New fire station an easy vote in Bourne on 1st night of town meeting
Bourne voters were in a challenging mood with many questions at the annual and special town meeting Monday night, May 5, which resulted in a continuance to deal with 13 more articles Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Bourne High School.
Moderator Amy Kullar called for a stop to voting after three hours at 10 p.m. Monday and the voters agreed. The annual meeting had 32 articles and the special town meeting had five.
The largest finance article on the warrant, funding a new fire station at $18.8 million, passed easily on a vote of 297 to 40, but two improvements at the police station failed initially and one resulted in a reconsideration vote that passed. No votes passed unanimously.
An effort to find a location for a new fire station was in the works for many years until voters approved purchase of 171 Clay Pond Road property in January. The South Side Fire Station Building Committee advanced the capital request on March 14 to the town meeting.
The required two-thirds majority for the Proposition 2 ½ override Monday sends the fire house question to the May 20 town election for a debt exclusion vote. If approved, the new fire station is scheduled to open Nov. 1, 2027.
When a resident asked about the tax liability for the station, Finance Director Erica Fleming said it would add $45 to the average home assessed at about $730,000 the first year and increase at different rates over the 20-year note.
The proposal for a new roof at the police station costing $2.5 million failed to get a two-thirds vote after residents questioned why a roof installed in 2019 needed replacement.
Sandra Goldstein, who is running for Select Board, asked if someone was responsible for the failed roof. Town Administrator Marlene McCullum said the town is serving a lawsuit against the contractor and architect of the roof.
The second article for the police station followed immediately, asking for $475,000 to install air conditioning in the station's gun range. The article failed on an almost even vote to get the required two-thirds majority. Resident Stephen Mealy called for a reconsideration of that vote within the required one hour, saying, 'There was a poor presentation on both the roof and the air-conditioning.'
Police Chief Brandon Esip asked for the reconsideration vote, explaining that the gun range cannot operate nearly half the year from mid-spring to fall because of the humidity and temperatures that reach 90 to 100 degrees, making it dangerous for officers in full gear. Several voters then spoke in favor of the air conditioning because of safety, a potential mold problem and other reasons. The second vote on the air conditioning passed 239 to 53.
A request for $150,000 to design a new library, which residents supported at several meetings and in surveys, passed, 259 to 55, but not without some pleas to finally approve it.
Thomas Spence of Monument Beach asked about a 2004 vote for a new library that lost by four votes. 'We should have done it then,' he said. Two library proponents agreed and made pleas on behalf of the library.
'We understand what a new library costs,' Select Board member Anne-Marie Siroonian said. A library trustee previously, she said the town will apply for a state library commission grant if it becomes available, but a 'real space design' is needed now.
'The library has many issues that need to be addressed,' Kathleen Fox Alfano, chairman of the Library Feasibility Study Committee, said. 'We know people love this library but it would cost $4 million more to renovate the present library. I implore you to vote yes.'
Another article that drew emotional reactions was for reconstruction of the Jason Comoletti Memorial Basketball Court at Bourne Veterans Memorial Community Center at a cost of $400,000 from Community Preservation Act funds.
Select Board member Peter Meier spoke of the significance of the court in honor of Comoletti, a 2016 graduate and star basketball player of Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School, who died in 2017 in a car crash. Meier said it was important to do something for the town's children.
Recreation Committee Chair Roger Maiolini said the court is 'in disrepair and dangerous.' He also described a vision to establish summer basketball leagues there for youth, high school students and adults.
The town meeting also approved an annual operating budget of $81.8 million that represents a 3.29% increase over the current year's budget.
One project in the 2026 capital budget of $6.4 million got some extra attention when resident William Doherty pointed out that $50,000 for removing solar panels from the Bourne Middle School roof was in the warrant twice.
McCullum noticed it when a separate article for the funding came up. A vote was called and approved the deletion.
Five articles on the special town meeting warrant passed, but some voters wanted additional work on the town's comprehensive wastewater management plan. The article passed 301 to 33.
Before the meeting closed, Moderator Kullar said the most critical articles had been voted on, but said an extra hour would not give sufficient time to consider 13 more articles. They included more recreation articles and new downtown sign regulations.
Susan Vaughn writes about transportation and other local community issues affecting Cape Cod residents and visitors. She can be reached at smharris@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Design for new library in Bourne draws pleas for help. 'I implore you'
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