Public safety and chronic staffing shortages took center stage at Harwich Town Hall on Monday as the Select Board revived a long-dormant tradition: the non-resident taxpayer meeting. While department heads showcased the town’s robust summer services, they were met with pointed frustrations from homeowners regarding extreme speeding on local roads and a lack of transparency regarding fire safety complaints. The meeting also revealed a deepening administrative crisis, as Acting Town Manager Kevin Considine reported that a private recruitment firm failed to produce a single applicant for the town's vacant Finance Director position.

The staffing struggle extended to public safety, where Police Chief Kevin Considine noted that the department is currently operating with four vacancies and three officers on long-term injury. It has been a struggle to recruit because of housing costs, the Chief explained, noting that the department logged over 16,000 calls for service in 2024. Fire Chief David Blank echoed these concerns, stating that housing availability limits the number of personnel who can live within the six-mile radius required for overtime eligibility. Chief Blank highlighted the strain of emergency medical services, noting, As soon as the ambulance goes out the door, we lose three people for about two hours because the hospital is in Hyannis.

Residents turned the floor into a forum for traffic concerns, specifically targeting Park Street, Bank Street, and Depot Road. One Park Street resident expressed exhaustion over the lack of enforcement, telling the board, I have called and called about the speeding. There's one speed sign at Brooks Park... from there all the way to the school, nothing. We have huge trucks and vehicles with Jake brakes that are so loud all day long. Select Board Chair Donald Howell responded by promising a ride-along with the Chief to identify where speed limits must be re-established. On Bank Street, resident Veronica Guerrero Masi suggested 25 mph signage and curbing to protect pedestrians, though DPW Director Lincoln Hooper cautioned that reconstructing the older, substandard sidewalk to modern design specs would be a million-dollar project not currently in the town's immediate plans.

The board also addressed the unique financial obligations of non-residents. Assessing Director Carlene Jones explained that under state law, non-residents are subject to personal property tax bills because the homes are not their primary residences. Assessed value is 100% market value based on sales, Jones noted, clarifying that while tax rates may fluctuate, the final bill follows the market. On the infrastructure front, Wastewater Consultant Dan Pelletier provided a silver lining for the costly sewer expansion in East Harwich, noting that the town has secured over 25% principal forgiveness through the Cape Islands Water Protection Fund for the ongoing Phase 3 work. Water/Wastewater Superintendent Jason Trepanier added that a portion of the Bay Road sewer would go live by the end of the week to address a specific residential emergency.

In a rare moment of fiscal relief, the board approved a significant equipment upgrade for less than the projected cost. Motion Made by M. Kelleher to award a contract to Fall River Electrical Associates Company, Inc. in the amount of $119,000 for the replacement of a generator at 204 Sisson Road. The project had originally been estimated at $200,000. Motion Passed 5-0.

However, procedural friction emerged when the board was asked to authorize signing documents for the Great Sand Lakes Phase 3 sewer extension without the paperwork being present in the meeting packet. Vice Chair Peter Piekarski pushed back on the request, stating, I don't see anything in the packet. I'm not comfortable approving anything without seeing the document ahead of time. The item was ultimately postponed, reflecting the board’s recent trend toward stricter oversight following the "nightmare" budget cycles and stale data issues that have plagued other capital projects like the DPW building.

The board is also rethinking its legal strategy. Rather than hiring a single firm for all municipal needs, Chair Howell proposed splitting the upcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) into three specialties: Labor, Land Use, and General Counsel. Member Jeffrey Handler suggested a deeper internal review before moving forward, noting the board should conduct an internal assessment of current counsel's performance and costs over the last five years to ensure the new RFP meets the town’s evolving needs. Member Mark Kelleher, who was thanked by the Chair for his work in organizing the taxpayer session, noted that a review of legal services is a charter requirement every three years.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from the board to address specific quality-of-life failures raised by the public. Resident Mary Tibn highlighted a barrier to beach access, noting that handicap-accessible wheelchairs are locked up at 4:30 p.m. when lifeguards depart. The chairs are locked up... preventing families from using them in the evening, she noted. Chair Howell promised an immediate debrief to find a solution, while also pledging to investigate a resident's claim that the Fire Department had ignored multiple emails regarding a non-compliant fire pit.