Bourne Select Board Meeting: Sewer Enterprise Actions – March 24, 2026

The Bourne Select Board met on March 24, 2026, convening at 6:30 p.m. and adjourning at 7:43 p.m. The board acted on a town property access license, a sewer account abatement, the fiscal year 2027 sewer enterprise budget and capital request, and the wastewater treatment facility operations and maintenance procurement approach. It also received the Sewer Director's report and approved prior meeting minutes.

License for 16 Fisher Lane / 280 Standish Road Access

• An applicant, on behalf of clients at 16 Fisher Lane, requested access to town property at 280 Standish Road for sand nourishment under amended Order of Conditions SE-7-2091, dated June 17, 2025. The applicant cited the April 1 deadline related to bird and nesting activity.
• Town Administrator Marlene confirmed the license was prepared and that all needed materials were in hand.
• The board voted 4-0 to authorize the town administrator to sign the license.

Announcements

• The chair announced a one-year pilot program beginning April 1, run by the Health Department in conjunction with Peer Solace, offering free referrals for residents needing help navigating in-network behavioral health or substance use providers. The program is funded by opioid settlement money; the phone number is 888-515-7881, with more information available through the Board of Health website or Town Hall.

16 Tower Lane Sewer Abatement and Permanent Disconnect

• Kathy, representing the Academy, said the existing seven-apartment building at 16 Tower Lane has been removed, sewer service disconnected and capped, and a prefabricated facility garage is being installed. Because the only drain would be a floor drain for washing equipment, a tight tank was recommended, and the Board of Health had been contacted.
• Board members discussed whether Board of Health approval of the tight tank is required; Kathy said the state building inspector would need to sign off on construction items.
• The board voted 4-0 to approve the abatement and closure of the sewer account at 16 Tower Lane, subject to payment of interest and penalties due, noted as $1.48, and subject to approval of the tight tank by the Board of Health, if required, or by the state inspector.
• It was clarified that any future sewer connection would require starting the process over as a new building.

FY27 Sewer Enterprise Budget and Annual Town Meeting Motions

• Sewer Director Matt presented the final FY27 budget: a $1,849,450 operating budget; a $100,000 reserve fund for use by the Board of Sewer Commissioners; $181,283 in indirect costs; and a total town meeting request of $2,130,733, an increase of $249,056 over last year.
• A prepared rate table showed projected annual sewer charges falling from $1,162 with no retained earnings to $983 with $250,000 in retained earnings. Matt stated retained earnings totaled $900,033 as of March 24.
• The budget projected user counts increasing from 1,248 to 1,397, including 91 users from Scenic Park and phased additional users. MJ expressed concern about relying on projected rather than actual users and favored continuing a cautious $100,000 use of retained earnings to help stabilize rates.
• Matt noted that if no user growth occurred, the $100,000 retained earnings scenario would produce an annual charge of about $1,222.
• The board voted 4-0 to adopt the budget as presented and to use $100,000 of retained earnings for FY27.

FY27 Capital Request

• The board reviewed the $732,000 capital request for the SCADA upgrade, to be financed through enterprise borrowing.
• The board voted 4-0 to approve the $732,000 capital request with enterprise borrowing for FY27.

Wastewater Treatment Facility Operations and Maintenance Bid

• Matt explained that the town would issue an IFB rather than an RFP because repairs and replacement parts in the draft were considered construction under Chapter 30, requiring award to the lowest responsible bidder.
• The IFB covers a three-year maintenance contract with estimated allowances of 100 hours per year for alarm response and 270 hours per year for corrective maintenance and repairs, based on prior plant operating history. Bidders would be paid only for work actually performed.
• The town plans to pay directly for sludge, chemicals, and parts to avoid contractor markup and to capture true costs.
• The plant is not yet online; the blizzard slowed startup, with flow expected before the second week of April and Kubota onsite that week.
• The board voted 4-0 to approve the IFB, subject to review and approval by Town Counsel.

Director's Report and Future Agenda Items

• The director sent initial letters to businesses that will be switched to actual-use sewer billing. The wastewater summary sheet has been updated with 2025 metered usage and pumping, showing about 20,293 gallons per day available because pumping was about 14,000 gallons per day lower last year.
• The Hideaway project is complete and closed out with the contractor; final pay rec will close out ARPA funds; a maintenance agreement with Hideaway directors is being developed.
• The director toured the Wareham plant upgrades and expects future discussions about the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.
• Future agenda items include resolving the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund credit language with Wareham, ongoing updates on the IFB/RFP process, business actual-use letters, the grinder pump project, and the Hideaway Village maintenance agreement.

Key Outcomes

• 4-0: Authorized the Town Administrator to sign the 16 Fisher Lane / 280 Standish Road access license.
• 4-0: Approved the 16 Tower Lane sewer abatement and account closure, with conditions.
• 4-0: Adopted the FY27 sewer enterprise budget with $100,000 in retained earnings.
• 4-0: Approved the $732,000 SCADA capital request with enterprise borrowing.
• 4-0: Approved the wastewater treatment facility O&M IFB, subject to Town Counsel approval.
• Minutes: Approved the October 28, 2025 minutes 3-0-1, with Melissa abstaining; approved the November 4, 2025 and December 2, 2025 minutes 4-0.