Community Center Director Carolyn Carey revealed that fixed utility costs now consume a staggering 84% of the department's budget during Thursday’s Facilities Committee meeting, prompting a proposal to overhaul room rental fees based on staff labor requirements. Discussing the FY26 draft budget, Carey described her approach as fiscally conservative given the town's current economic climate. I was pretty ruthless in our budget knowing where the town is, Carey said, noting that heating, lighting, and grounds maintenance leave little room for programming. The director highlighted that while five other departments share the facility, the Community Center budget carries the utility burden. She further explained that solar panels remain an impossibility because the building's roof is too old, though its replacement remains a priority on the town’s capital plan.

To generate more sustainable revenue and account for labor, Carey proposed shifting toward a tiered fee schedule for room rentals. The current system charges a flat rate regardless of the "touch time" required by staff. I'd like to explore a tiered fee schedule based on the ‘touch time’ required for cleaning and setup, Carey told the committee, noting that some groups leave significantly more debris or require complex furniture arrangements. Committee member Chris noted the importance of market research, stating, I think it's important to be competitive. It would be interesting to see what other municipalities are doing.

Technology hurdles and maintenance delays were also highlighted as the building faces the 25-year "infrastructure wall" common across Harwich. Carey reported that three newly installed scan monitors are currently non-functional, citing a bottleneck in the town's overwhelmed IT department. I understand everyone is busy, but it's an expensive item to not be in operation, she noted. Additionally, a planned fitness room floor upgrade is stalled while the department waits for a specific piece of rubber subflooring to arrive. Recreation representative Phil provided an update on gym maintenance, noting that Carolyn talked to Eric about the nets that they're going to be repaired using leftover funds from a previous bleacher project rather than seeking new Community Preservation Act funds.

Internal communication surfaced as a point of friction between the various departments housed in the center. Carey emphasized that all room bookings must flow through the Community Center office to avoid "blanket" bookings and unsupervised gym use. Chris observed that the physical layout of the building contributes to the confusion, saying, The confusion seems to be that because Rec and COA are on different sides of the building, people think those rooms belong to those departments. The Chair suggested a joint meeting with other department heads in January to streamline procedures, adding, Maybe a letter from the Chair to the other Chairs would help.

Earlier in the meeting, the committee moved to finalize the records from their previous session. Motion Made by [Unidentified Member] to accept the meeting minutes of September. Motion Passed 3-0.

Despite the administrative challenges, Assistant Director Reagan Mesquita reported high community engagement throughout the fall. In October, we did eight events including a pasta dinner, Halloween crafts, sports trivia, and a college essay workshop, Mesquita said, looking forward to a busy December schedule including Santa’s Workshop and the town band concert. Committee member Phyllis confirmed she is keeping up with administrative requirements and new town email mandates, noting, I've attended the training through my other employment. I do the online training and send certificates to Emily.