The Harwich Select Board moved behind closed doors Monday night to navigate a mounting backlog of labor negotiations, as town leaders attempt to stabilize a municipal budget facing significant demographic and infrastructure pressures. With Vice Chair Peter Piekarski presiding in the absence of Chair Donald Howell, the board focused its efforts on four specific collective bargaining units that represent a critical portion of the town’s workforce. The session comes as Harwich grapples with eight total expired or expiring contracts, a situation that has introduced significant uncertainty into the town’s long-term financial planning.

The move to enter executive session follows the board’s recent adoption of level services budget guidance for fiscal year 2027. Interim Town Administrator Tony Schiavi, who was present for the discussion, has been the primary architect of a centralized CEO-style management model designed to streamline town operations. Settling these labor disputes is viewed as a foundational step in that professionalization effort. The unions currently under review include SEIU Local 888, the Harwich Municipal Employees Association (HMEA), IAM Local 264, and NEPBA Local 1.

Vice Chair Piekarski opened the public portion of the meeting by requesting a formal motion to begin the strategy proceedings. Member Jeffrey Handler responded by outlining the legal basis for the non-public meeting, citing the need to protect the town’s bargaining position. Motion Made by J. Handler to enter executive session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(3) to discuss strategy regarding collective bargaining for SEIU Local 888, HMEA, IAM Local 264, NEPBA Local 1. The board supported the measure unanimously. Motion Passed (4-0-0).

The outcome of these negotiations will have a direct impact on Harwich’s ability to fund its 25-year infrastructure wall, a term used by town officials to describe the simultaneous failure point of major assets ranging from water tanks to community center mechanical systems. Furthermore, the board is navigating these costs against a stark demographic backdrop; recent data indicates that 51 percent of Harwich residents will be over the age of 60 by 2030, a shift that has intensified the Finance Committee’s focus on protecting taxpayers on fixed incomes.

Among the officials gathered at Town Hall for the session were Town Clerk Emily Mitchell, DPW Director Link Hooper, and Director of Planning and Community Development Christine Flynn. While the board took no public action following the session, the strategy developed will dictate how the town balances competitive employee compensation with the increasingly stringent environmental and infrastructure mandates currently facing the community.