Orleans town meeting voters passed highest town budget ever. Here's what you need to know.

Orleans town meeting Monday night passed its highest town budget ever at $51 million.

The number included $12.9 million for three school budgets, a $9 million reconstruction of Rock Harbor’s commercial wharf, $150,000 for a new library grant application and several articles for expanded housing and future town projects.

Almost all 50 articles on the newly formatted warrant passed, but not without plenty of questions and comments from voters, as well as finance committee members, during a four and a half hour meeting that started with more than 600 voters and ended with less than 300. One major finance article to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund at $512,000 for the year was defeated, 166-341.

Housing Trust Chairman Alan McClenon explained pending legislation that would increase the eligibility of one-third of the workforce for more affordable housing in the town where the average house price is now $1.1 million. The current rules limit the qualified resident to 80% of the area median income while the new legislation would increase the median to 200%. He also listed the many new affordable housing projects that bring the town over the 10% required by the state.

Finance Committee member Lynn Bruneau spoke for the committee’s minority of two, urging the voters to wait for the pending legislation or the fall town meeting.

Why was the Orleans budget so high?

Two Finance Committee members also voted against the fiscal 2025 town operating budget, including Ed Mahoney, who noted the first $50 million budget and increases averaging 7% a year for the last three years.

“The budget increases faster than income, making Orleans more costly and less affordable,” he said, especially for the most vulnerable residents. He urged a no vote.

Several residents also expressed shock at the double-digit increases, and one asked if town officials had tried to keep the budget at a 5% increase. Town Manager Kim Newman responded that the new budget format looks larger because it includes the three school budgets for the first time and other budgets that weren’t previously included. She said many of the increases also are due to contractual obligations.

However, many voters spoke against the budget with one man saying the three years of increases will double the tax bills in five or six years. Despite the objections, the total town operating budget passed, 422-155.

Town manager gets a nod of approval

Finance Committee Chairman Nick Athanassiou voiced praise for the changes made by Newman in her first year as town manager and for the new look of the budgets and warrant.

“She kept us busy with new ideas,” he said. “This is new to the finance committee. We feel more informed than at any time and it’s very welcome.”

The committee split recommendations on six articles and were unanimous on 40, Athanassiou said.

The Rock Harbor wharf project drew only positive comments from commercial fishers, other residents and officials, pointing to its role as the only working commercial harbor in town and a draw for residents and tourists.

“The harbor is part of our history,” Select Board Chairman Michael Herman said, noting the design and permitting took many years.

The approval will require a Proposition 2 ½ override to be voted on at the town election on May 21, Finance Committee member Tony Pearl said, while supporting the article.

“If we don’t, we’ll have an eyesore. It makes sense to reinvest.”

The project could get a $3 million state grant that would reduce the cost. The project is slated to begin on Oct. 24. The vote that required a two-thirds majority was 575-24.

The 30-year capital improvements plan also drew objections. Finance member Ed Mahoney said he is concerned about 18 projects with town debt totaling $224 million or $14 million annual debt service. The total of improvements requested for fiscal 2025 of $19 million passed 420-187.

Vote paves way for a path to Nauset Beach

An article that asked for $85,000 to fund a multi-use path from Main Street to Nauset Beach on Beach Road, drew both pro and con comments from residents of that area.

“We envision this as important to the neighborhoods along Beach Road,” Alice Thomason Van Ooot, Planning Board chairwoman and the advisory committee on the proposal, said.

Four design options will be put forth.

Several Beach Road residents were worried how the project would affect their properties and urged a postponement or a no vote. However, Libby Callahan of Beach Road strongly supported the article, pointing to the dangers to pedestrians and cyclists on the heavily-trafficked road. The article passed 332-69.

A Skaket Beach management plan funded by $80,000 in free cash passed on a voice vote as did a design for Depot Square at $70,000. A proposal to establish new guidelines for the Early Education and Care Program that would allow more families to receive tuition help for children under 3 and over 4 drew some questions but passed 210-73.

Six zoning bylaws on expanded housing opportunities passed by two-thirds majorities. An approved Eldredge Park Way campus study costing $150,000 would focus on a future fire station, elementary school and other community facilities.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Orleans town meeting voters pass budget, wharf project