Town Meetings Take Center Stage on Cape

A half-dozen towns on Cape Cod held town meetings on Monday night.

In Sandwich, voters approved an operating budget of just over $72 million which includes $32 million for the town’s schools. Voters in Sandwich also approved a one year $1.3 million property tax increase to fund road repairs.

In Bourne, voters approved a near $62-million budget which included continued funding for four firefighters.

In Brewster voters approved a request to the state legislature to levy room occupancy taxes on private rental residences.

Town meeting voters in Harwich approved a more than $60 million operating budget for the town and the schools without a request for a prop 2 ½ override.

In Eastham residents approved a $27 million operating budget which included funding a new position for a deputy fire chief.

In Mashpee, voters approved a $54 million operating budget for FY18 and approved the first step for a debt exclusion of nearly $10 million to renovate the Quashnet elementary school.

Mashpee voters also said “yes” to an 812-thousand dollar capital improvement budget which included the purchase of a new town ambulance.