Eastham Finance Committee Reviews FY27 Budget as Town Manager Transition Begins

Finance Committee · Meeting of January 15, 2026

Eastham Finance Committee begins FY27 budget review as town manager succession is announced. Co-Chair Mary Shaw opened the January 15 session by congratulating Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director Rich Bienvenue, who was elected the prior evening to serve as the town's next town manager, and thanking outgoing Town Manager Jacqui Beebe for her service. Bienvenue walked the nine-member committee through a consolidated Municipal Administration, Finance and Operations budget and disclosed he had held back $133,000 in potential increases — including $45,000 for expanded OpenGov permitting software and $35,000 for central purchasing — to keep spending lean in what he called "a difficult year." The health insurance line is budgeted at a 12 percent increase, though Bienvenue warned the Cape Cod Municipal Health Group's self-insured pool could face rates as high as 25 percent if GLP-1 weight-loss drug coverage is not eliminated.

Shaw reported that the Affordable Housing Trust voted 4-0 that morning to proceed with reducing the Community Preservation Act surcharge from 3 percent to 1.5 percent to help offset wastewater project costs.

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Source: the Finance Committee meeting of January 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.