Eastham Finance Committee reviews DPW, water, and housing budgets for FY2027

Finance Committee · Meeting of February 19, 2026

Eastham Finance Committee works through DPW, water, and housing budgets as deferred costs top $760,000. At the February 19 meeting, Community Development Director Paul Lagg told the nine-member committee that approximately 900 short-term rental properties must now be inspected annually under a new state building-code mandate — with no additional inspector in the proposed budget, despite an estimated cost of $80,000 to $85,000 in salary plus benefits. Assistant DPW Director Kim St.

Aubin reported the Whitewater water operations contract will rise to $732,708 in FY2027, solid waste disposal rates will climb to $120 per ton, and hauling costs will increase from $600 to $700 per load. Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director Rich Bienvenue disclosed that roughly $760,800 in costs — including $253,000 in inflationary items he called "kind of like cuts" — have been left out of the proposed operating budgets. On wastewater, committee member Fred Guidi reported that project engineer Apex is revising its schedule and that key state DEP permits have been promised by March 15, with permitting delays described as the single biggest risk to the project timeline.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 975 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of February 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.