Bourne Select Board Meeting - June 30, 2026: Watershed Permits, RFQ, Audit, and Bridges
Bourne Select Board Meeting - June 30, 2026
The Bourne Select Board met on June 30, 2026, starting at 6:30 PM and resuming at 7:00 PM after a brief pause. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including watershed permit recusal, a draft RFQ for engineering services, memorial bench donation, cannabis establishment updates, special legislation for a liquor license, FY2025 financial audit, budget transfers, special events, a police safety update, engineering projects, discussion on the Cape Cod Bridges program, land sale, town seal redesign, and Upper Cape Tech enrollment. Multiple votes were taken, and several public comments were heard.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved with one amendment correcting a rain date from September 21 to September 20, 2026.
- Minutes from previous meetings were approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Alessi spoke in favor of a memorial bench for his mother at Buzzards Bay Park, describing her love for bicycling along the canal. The board accepted the donation.
- Kevin from Cape Way Cannabis reported that the store opened last Thursday (June 25, 2026), with 80% Bourne residents employed and 65% women.
- Michael Canhant from Bourne Cannabis provided an update on construction progress, targeting an April 2027 opening.
- Mike Allen from Chief Cannabis (via Zoom) stated they are very close to opening, hoping for a final license by July 9, 2026, and operations in August.
- Ryan McCarthy from New England Open Markets presented the Indie Art by the C vendor market (special event D), noting coordination with police and health departments.
- A representative from Ones vs. Hunger proposed a 1v1 basketball tournament to raise money for the Bourne Food Pantry, with entry fees split between the pantry and winners.
- Rob Manson advocated for inclusion of the Bourne Rail Trail as mitigation in the bridges project.
- John York urged the board to use the MOU to address past issues with MassDOT, particularly pedestrian/bicycle access at Monument Beach and open communication channels.
- Peter Burr emphasized the urgency of the MOU, criticizing the Cape Cod Commission for not acting earlier, and urged the board to think holistically about economic and workforce drivers.
- Ken supported Rob Manson's comments, stressing the opportunity to design a new rail trail as part of the bridge infrastructure.
Discussion Items
- Watershed Permit Workshop & Recusal: MJ explained her communications with the ethics commission regarding recusal. She had requested a written opinion on April 30, 2026, but had not yet received a response. She recused herself from the evening's watershed discussion. The board discussed packet distribution and recusal protocols; Marlene clarified that once a member recuses, they should not receive materials in advance.
- Draft RFQ for Engineering & Consulting Services: The board reviewed the updated RFQ for the first phase of watershed planning, focusing on baseline data and nitrogen thresholds. They discussed the schedule (responses due early August) and composition of the review team. A motion to accept the RFQ (with standard contract added) passed unanimously.
- Memorial Bench Donation: The board approved a donation of a bench in memory of Barbara Lillessy at Buzzards Bay Park, subject to DPW coordination.
- Cannabis HCA Updates: Representatives from three establishments provided status updates. Cape Way Cannabis opened June 25; Bourne Cannabis targeting April 2027; Chief Cannabis expecting August 2026 opening.
- Special Legislation for Liquor License: The board approved filing legislation for a liquor license at 365 Bottles Landing Road, consistent with pending legislation for Katomet Fish, with a three-year reissuance provision after surrender.
- FY2025 Financial Audit: Zach Ventross from CLA presented the audit results, noting an unmodified opinion, a clean single audit, an unassigned fund balance of $14.6 million (15.5% of expenditures), and a net OPEB liability of $80.3 million (funded at 13.6%). The town’s financial position was described as strong.
- FY26 Budget Year-End Transfers: The board approved transfers of $143,527.74 to cover snow and ice deficit and fire department overtime, as recommended by the finance committee.
- Special Events: Four events were approved: a birthday party (A), Dancing Under the Stars (B), Ones vs. Hunger basketball tournament (C) with notification of court closure, and Indie Art by the C vendor market (D) with a banner across Main Street. Discussion included concerns about food trucks and policy review.
- Chief's Safety Update: Chief Eazy provided information on heat safety, July 4th parade road closures, enforcement of beach rules (no fires/grills), parking citations, and e-bike regulations. He noted that any e-bike exceeding 20 mph requires a driver's license and registration.
- Engineering Updates: Tim Leiden reported substantial completion of the Hen Cove boat ramp (now 4 feet deep) and the stormwater project on Patuisset roads, which will mitigate fecal coliform issues. Road betterments for Terror Terrace were near completion.
- Cape Cod Bridges Program: The board discussed a potential Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MassDOT for the Sagamore and Bourne bridge replacements. Concerns included traffic mitigation, multimodal access, communication, staging, and impacts on neighborhoods. A motion to engage the Cape Cod Commission for assistance passed unanimously. The board also voted to request all documents and agenda items in advance of the July 23 design public hearing.
- Land Sale (61A Parcel 665): After receiving no expressions of interest, the board voted not to exercise its right of first refusal on the property at 665 Scenic Highway and 0 Bourndale Road.
- Town Seal Redesign: Steve Philbrick (Historic Commission) reported that the commission has contacted a consulting firm that worked on Mashpee's seal. A redesign process will involve community outreach and careful explanation of historical inaccuracies. The board acknowledged the update.
- Upper Cape Tech Enrollment: The formation of a subcommittee to address enrollment and assessment issues was noted. The board expressed a desire to foster communication with Upper Cape Tech.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to accept RFQ for engineering services: Passed unanimously.
- Motion to accept memorial bench donation: Passed 4-0 (one member absent).
- Motion to file special legislation for liquor license: Passed unanimously.
- Motion to approve FY26 budget transfers: Passed unanimously.
- Motion to approve consent agenda (with amendment): Passed unanimously.
- Motion to engage Cape Cod Commission for MOU on bridges: Passed 5-0.
- Motion to request documents and agenda for July 23 design public hearing: Passed unanimously.
- Motion not to exercise right of first refusal on 61A parcel: Passed.
- Motion to approve meeting minutes: Passed.
- Special events A, B, C, D: Each approved individually with voice votes.
- Future agenda items: A discussion on pedestrian/bicycle committee and roundabout at Sandwich Road was requested.
Meeting Transcript
Oh, it's 6 30. Okay. Meeting 6 30. June 30th, 2026. Note this meeting is being televised streamed or recorded by Bourne TV. If anyone in the audience is recording or videotaping, they need to acknowledge such at this time. Helen from Born Enterprise. No one here with flash photography this evening. If anyone from the public wishes to, well, we didn't. The Zoom is not up at this time. So the I I mean, what do I do with the Zoom meeting ID? We don't have the Zoom up. So I'm wondering it may start at 7, but I will say it anyhow. Zoom meeting ID 897 1229 3538 password all caps born. All items within the agenda are subject to deliberation in votes. So we're starting this evening, just a quick um overview of discussion related to our watershed permit workshop. We just needed to have some further discussion related to recusal in the ethics commission. So I just have some notes earlier in the spring. This is a change from how we previously left it with the board at our last discussion. Marlene did speak to the ethics commission and would like to start with her. I was going to have her provide an update on our conversation, but she's not here yet. But I just maybe we can just discuss. I know that MJU had sent several messages to them, and there had been some back and forth. I can kind of explain what's kind of going on with that. Yeah, that would be great just for the yeah. So I'm gonna put my glasses on because I had to write them still. Um I do want to talk a little bit about my discussions with the ethics commission on this issue. So at the select board meeting that we held last October 7th, 2025, um I said during the discussion that I had been told by the ethics commission that the watershed permit discussions were not general policy discussions, and therefore the 10% of population exemption was not applicable. Um I said at that time that I did not agree with that uh just uh position, um, but that I would recuse myself at that time. So I have had several subsequent discussions with the attorney at the ethics commission um requesting an a written opinion, an explanation, and I was finally told in uh April that in order to get a written opinion, I would need to submit a request in the portal, um, the ethics commission portal for written opinions, which I did on April 30th of this year. Um my request for a written opinion was um whether I am allowed to participate in the planning and deliberations during the watershed permit uh notice of intent phase because of the exemptions allowed under Massachusetts ethic laws and regulations. One that uh discussions qualify as general policy, two that at this point in planning, my financial interests as a homeowner or resident are the same as the other homeowners and residents in the watersheds, and three, because the nitrogen sensitive area watershed population is substantial, which by their definition means greater than 10% of the population. Sorry, I'm not being on work. That's okay, it's all right. We just started actually, so MJ's um just explaining her conversations with the ethics commission. So anyway, so I wrote I I asked for the written opinion on April 30th. Um I also asked for explanations of the reasons for the decision. Um my follow-up in April for a written opinion was really prompted by my realization that I was not being provided um notification of meetings related to watershed permits, and then I was not being provided with the information packets for the meetings. Um in no other situation that I am aware of has a select board member not received the agenda and information in the packet uh for an agenda item that they have been documented for recusal. Um select board members have always received the same information and recuse themselves from the discussion when the select board member deemed it was appropriate. Um I still don't have a written response. They're supposed to report respond within 30 days, um, but I um I had another response yet, but I did. They're supposed to respond within 30 days, um, but I um I had another response yet, but I did it's June, so that 30 days is yeah, but um I did get a request for some, I did get something from the attorney late last week where she asked for some additional information and said she would be providing me with a uh a written um opinion. So um so um some of the clarification um that I gave her last week is that I um no longer own a property or reside in the McGansett Squatchy watershed, um, but I am residing in the Finnish Harbor watershed, and that may be significant because the McGansett's Quitique watershed itself is only about 3.9% of the population, and the Phineas Harbor watershed is about 13.2 percent. Um so uh since I have not yet received a written opinion, uh the written opinion I requested, I will recuse myself from the discussion tonight and will not be voting on the next agenda item. Um I do, however, expect to receive agendas and packet information and to be able to make a decision to recuse myself as appropriate on the agenda items under discussion by the select board. All right, thank you, Linda. Um I'll let Marlene settle real quick, and then so um I it says Marlene, I know I had the note that you did speak with the exit commission, and I was gonna start with you, but I'll let you go following MJ's once you're ready. Sorry, that's okay. It's okay.
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