

41:25like to be recognized first? Yes, sir. Come to the podium.

41:31Yes, my name is John York. I am a resident of the town of Bourne. I live in the southern-most

41:40village in Catombin. Although I'm seven miles from the bridge, I frequently use the canal

41:46path and the bridges for transportation purposes by bicycle and on foot. And I want to note

41:55at this point that the correspondence from mass DOT, the county commissioners describing

42:00the existing conditions refers to recreational use of the canal path. But I could not find

42:08anywhere where it mentions transportation use of the canal path. I'm sure that just

42:13assumed everyone assumes that. But for the record, it would be better when they talk

42:18about recreational use of the canal path if they also talk about transportation use.

42:24As the team discovered on the north side of this Agamemow Bridge when they proposed not

42:30providing a detour, there is quite a bit of transportation use of the canal path. It's

42:38critical to us in the summertime when the traffic gets so bad, you can't really get

42:43there by car reliably. And I think Sheila and Ron can say something about that. And

42:47we're not even in the summer right now. So for the record, I think that that is important

42:54that these canal paths serve essential transportation purposes. The south side canal path in particular,

43:02because the only other way to get from one side of our town to the other, that is from

43:06Bourne Village to Sagamore, would be to use Sandwich Road. And I don't know, I don't recommend

43:12most people that they ride a bicycle on the road anywhere. I do it, but it's never safe.

43:19But if you can imagine riding a bicycle on Sandwich Road, I did it once, both ways. Mostly

43:27I was walking in the dirt on the side of the road. So that's not an option. The only

43:32option is the canal path. So just for the record, I want to make clear that that's

43:36a transportation used as a transportation facility. So also along those lines, the

43:45existing crossing under the railroad bridge that is shown as a private crossing in the

43:52correspondence from MassDOT, it states that there is signage to, I'm not sure exactly

43:59the word prohibit or prevent public use at that point. I don't believe that's correct.

44:06I was there a couple of days ago. I go through there regularly. There is no signage. In fact,

44:13in the past, there has been signage, no trespassing signs. But those were taken down. They've

44:21gone up and down over the years. They were taken down, I believe, most recently in 2023,

44:29when there was a realignment of Massachusetts Bicycle Route 1. And in 2024, I believe,

44:36the current signage, which instructs people crossing the tracks to look both ways before

44:41they cross the tracks, is clearly not intended to discourage public use. So MassDOT has advertised

44:50that crossing for public use continuously since 1981. Most of that time, there was

44:57a no trespassing sign up over it. And they still continue to advertise that for public

45:04use through their Massachusetts Bicycle Route 1 route, which crosses at that point. So just

45:13for the record, it is technically a private crossing, but it is advertised by MassDOT

45:21for public use. And there's no signage there to prevent public use. So that said, I've

45:27been waiting since 1981 for legitimate crossings. And I'm very happy to thank Luisa and her

45:35team for proposing not one, but two, because it's essential to make that whole system

45:40work and to really do it right. So I'm actually here in spite of everything I just said to

45:47support this. And I think I'll just leave it there in the spirit of brevity, except

45:53I do want to point out there's more information in the correspondence from MassDOT about

45:59crossings near the Boon Bridge. And that needs to be adjusted, corrected, and amended

46:05for the reality on the ground and for some of those as well. And I hope I can submit

46:10written comments with those details in it and not take the time here.

46:14That would be welcome. Thank you, John. Thank you. Luisa, do you or your team want to respond

46:21to any of the comments that Mr. York has made? Or do you want to save that for some

46:26other time? Okay, that's very good. Excellent. Anybody else?

46:34Hi, I'm Karen Wilson from Sagamore. I just want to say for us, John talked about commuters.

46:46I'm also on the recreation committee. I'm one of our members last night when I mentioned

46:50this meeting. He commutes on that canal path, so he was a little concerned. So those commuters,

46:57but what I see, I'm right on the canal. And when I'm not on it myself, using it, I see

47:02people every day, all year long, and the parking sandwich, and they go the entire length.

47:11So when this project came about and I realized, oh, it's going to be shut down for years,

47:17there's so many people that walking, biking, rollerblading, and they go the entire length.

47:23And if we didn't have these two crossings, if you leave from San Jose, you get a mile

47:27and a half, a little bit more. People aren't going to come ride their bikes. It'll be

47:32years that they'll go away. They won't come to the area. It's a big draw. If you look

47:39up on Cape Cod, it says Cape Cod Canal. I know some of you guys aren't from the area,

47:44but there's tons of people all the time going back and forth the whole way, way past the

47:50bridge, maybe the whole length. So if we don't have these, like John said, you can't go

47:56ride on Sandwich Road safely. So I think it's a great idea. I think it's necessary, convenient.

48:02What was the other thing that you needed it to be?

48:05You said all the right words. Yes.

48:09Thank you.

48:10Thank you for coming here tonight.

48:12Thank you.

48:13What else from the public? Come on.

48:21I don't believe we posted a meeting, so I speak as a resident of Monument Beach. And

48:32I might get, I'm not sure, I'd like to read into the record some of the questions that

48:36I have more specifically to the layout of the railroad crossings, as opposed to the

48:43public necessity. Obviously, there's no doubt that it's neat. I'm looking more concerned

48:50with specific physical mitigation features with respect to the type of material. So for

48:56instance, it's a shared use path. So we'll have wheelchairs, bicycles, families with

49:02children and strollers. Is there some type of mitigation to ensure that those wheels

49:07don't get stuck in the gaps of the railroad crossing? And how will the design force trail

49:14users to slow down before reaching the tracks? Because Mr. York can fly right by me as I'm

49:20traveling down the road. So that's a concern. Z gates, chicanes, any of those types of

49:30things, whether that's been taken into consideration. Will the new crossing trigger the requirement

49:38for train operators to blow the whistle? Or is this going to be designated a quiet

49:43zone? So as time as they approach, and are these spots considered a quiet zone or will

49:53be whistleblowing? And lastly, this is going to be done early. So as far as the maintenance

50:02goes along, I mean, there won't be some overgrowth because it'll be, but eventually the state

50:08is taking over the bridges. So in that interim time over the course of eight years or so,

50:14who's responsible for that maintenance? Is it mass DOT? Is it the coastal operator,

50:21the railroad operator or the Army Corps? Somebody's car is going off. Those are just the questions

50:30I have. And I don't know if it's premature, if there's any definitive design with respects

50:36to those questions. Thank you. Thank you.

50:39Thank you. That's a good question. Anybody else from the public? Yes. MJ?

50:54Thank you, Mary Jane. Ms. Strangelove from monument beach as well, speaking as a resident.

51:01I have a question about the purple area. So I think as you're coming from Sagmore from

51:11Sagmore and you're coming across that first crossing by Keith field, and then you're going

51:18to go through that purple area because you're still in that purple area. And then you're

51:24going to go back up and you're going to have another crossing. And then you're going to

51:27be able to continue to go through the, down the service route. So that's a great way of

51:33being able to continue access through the canal. I think that's an awesome thing. What

51:39I don't understand is the gates that are happening, the signal gates. Are they blocking?

51:48Are they across the tracks unless there's a train coming or are they blocking people?

51:56People who have to press a button to be able to access the track. I mean, I'd like to

52:01understand how that's working. And I'd like to understand once you get down a sandwich

52:07road, how, how, if you're a pedestrian or a bicycle, how are you going to get from

52:13the first path into the next path? And when you come back, how are you going to do that?

52:17I just liked a little bit more explanation. There was a lot of information in the slides

52:21and it's hard when you come here and I was, didn't have access to your materials. I don't

52:27know why, but yeah. So I couldn't like those are my questions. So thank you. Absolutely

52:33a necessity. We definitely need these crossings. I wish there weren't 200 feet of chain link

52:39fence going with them, but I mean, yeah, I know messed up like that. So the good crossings

52:46would be awesome. So thank you. Thank you very much. Is there anybody else who would

52:52like to be heard? Yes, sir. I'm a Shampala 176 route six a and sandwich. I'm the bicycle

53:12representative on the Cape Cod joint transportation committee, but I also am the chairman of

53:15the sandwich bikeways and pedestrian committee. I'll be brief. I just want to, I think I share

53:20some of the same comments and questions that predecessors have aired. I just want to speak

53:27to the necessity for the people of sandwich and for the people of the region. There are

53:32definitely people who use that service road path to commute every day to work. I see them

53:38riding by my house on six a because they have come from elsewhere in Falmouth along

53:44that service road to get to their jobs further down Cape. I know of two people personally.

53:51I'm sure there are many more. There's no doubt in my mind, and I'm sure in anybody's

53:55mind in this room of the necessity of these crossings to preserve the access during the

54:00construction. Thank you. Thank you. Very good. Come on. Hi. Gina Zarevitz. I'm also

54:14speaking as a resident, um, the necessity of these crossings for sure. When I was working

54:19at the Montessori school that was near the bridge, I was shocked to learn about how

54:23many people that would even ride their bikes all the way from Plymouth and over the bridges

54:28all the way to its hole to go to work. So it's, it's really amazing the amount of people

54:33that take advantage of those canal roads, especially the service roads, especially in

54:36the summertime. And yeah, trying to envision the crossings. I mean, sometimes there's,

54:41you know, dozens of people crossing all at once, back and forth. It's very busy at time.

54:46So also interested in seeing those details. Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments.

54:52Is there anybody else who would like to speak, uh, make a comment? I'm going to recognize

54:57Steve Tupper from the Cape Cod commission. Steve. Good evening. Thank you, commissioner.

55:06Steven Tupper, deputy director at the Cape Cod commission. Um, we have submitted a letter

55:10from Cape Cod commission staff into the records. So I'll be very brief today, but did want

55:13to add a little bit of regional context, um, building on what everyone else has provided

55:17today. There's clearly necessity for this crossing. It is a frequent comment anytime

55:21wrote in a public meeting in this area. It's been come up on every single regional transportation

55:26planning meeting, um, over the last couple of decades. It's also a priority in the born

55:30complete streets prioritization plan, the plan developed by Cape Cod commission staff.

55:34This was one of the priorities for the town of born as well. So really important. A couple

55:38of the things to note is that there's also regional significance to this crossing. It

55:42was alluded to earlier, but making this connection allows for safe, uh, bike route one throughout

55:47the region. Right now, there are a lot of, uh, challenges associated with this portion

55:52of bike route one that were alluded to earlier, um, legally, if this crossing does not, uh,

55:58proceed as proposed cyclists would have to go along sandwich road. So clearly a less

56:02safe alternative. So this is really important. Um, commission staff have been trying to

56:07get this crossing for many years. In fact, decades at this point, it's really quite

56:10challenging given all of the entities involved. So this is really the time to do it given

56:14the major infrastructure changes. So we want to thank mass DOT and all the partners involved

56:18in this. Um, and so, uh, if there's any further question about the need, I don't think there

56:22is at this point, um, but just simply looking to all the data that's been collected of

56:26all the activity in this area, all the use of this path. So this is really important

56:30connection both for the community of born and the region. Thank you.

56:34Thank you, Steven. Very helpful comments. Is there anybody else who would like to be

56:38heard? Hearing none. I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

56:45Uh, so moved. I'm sorry, John. Did you want to make another

56:49comment? Yes. What's the presentation here? And there's small details. Um, one is, um,

56:59they talked about the chain link fence, uh, for 200 feet either side. I understand that's

57:04part of the MUTCD. So we don't get much choice in that. Okay. It does improve safety, but

57:09in the rendering, it showed a split rail fence would fence where I believe that was going

57:15to be or can, or maybe that's, maybe that's down at one side of the tracks and the other

57:20fence on the other side. So I was just looking for a little clarification about that. Um,

57:25and, uh, at this Keith field crossing where there's currently a lot of use from the post

57:31office and there's parking there and there's people who neighbors who just walk through

57:34other paths to get there. And, um, it would be nice if there was just a narrow sidewalk

57:40type path on the backside of Keith field, just outside of the, of the home run fence,

57:46like so that they could get from the post office to the, um, proposed new crossing without

57:53having to go out onto sandwich road. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, please.

58:02Sandra Goldstein, uh, county road and comment. I don't have questions about the, uh, crossings

58:11at the trail at the railroad. I think it's probably good, all that, but my concern is

58:17a driver and a resident in where I drive and where I go on sandwich road by the Keith

58:25field and the apartments there in the street that I take the Abbott, whatever its name

58:31is, it will used to be two way, but now it's one to go to the current Sagamore bridge.

58:37What's going to happen to those apartments there or anything? Is that destined to change

58:41or is that everything else going to stay the same in that area? So post office, the Montessori

58:49school, the apartments there, that little street, as far as being not a bike rider

58:57or whatever, but just to use that street, we can't answer that question, but we can,

59:03we can deal with it after we allow everybody else to speak. Good. Okay. I mean, that's,

59:09you never know what changes could happen with that to add to what's happening here.

59:14That's an excellent point. Um, is there anybody else? Any other comments? Okay. Before we

59:21close the public hearing, I'm going to ask mass DOT if they would like to make any comments

59:27in response to the questions and concerns that have been expressed, uh, in the hearing

59:32so far.

59:37Going to get several of us. This is going to take the team.

59:40Yeah, nobody does it alone. Um, yeah. I just want to clarify one term that you've heard

59:50a couple of times already. The M U T C D, um, sort of trips off the tongue. I realized

59:56that it is the manual of uniform traffic control devices and

1:00:00The reason that signs and payment markings and signals look the same in Oklahoma and

1:00:07Massachusetts and California and Alaska and really many places around the world is because

1:00:11we all abide by this manual of uniform traffic controls and it is designed, it's based on

1:00:18decades of research and it's designed to keep everybody safe.

1:00:21So right down to the color and the sign size of the legends on the sign all governed by

1:00:28the MUTCD and we used it of course on this project.

1:00:34Thank you to Mr. York for your support, I know I want to acknowledge, we are well aware

1:00:41that people use these bicycle facilities for more than recreation.

1:00:47We heard loud and clear at a conservation commission meeting earlier this summer how

1:00:52much people relied on the canal service road to get to work to for recreation other purposes

1:00:59fishing so we took that into account and that's what made us propose a detour around it.

1:01:05We hadn't originally planned a detour but we heard that there are multiple public uses

1:01:09of the canal service road and we will take that into account as we design our facilities.

1:01:17To take note about the signage, Mr. York, I understand that it's gone up and down and

1:01:23up and down so we'll make sure that our information is up to date, thank you.

1:01:37Born crossing, we acknowledge that that information is not robust yet and that's because we haven't

1:01:42completed the process of advancing the born bridge but we do recognize that the other

1:01:47two crossings that we will propose will need much more information and we'll make sure

1:01:51you get that before we return to this body.

1:01:56On the physical features on how we're going to allow wheelchairs and strollers to cross

1:02:01down, cross, I'm going to leave it to James and I'm going to rather than have you interpret

1:02:06my handwriting I'll let you know what the questions are.

1:02:09Thank you.

1:02:10So the bicycle and pedestrian path will be asphalt and then over the tracks it will

1:02:17be rubber very similar to the traffic crossing or roadway crossing that you see today.

1:02:25So wheelchairs will be able to go over it.

1:02:28It will be oriented perpendicularly as well.

1:02:31Yes.

1:02:32I think there was a question about the crossing gate.

1:02:36The crossing gates will be up similar to a typical roadway crossing when the train comes

1:02:42and I believe they are roughly at six times a day.

1:02:46The crossing gate will come down and it will be perpendicular to the path so it will prevent

1:02:52bicycle and pedestrians from crossing.

1:02:55I think similar to just how we drive on roadways with vehicles, I think there was a question

1:03:06about whistles.

1:03:10Whistles are a federal requirement at all public crossings so there will be whistles

1:03:16at this crossing.

1:03:17I thought it was going to keep going, unless designated as a quiet zone.

1:03:27I think there was a question about maintenance.

1:03:38So within the rail corridor, MassDUT rail and transit will maintain that.

1:03:44Outside of the rail corridor, during construction, the design builder will be responsible for

1:03:51maintenance and then after construction, MassDUT highway will be responsible for maintenance.

1:03:58Is the Canal View apartments in the largest area?

1:04:02Yeah, great question.

1:04:03So the Canal View apartments, there's no impacts to the Canal View apartments, the existing

1:04:08trees along Sandwich Road right in front of the apartments.

1:04:12Those are deemed historic.

1:04:14Those will be maintained.

1:04:16There's the post office, no changes to the post office, and no changes to the Montessori

1:04:21School.

1:04:23I'll let Louisa talk about that.

1:04:30Oh, okay, I'm sorry, yes, kind of caught me flat footed there.

1:04:39Sorry about that.

1:04:40Yes, we are currently working with the town.

1:04:42In fact, we'll be back to interact with the town select board next week to talk about

1:04:48Sandwich Road improvements and Keith Field.

1:04:51Mr. York, we did hear your suggestion for a path and we will take that under advisement.

1:04:56But all of those details, including maintenance, will be worked out between MassDUT and the

1:05:01town of Bourne through their select board.

1:05:10So there's a good question about how to slow fast bicyclists like Mr. York down.

1:05:20So there's two different ways I'll explain the mid-cape connector first.

1:05:26You notice I spoke about that raised island, the vegetation island, really to restrict

1:05:33unauthorized vehicles.

1:05:35But there's also splitter islands on either side.

1:05:38So the 12-foot bicycle and pedestrian path would have a splitter island.

1:05:43So it'd be six and six.

1:05:45So bikes and peds would have to go around that.

1:05:48That in itself would slow bikes and peds down.

1:05:54And then on the other side, you could see it kind of chicane to the right.

1:05:58And there was two low-grade retaining walls that meet all around the curve.

1:06:05So that would also slow bicyclists down.

1:06:09And then at Keith Field, you're on the outfield side and then it takes almost a 90-degree

1:06:15right on the outfield.

1:06:17That turn is designed to slow bicyclists down.

1:06:23And then they have to essentially turn, stop to cross the tracks at 90 degrees.

1:06:29So really how it's designed, there's no feasible way that someone could ride it 20, 30 miles

1:06:36an hour.

1:06:39And then splitter islands?

1:06:40Do they have any?

1:06:41Hang on a second.

1:06:42Yeah.

1:06:43So the chain link fence, I don't know if you saw in the details, it will be a 72-inch

1:06:49powder-coated chain link fence just to give it a little bit more aesthetic appeal.

1:06:55And you have a really good eye.

1:06:58Those were illustrative renderings.

1:06:59We're still working on the details about the split rail fence.

1:07:03The split rail fence is going to be used throughout the rest of the project.

1:07:08So we kind of wanted to incorporate some of those details here.

1:07:12Did you have a follow-up, ma'am?

1:07:13I just want to mention e-bikes.

1:07:14Are they allowed on the ground?

1:07:17I don't know the state law.

1:07:20That might be a select board.

1:07:22Yes.

1:07:24Board of Engineers manage the path itself, now path, and they publish on their website

1:07:29their rules.

1:07:30They do allow some e-bike use with some limitations.

1:07:33It's all on their website.

1:07:35That's an issue for any shared news path in the country, certainly in the state right

1:07:40now.

1:07:41I don't mind how many hours the past few meetings, because in the last few months it's

1:07:45been on that subject for many, many hours.

1:07:48It's a difficult situation, but it's important to get maximum use from those facilities.

1:07:54I don't want to see e-bikes.

1:07:56I think so.

1:07:57So if you didn't know, I'm going to pull a passion bike with no motor.

1:08:02I'm happy to see e-bikes using, I'm using as long as it's not at 35 miles on that one.

1:08:09That was probably as long as it was.

1:08:11There are problems.

1:08:12I said there are problems.

1:08:13Definitely not.

1:08:14If we can keep them under control, it's good to get them off.

1:08:21Thank you, John.

1:08:22Is there anything else?

1:08:23Any other comments?

1:08:24Dave, Luisa, James?

1:08:25I'll come to my list.

1:08:27Yep.

1:08:31Okay.

1:08:32You're done with your list.

1:08:33Excellent.

1:08:34Were there any other?

1:08:35Luisa.

1:08:36I think we pretty much touched.

1:08:37Oh, thank you.

1:08:39Okay.

1:08:41If there are no more comments, then what I'd like to do is entertain a motion to close

1:08:50the public hearing.

1:08:51Mr. Chairman, I move to close the public hearing at 6/29.

1:08:56Do we have a second on that?

1:09:02Second.

1:09:03Okay.

1:09:04Is there any discussion on the motion to close the public hearing?

1:09:06Hearing none.

1:09:07All those in favor say aye.

1:09:08Aye.

1:09:09Opposed?

1:09:10It carries unanimously.

1:09:11Let's just, we're going to take a few moments to deliberate on the subject matter.

1:09:15Do you, Commissioner Lyons, have any questions for MassDOT?

1:09:19No.

1:09:20I don't live here.

1:09:21So I'm happy to hear from everyone who does and that they are pleased with the attempt

1:09:27to make sure everybody is happy and they're pleased with the layout of that.

1:09:31And I want to thank all of you and your team for listening to people and trying to accommodate

1:09:38their needs and daily lives.

1:09:41I do think that there has to be limits on e-bikes.

1:09:44So I'm in on that conversation.

1:09:46And that was my thing.

1:09:47You know, you have these e-bikes, some of them can go up to 40 miles an hour now and

1:09:51they are dangerous.

1:09:52And I think that that is something we have to regulate across the board.

1:09:56So I'm in on that conversation.

1:09:58But if everybody's happy, I will be happy too.

1:10:03And it sounds like, you know, under the circumstances, you're doing a good job in trying to accommodate

1:10:09everyone's needs.

1:10:11So that's great.

1:10:12That's what we can do.

1:10:13But I'm also going to come to the canal because I'm very intrigued.

1:10:17My last question, how long is the bridge?

1:10:20How long is the canal from just bridge to bridge?

1:10:22What is that distance?

1:10:27Just from that distance.

1:10:28And it goes, okay, that's a good little workout.

1:10:36There you go.

1:10:37You came to the right place.

1:10:38Yeah.

1:10:39All right.

1:10:40Thank you, Commissioner Alliance.

1:10:41I'm going to ask Commissioner Bergstrom, do you have any questions or comments from

1:10:46SDOT?

1:10:47I was going to address the issue of e-bikes.

1:10:48It's probably more of a DOT issue than it is for the Home Corps and the development

1:10:54of the bridge.

1:10:55This has been a project now that's been discussed and banged around for years.

1:10:59And it's good to see that it's finally going to become a reality.

1:11:04It's a huge project.

1:11:05And we can't deceive anybody into thinking it's not going to be some disruption and some

1:11:10inconvenience for a while.

1:11:11But I know the Army Corps, Cape Cod Commission, dealing with the outside, doing everything

1:11:17we can to make it as user-friendly as possible to make sure that the town of Bourne and so

1:11:24on is not too inconvenienced by this, if that's possible.

1:11:29So there's more to come on this.

1:11:32So we'll see what happens.

1:11:35Thank you.

1:11:36Thank you, Commissioner.

1:11:37I want to thank everybody for joining us tonight and I want to thank members of the public,

1:11:42the town officials, and our own folks at the Cape Cod Commission for being here tonight

1:11:48to offer comments on this.

1:11:50I think we've heard plenty and clearly, I think there's a compelling need here.

1:11:55So I'm going to ask for a motion to determine that public safety, excuse me, public necessity

1:12:02and convenience require the construction of two new at-grade public shared use path railroad

1:12:08crossings associated with the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project, phase one of the Cape

1:12:14Cod Bridges, Mid-Cape Connector Crossing, and the Keithfield Recreational Area Crossing.

1:12:21So do I have such a motion?

1:12:23Yes, Mr. Chair, I move to determine that public necessity and convenience requires

1:12:32the construction of two new at-grade public shared use path railroad crossings associated

1:12:41with the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project, phase one of Cape Cod Bridges, Mid-Cape Connector

1:12:48Crossing, and the Keithfield Recreation Area Crossing.

1:12:52Second.

1:12:53Okay, so we have a motion and a second.

1:12:56Is there any more discussion?

1:12:58Last chance.

1:12:59Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

1:13:02Aye.

1:13:03Opposed?

1:13:04It carries unanimously.

1:13:05Great.

1:13:06Thank you.

1:13:08Well done.

1:13:09And thanks to the town of Bourne.

1:13:10You have my admiration and condolences.

1:13:14I want to note for the record that this is the first hearing that I've been at with

1:13:20John York has actually commended all of the project proponents.

1:13:26John, thank you.

1:13:31And we applaud your persistence, John.

1:13:33Yes, I have a feeling you were heard, John.

1:13:36So thank you all.

1:13:37We have some other business to attend to.

1:13:39You folks are welcome to stay.

1:13:41I can assure you it'll be relatively boring, but you're certainly welcome to go.

1:13:44Thank you so much.

1:13:45Thank you.

1:13:46Thank you.

1:13:50Thank you.

1:13:51So.

1:13:52Yes, please.

1:13:53Yes, you can approach.

1:13:54So nice to meet you.

1:13:55I have attended a couple of meetings tonight.

1:13:57We've got the right person on the truck.

1:13:59So thank you.

1:14:00It's a big job.

1:14:01It's a big job.

1:14:02You're doing a great job.

1:14:03Thank you, Louisa.

1:14:04Thank you.

1:14:05You're welcome.

1:14:06I'm welcome.

1:14:07Yeah.

1:14:08Yes, good luck.

1:14:09It's a long haul.

1:14:10Thanks for coming down.

1:14:11How far do you have to come?

1:14:12How far do you have to come?

1:14:15Yeah.

1:14:16He's flying.

1:14:17He's flying.

1:14:18I like this.

1:14:19Look who this is.

1:14:20Lou.

1:14:21I say myself.

1:14:22Lou Gonzaga, Colonel.

1:14:23Hey, Lou.

1:14:24How are you?

1:14:25Long time no see.

1:14:26I said, Jesus.

1:14:27I know who that is.

1:14:28Thank you.

1:14:29Let me know if you need anything.

1:14:30You know, Commissioner Bergstrom.

1:14:31Yep.

1:14:32So you're here in Bournemouth?

1:14:33Yes.

1:14:34And he's on the assembly.

1:14:35He was elected.

1:14:36Oh, you are on the assembly.

1:14:37Thank you.

1:14:38All right.

1:14:45We got to go.

1:14:46Congratulations.

1:14:47Thank you.

1:14:48We'll see you.

1:14:49Thanks, Lou.

1:14:50All right.

1:14:51Take care, Lou.

1:14:52The next item on our agenda is item number six, General Business.

1:14:54I'm going to turn it over to the county administrator to update us on the operating budget statement

1:15:00for FY27.

1:15:01All right.

1:15:03Thank you.

1:15:05We do have, as you know, part of the process of putting the budget together as the commissioners

1:15:10budget message to the department heads and to the public about what your sort of strategic

1:15:15priorities are.

1:15:16I have taken the liberty of starting that message and will come to you probably at your

1:15:22next meeting asking for a vote on that.

1:15:26And I just wanted to sort of open up the conversation to see if you have any particular

1:15:31items that you want us to focus on fiscal 28.

1:15:36I can tell you right now, sort of our strategic goals remain a structurally balanced budget.

1:15:42We are looking at obviously, you know, making sure that the elected charter committee will

1:15:50be up and going.

1:15:51But aside from that, more importantly, we're looking at continuing our operations as we

1:15:55have, regardless of what goes on on sort of the political side.

1:16:01We're also looking at addressing deferred capital issues, and as you know, there's

1:16:06a $78 million backlog, but that's more on the capital side, but still trying to address

1:16:14some of those deferred capital items.

1:16:17Maximizing the county's efforts around wastewater research and the work that Mass Tech does

1:16:24or the Clean Water Center does, also making sure that we assess our freshwater supplies

1:16:29and water quality as a priority.

1:16:33And then making sure that we can do what we can as a county to improve housing coordination.

1:16:39I refer to it as coordination and just trying to improve the connection between some of

1:16:45the disparities in state outlook on housing and environment and playing a role there and

1:16:52trying to reconcile those differences.

1:16:54So those are sort of the focuses of the budget message.

1:17:00But if there's anything else that the board would like me to focus on.

1:17:04Can you remind us when we have to have this finalized, Michael?

1:17:09I can tell you, technically, there's no timeline for your budget message.

1:17:14But last year, we voted your budget message at your second November meeting, which seemed

1:17:20to be the department heads appreciated that sort of timeline.

1:17:24I can outline.

1:17:25So our goal should be for our next meeting, then, to have a vote on the budget message.

1:17:31And what you're doing is you're soliciting input from the board in terms of what items

1:17:35we should emphasize in that message.

1:17:38Correct.

1:17:39Okay.

1:17:40So we can provide that input to you over the next week or two until our next meeting.

1:17:45Okay.

1:17:46That sounds good.

1:17:47One of the things that I think we need to make abundantly clear is now that the election

1:17:50cycle is over, there was a fair amount of mention of some kind of huge budget surplus

1:17:56that the County had.

1:17:58And I was sort of at a loss as to where this surplus was and where it came from.

1:18:05For the record, there is no huge budget surplus.

1:18:09Whatever that is, it's fiction.

1:18:10It must have been in some novel somewhere.

1:18:13The monies that have been perhaps attributed to our unfunded fund balance in the reserves,

1:18:22those monies are actually targeted for specific uses given the large liabilities and the

1:18:27other expenditures that we need to address, including PFAS remediation, including a host

1:18:34of other projects, particularly related to our capital and our facilities.

1:18:39So my hope is, is that in this message, we can at least reassure people that we're not

1:18:45sitting on some largess that has not been properly allocated.

1:18:50I will make a note of that and I agree with that.

1:18:55Commissioner Bergstrom, did you have something?

1:18:56No, just, you know, my mind goes back to previous budget cycles and dealing with some

1:19:01of the money that we set aside, particularly the revenue contingency.

1:19:06We brought this up a couple of years ago and the question came up is, if we get into the

1:19:12budget year and we find that we have a shortfall, which happened before, what's the mechanism

1:19:17by which we can tap into that fund to continue to basically pay for the, you know, whatever

1:19:25remains of the fiscal year?

1:19:27I suggested that they'd be able to just simply be able to do it, that we decide at some

1:19:32point that we can use that contingency fund.

1:19:35We need emergency money, the assembly has said, no, no, you have to come back to us,

1:19:39which I mean, if you run out of money, if you have to come from somewhere, you know,

1:19:44so I mean, I don't know if that's a problem we can solve, but I would like to get some

1:19:48kind of process going in case we do run into a shortfall, that we have confidence so we

1:19:55can continue.

1:19:56In other words, my, my attitude is we have a budget, we have programs, we have employees

1:20:03on July 1st, we should commit ourselves to continuing the fiscal year, regardless of

1:20:10what, regardless of what, you know, fiscal contingencies we have, make that commitment.

1:20:16So I'd like to suggest that we talk about that as a future agenda item in December,

1:20:23as opposed to trying to bake it somehow into a budget message.

1:20:27I think what we're trying to do is make sure that we have a good clear directive to our

1:20:31departments in terms of our priorities and our constraints in terms of spending for it

1:20:37for the upcoming fiscal year.

1:20:40I think we have a budget message we got from the assembly.

1:20:43Well, they said they gave us some recommendations.

1:20:46This is really our job and, in terms of setting financial policy.

1:20:51And one of the things that we like to do is we like to set our budget message and our

1:20:56directives to make them consistent with our financial policies, which we spent a great

1:21:01deal of time and effort in.

1:21:03And for anybody who reads the S&P bond rating reports on Barnstable County, we get wide

1:21:09praise for our financial policies, both in terms of the content and the breadth of them.

1:21:16So they've served us well.

1:21:17They've helped us with the bond rating and the improvement there.

1:21:21And my hope is, is that as we continue to follow those policies and follow those guidelines,

1:21:27it will continue to be in a strong financial position and hopefully see other benefits

1:21:33in terms of our bond rating.

1:21:34So I think it would be a mistake for us to depart from those policies.

1:21:38Those are best practices.

1:21:40Our financial team, both before Carol Coppola and during Carol's tenure, I think have been

1:21:47well constructed, well thought out.

1:21:49And I think it's important in coming on us to continue to stick with them.

1:21:54And a lot of this has to do with how we manage our reserves and in terms of how those dollars

1:22:00get allocated.

1:22:02One of the debates that we've had in the past in the county is, is that some of those

1:22:05funds should be used for operating expenditures as opposed to one time costs.

1:22:11And as we know, in municipal government, you know, the Department of Revenue and, you

1:22:17know, the Finance Officers Association, all these other groups, they frown upon that

1:22:24kind of activity.

1:22:25So no go.

1:22:26No, if you want to diminish your bond rating, then start using those one time dollars for

1:22:31reoccurring expenditures.

1:22:33And so that's a practice that's served every municipality or most municipalities in Massachusetts

1:22:38as well.

1:22:39It has served us well.

1:22:41And we just need to push back on that temptation that sometimes emerges where we're going

1:22:46to dip into those funds for non-capital, non-one time costs, but for recurring operating

1:22:53costs.

1:22:54That's a real problem.

1:22:54We're going to have to continue to stand tall on that especially in our uncertain environment,

1:22:59even though today it looks a little better, but no, no, commissioner, I'm glad you mentioned

1:23:05that because I think we need to in the message, recognize, remind our department heads, remind

1:23:14the public to the extent that there's there are public eyes on this is that we are in

1:23:18a very challenging financial climate right now, regardless of how strong our county finances

1:23:23are.

1:23:24Right, MMA is called this a perfect storm for municipalities and local regional governments

1:23:32in Massachusetts.

1:23:33We're in still a perfect storm.

1:23:35The situation has not improved dramatically.

1:23:37In fact, I would argue in the next budget cycle for the, with the Commonwealth, we're

1:23:44going to see more threats of cuts.

1:23:47We're going to see more trickle down impacts on our communities.

1:23:53And in turn, we in turn may be asked to sort of help step in and help address this void.

1:23:59So I see this as a perfect storm that continues to build and to continue to deteriorate.

1:24:04And from everything that we're getting from the mass municipal association, you know,

1:24:09there's there's there's potentially storm, more storm clouds amassing on the horizon.

1:24:16So we need to be very, very cautious in terms of making future commitments.

1:24:21And as, and as, as I think Michael has said, there are important priorities that we need

1:24:25to address, but on the financial side, we need to be cognizant of the realities of the

1:24:30moment.

1:24:31So I'm glad you brought that up.

1:24:32And I think we're going to have very interesting conversations coming to you.

1:24:35Go right ahead, commission.

1:24:36You know, we want, we want to, we obviously want to have expenses, uh, revenues cover

1:24:42expenses, but the, uh, dredge, do we think that that's going to happen?

1:24:47Uh, okay.

1:24:48That's going to be incorporated in the actual budget.

1:24:51We're not going to take any reserves out of you think we're not anticipating doing that.

1:24:56The, uh, within the, the, the dredge enterprise fund, um, they did a really bang up year last

1:25:03year so that there's a good, a good healthy reserve in there.

1:25:07Um, Ken is a little challenged this year, um, you know, mostly with permit, uh, issuances

1:25:14and things like that, but, um, but he has, he's figured out a way to sort of continue

1:25:20a revenue stream, um, even in the sort of the interim as we're waiting for a long road

1:25:26to get there.

1:25:27Well, I think the improvement in the rates helped has helped us.

1:25:30I think the work in getting grant monies from the Commonwealth has been incredibly

1:25:33helpful.

1:25:34Uh, Ken has been, I think has done a reasonably good job in attracting outside money to the

1:25:40county.

1:25:41So I think all in all, I think you're right.

1:25:43We've come a long way and, and, and, uh, we're able, we're in a much better position

1:25:47than we were, you know, four or five years ago.

1:25:50So I think that's, that's important to acknowledge.

1:25:52Um, is there anything else, uh, Michael, on, uh, on the operating budget statement or

1:25:58capital budget statement?

1:25:59No, I just wanted to add that, um, you know, departments are currently formulating capital

1:26:03requests.

1:26:04Um, we've made it very clear that the buildings are buildings and the $78 million, uh, sort

1:26:12of backlog of, of capital, um, uh, is something that we're going to have to address over

1:26:18the next four or five years, um, in particular, second district court is a huge project that,

1:26:25uh, you know, we are, we're communications with the state.

1:26:28Uh, the state has not committed to yet to funding, um, that's a hundred percent reimbursement.

1:26:35Yeah.

1:26:36And, you know, but, but we'll get there, uh, but they do, but you know, department had

1:26:40to know that our focus has to be, you know, our fixed assets and our, in our, uh, buildings,

1:26:46um, you know, that's sort of key.

1:26:50Yeah.

1:26:51And vehicle replacements, you know, equipment replacements, those are important, but, um,

1:26:55but if we can sort of push off some of those, um, and create a predictable, uh, replacement

1:27:03schedule, let's, that's sort of the effort this year.

1:27:06Yeah.

1:27:07Thank you.

1:27:08Um, we also have to, um, you know, we had our AmeriCorps the other day and I, I did

1:27:14visit the, um, facility in mostly, and it is a seashore house.

1:27:20It does need, you know, I'm sure it's kind of cold in the winter.

1:27:23I'm sure there's a lot of drafts coming in there.

1:27:25Uh, although they didn't complain, um, I could just tell.

1:27:30And uh, I do think that we have to think about what we can contribute to shoring up

1:27:34some of these buildings to make sure these kids are warm and safe and that sort of thing

1:27:39and comfortable.

1:27:40It doesn't have to be fancy, just comfortable and safe.

1:27:43So how soon do we get a revenue protection from, from the, uh, registry?

1:27:49Uh, very soon, uh, Carol's been working with Dave Murphy to, to develop that, that, uh,

1:27:56have any projection from them.

1:27:57Okay.

1:27:58Thank you.

1:27:59Anything else on 6A?

1:28:01Nope.

1:28:02Nope.

1:28:03Okay.

1:28:04Let's move on to new business.

1:28:05Our next meeting is when Michael and, uh, we're in Dennis, I believe, right?

1:28:10Isn't it?

1:28:11Our next meeting is, uh, just, uh, coming up, it's the 17th, um, it's a Tuesday, uh,

1:28:20the 17th in Dennis.

1:28:23And again, you will be having, uh, a night meeting where he, uh, late afternoon meeting

1:28:28for 30 to accommodate the Dennis select board.

1:28:31Yeah.

1:28:32So it's essentially a joint meeting.

1:28:33Yeah.

1:28:34Um, any particular topics we've discussed or we're thinking about yet?

1:28:43Uh, not yet.

1:28:44Okay.

1:28:46Yeah.

1:28:47Maybe we should talk to the town manager and see, um, well, I think we should go back

1:28:51to our high button topics.

1:28:52Oh yeah.

1:28:53We would read that bring up at every, at every road, we need to know how they, how it's

1:28:58going there.

1:28:59We've received several letters on the whole 40 B issue.

1:29:02Yeah.

1:29:03Um, and we need to hear what the recommendations from the Harwich board that we support.

1:29:08Yep.

1:29:09And from, uh, born, I wonder where that came from.

1:29:12Was it born?

1:29:13Yeah.

1:29:15Yeah.

1:29:16Uh, we've heard from, we've heard from Mashpee we've, uh, in the Falmouth select board are

1:29:19on record.

1:29:20Um, and I've talked to a couple of the newly elected state representatives who are actually

1:29:26very interested in this topic.

1:29:28So, um, they brought it up to me expressing interest and working with us on it, which

1:29:33is interesting.

1:29:34So yes, they know exactly who you're talking about and he was right on that.

1:29:38Yep.

1:29:39All right.

1:29:40So let's move on to, uh, if we're done with number seven new business, let's work on the

1:29:43consent agenda.

1:29:45So we have a force, a number of items.

1:29:47Is there anything I'm actually trying to, there it is for, um, reducing.

1:29:57No, it's a lot of really in the weeds miscellaneous testing.

1:30:04When you characterize it as that Robin, all important things to certain people.

1:30:09Yes.

1:30:10Yes.

1:30:11Very important to certain people.

1:30:12Mr. Chair, I move to approve the commissioners consent agenda items eight Roman numeral one

1:30:18through Roman numeral three, including all subsections as listed on the November 4th

1:30:252026 meeting agenda.

1:30:27Okay.

1:30:30We've got a motion and a second.

1:30:32Any more discussion on the consent agenda, hearing none.

1:30:36All those in favor say aye, aye.

1:30:40Those who are opposed say nay.

1:30:42It carries unanimously.

1:30:43All right.

1:30:44Item number 10 commissioners reports.

1:30:47Commissioner Bergstrom.

1:30:48Oh, yeah.

1:30:50Sorry.

1:30:51Regular meeting.

1:30:52Yeah.

1:30:53Thank you Robin for catching that.

1:30:54Okay.

1:30:55How about number nine?

1:30:56We have a motion on our October 14th, 2026 regular meeting.

1:30:59Yeah.

1:31:00Um, I moved to approve the October 14th, 2026 regular meeting minutes as drafted.

1:31:05Second.

1:31:07Um, any, so I got a motion and a second.

1:31:10Any discussion?

1:31:11Hearing none.

1:31:12All those in favor say aye.

1:31:13Aye.

1:31:16Aye.

1:31:17It carries unanimously.

1:31:18Thank you.

1:31:19Commissioner.

1:31:21Yeah.

1:31:22Okay.

1:31:23Very good.

1:31:24So am I on?

1:31:25Commissioner's reports.

1:31:26Okay.

1:31:27We want to move to item number 10.

1:31:28Anybody have a report?

1:31:29Well, we, we attended the AmeriCorps swearing in ceremony.

1:31:32I guess I could let a mission align some part of that.

1:31:36Well, we both, we both were kind of equal co-leaders there and, um, as usual, it was

1:31:42a great group of very energetic young people.

1:31:45It does give you a lot of energy and feeling that they're the young people behind us.

1:31:50There's a lot of them that do get it and they do love the environment and they get

1:31:55the challenges that, uh, this generation has left for them, but they're willing to

1:32:00tackle them with a smile and, uh, and hard work.

1:32:04So it's really a very energetic group that are here to study coastal issues and biology.

1:32:11And it's just a great group.

1:32:14It was really a fun, fun, enthusiastic group and they're from all over the country this

1:32:18year and one, even from all the way from East Ham to get up the road and stay at this house.

1:32:26But, um, the rest of them really, and there's one international student from India, which

1:32:32is also very exciting.

1:32:34So it's going to, it looks like a great group and I can't wait to see them have, uh, you

1:32:39know, gain all this experience and knowledge and have fun while doing it.

1:32:44And I hope to see them through the winter.

1:32:46I'm going to have our group come before our select board and introduce themselves.

1:32:51That sounds good.

1:32:52I think it would be good.

1:32:53That's great.

1:32:54Since they're around the community a lot, they should know who they are.

1:32:58My report is to note that the ballot question A involving, uh, a charter review, uh, of

1:33:07the county charter, uh, passed overwhelmingly over 67% of the vote vote is affirmed.

1:33:14Obviously that proposal and, uh, it received a fairly modest, um, opposition 32%.

1:33:22So I want to thank everybody who voted for it.

1:33:26I want to thank the various groups that spoke out in support of it and, and, and urged the

1:33:33voters to support it.

1:33:35And, uh, and I'm glad to see that, uh, we're now moving on, um, you know, with respect

1:33:41to, uh, the charter review, that process will begin.

1:33:45My understanding is, is that within 15 days of the ballots being certified, there will

1:33:49be a need for an organizational meeting.

1:33:52That meeting will be convened by the candidate for commissioner that received the largest

1:33:57number of votes.

1:33:58Uh, at the moment, it looks like it might be Patrick Princey, uh, convening that meeting.

1:34:03That doesn't necessarily mean that he will stay on or might want to stay on, uh, or

1:34:09compete for the chairmanship of it, but he's, he's tasked with organizing it.

1:34:14I remember Lucy and point was, uh, the one that convened the 1988 charter commission.

1:34:20Uh, I hate to show my age, but I was around back then.

1:34:24And Lucy and point was talked into, um, continuing on as the chairman, which he did.

1:34:31And he served well, uh, in that capacity.

1:34:34And, uh, he got us, he got us a charter.

1:34:37And quite frankly, in 1988, the charter that was being drafted was a totally new thing.

1:34:42We had no idea.

1:34:43Yeah, no template.

1:34:44There's no template.

1:34:45There's no form.

1:34:46We had this, we were creating a new Cape Cod commission at the time.

1:34:51And we were creating this thing called an assembly of delegates.

1:34:55And in the past, we used to have the old Barnstable County finance advisory board as

1:34:59to sort of the legislative body approving and acting on budget requests, uh, submitted

1:35:04by the commissioners and the Barnstable County finance advisory committee did, did a wonderful

1:35:09job back then.

1:35:10I served on it when I was in local government.

1:35:12Um, you probably served during your tenure.

1:35:15And the thing that I liked about, yeah, yeah.

1:35:19The thing that I liked about the, that group was that we had selectmen chairman.

1:35:25The chairman of the local select board was the designee, uh, on the legislative body

1:35:30or, and, and, uh, I was the designee appointed by the province town chairman of the select

1:35:36board.

1:35:37But what I thought really worked well back then is, is that we had very strong partnerships

1:35:41with the towns.

1:35:43The towns were very engaged in county services, uh, the county select, the select boards

1:35:48in each of the towns played an active role and sort of being partners with the towns.

1:35:53Back then we had a larger budget.

1:35:55We had a hospital, we had a, uh, we had a, we had a sheriff's department.

1:36:00So we were funding the jail and all of that personnel.

1:36:03So back then the county budget was much larger and we were able to get through it without

1:36:09having a full-time staff without having to, um, you know, pay a group, uh, you know,

1:36:16to sort of oversee it, uh, with healthcare benefits and so forth.

1:36:19So the reality was we had a much more streamlined process for going through the county budget

1:36:24with people that were very familiar with what the county did working in partnership

1:36:28with the county.

1:36:29And we got through that process without it being sort of an elongated year long process,

1:36:35uh, that just sort of dragged on.

1:36:37Um, I will admit that we've made some improvements in our budget process, but, um, clearly that

1:36:44process was a very efficient one.

1:36:46So, um, there's something to be learned.

1:36:49There's something to be said about, yeah, um, commissioner.

1:36:55So when the official certification, so that's not like 15 days from now, it's, it's once

1:37:00the, so that's about another month.

1:37:02The certification could happen in early, I think it will happen early December early

1:37:07to mid December, but the reality is, is that it's going to come quick and we think, right.

1:37:13So we have to start thinking and Robin, as our county clerk and Michael will be interacting

1:37:19with the people that have been, uh, elected in the towns, we'll make sure that they're

1:37:25up to speed on what's going on when the results will be certified.

1:37:29And if there's an organ, there will be an organizational meeting, um, Michael and Robin

1:37:34will be working to make sure that it gets properly posted and properly supported the

1:37:39role that we have to play in this process.

1:37:41As we did in 1988, when we did this before was to provide support legal council support

1:37:47and some staff support office support space and so forth.

1:37:50And that worked out well, quite frankly, they were able to, um, keep their records.

1:37:55Robin and I have periodically spent time reviewing the records of the 1988 charter

1:38:00commission.

1:38:01And, um, so our hope is, is to, to do at least that level of effort and hopefully we can

1:38:06find ways to improve the record keeping and the documentation, uh, of, of their work.

1:38:11So that's, that's to be worked on.

1:38:14Do we have, um, we were right off of a vote here.

1:38:20So I'm thinking of the local votes.

1:38:21Do we have not just the numbers for the question A, but, um, I'm sure it can just go on some

1:38:28website.

1:38:29Where do I find the final numbers for who was elected, um, how did the questions go?

1:38:34I don't have.

1:38:35I haven't seen anything in the Cape Cod times, the daily paper of record.

1:38:39No, the stuff that we've seen is stuff that's been pulled together by it's not the final

1:38:45numbers.

1:38:46Right.

1:38:47Yeah.

1:38:48So, but I do have to say, I want to congratulate the candidate from Falmouth, um, that was,

1:38:55that was a tough seat.

1:38:58And I do want to thank David Vera, you know, he was always been a good, um, you know, working

1:39:04as easy to work with him.

1:39:05So, um, you know, all things, you know, come to an end, but it was really, uh, I was shocked

1:39:12when I heard that.

1:39:13No, this, there's no question.

1:39:14This has been, it's a change, you know, change happens with every election and, uh, there

1:39:19are people that we're going to see be sad to see go, but there's, there's new blood,

1:39:23there's new energy and, um, hopefully they're, um, Commissioner Berger.

1:39:28Yeah.

1:39:29I don't know.

1:39:30The charter review.

1:39:31Um, I don't know if you guys remember, I probably feel it does if they did a comprehensive

1:39:36look at Washington County operations probably 10 to 15 years ago, Rob O'Leary.

1:39:42And I was on that task force.

1:39:43Yep.

1:39:44He was, I have all, I have all the records for that.

1:39:46Yeah.

1:39:47If you have the records of that.

1:39:48Oh, I've got all of the records for that.

1:39:50I've collected pretty much all of the records for all of them stacked up somewhere.

1:39:57No, but you have to understand, uh, I teach American government at the community college

1:40:02and I do teach in my classes.

1:40:04I create, uh, an awareness and an understanding and we do class projects on county and local

1:40:09government.

1:40:10Yeah.

1:40:11And I hope you impress upon them that what happens in their local boards and local governments

1:40:16actually has more of an impact on their everyday life.

1:40:20I have students subjected to, I have, unfortunately, I have, I have, I have students that have

1:40:26been interns in local government.

1:40:29I have former students that ran for office and won their seat in local government.

1:40:35So I don't want to say it's a training ground for, uh, candidates for public office, but,

1:40:41um, that's what it's sort of turned into be.

1:40:43So, uh, I'm, I'm very excited.

1:40:45I was on that task force, but I did not keep comprehensive.

1:40:48Yeah.

1:40:49I did.

1:40:50I think I did.

1:40:51I mean, I'll probably find them when this next charter review is over, but I do have

1:40:56more things that I want to think about myself.

1:40:57All right.

1:40:58Um, just looking at the agenda, um, I'm going to go to, uh, Michael for, uh, I don't think

1:41:06we have any more upcoming business to discuss, do we?

1:41:08No.

1:41:09Okay.

1:41:10So let's go right to your report, staff reports, and then adjourn.

1:41:12Uh, I just want to let you know that, uh, your, your December, first December meeting,

1:41:17which I think is now scheduled for December 2nd, uh, we will give you a sort of a report

1:41:23and update on the superior court, uh, work with pictures, which are great, um, and also

1:41:29give you an update on ARPA, you know, sort of our final ARPA spending and Carol give

1:41:33you financial, uh, report, um, at that, at that point.

1:41:38So looking forward to the December 2nd meeting.

1:41:42That sounds good.

1:41:43Great.

1:41:44Anything else?

1:41:45Any other staff reports?

1:41:46No.

1:41:47All right.

1:41:48Hearing none.

1:41:49Let's move on to the next item.

1:41:50Do I have a motion?

1:41:51Um, yes.

1:41:52I move that we adjourned at, uh, seven o'clock.

1:41:54And I second.

1:41:55All right.

1:41:56We have a motion and a second.

1:41:57Is there any more discussion?

1:41:58Hearing none.

1:41:59All those in favor say aye.

1:42:00Aye.

1:42:01Aye.

1:42:02It carries unanimously.

1:42:03And thank you.

1:42:04We are adjourned.

1:42:05It's very nice that everybody.

1:42:06Unless when we're on.

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