Will Bourne vote on the rail trail May 6? Not likely. Here's what's up for debate instead.

BOURNE — A town-wide vote on a high-profile project related to the Bourne Rail Trail might be delayed, despite its appearance on the May 6 town meeting warrant.

Bourne will hold both special and annual town meetings May 6.

The Select Board recommends indefinite postponement for Article 26, which asks voters to approve securing Bourne Rail Trail property easements to assure Phase 1 bike path construction between the Cape Cod Canal and Gray Gables.

The town is looking at eight easements from the state and federal governments as well as Mass Coastal Railroad along the first phase of the rail trail, ultimately via borrowing or eminent domain if necessary.

Select Board Chair Mary Jane Mastrangelo on April 16 said she “anticipates questions” about the easements.

“I think we’d be better off to wait to the fall,” she said.

During an April 17 phone call, Mastrangelo said Gray Gables residents have bike path questions.

“It’s good to have discussion about Phase 1, but we’ll be ready to go by November. The motion to postpone in May won’t delay anything.”

The less-than-one-mile Phase 1 is billed as a standalone project if three other parts of the proposed trail, now in abeyance, are not built. The proposed easements would not disrupt the railbed, which primarily accommodates daily trash trains.

In 2024: Two Upper Cape towns now want to build bike path next to rail tracks. But Bourne doesn't.

Bourne landfill expansion

The special town meeting will also consider tapping $1.9 million in landfill profits to design an expansion office/garage complex off Route 28 and retain an owner’s project manager.

Landfill expansion is underway. Town Administrator Marlene McCollem told the Select Board on April 16 the $1.9 million does not involve construction of the administrative complex.

Bourne budget: $79.2 million for fiscal 2025

Voters will review a $79.2 million budget for fiscal 2025. McCollem on March 18 told the Finance Committee that up to 15 reconsiderations factored into her overall budget reduction efforts, including resets of personnel salaries in the building, facilities, recreation, highway and health departments.

“Bourne Public Schools and Upper Cape Tech have also helped and been able to narrow down their requests and help us close the budget,” McCollem said.

The School Committee requests $26.7 million, up 2.83% over this year with $15.5 million devoted to district salaries. Budget offsets include $4.6 million, with $1.3 million of that total stemming from the School Choice program and $882,643 from military mitigation.

All high school activities fees will be eliminated next year along with high school transportation fees.

“Especially if the (Cape Cod Canal) bridges become an issue,” Superintendent Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou advised the Select Board March 20. “We want as many kids to jump on that bus as possible because that’s going to be the best way to get them over the bridge.”

Bourne skate park

The Recreation Committee seeks $500,000 in Community Preservation Act funds under Article 8 to rebuild a closed and outdated skate park behind the Community Center.

“It is a highest level of need,” said Assistant Town Administrator Liz Hartsgrove. “There will be Americans with Disabilities Act access. It will be low maintenance and built with concrete.”

What is a town meeting?

A town meeting is both an event and an entity, according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website. As an event, it is a gathering of a town’s eligible voters, and is referred to as “the town meeting.” As an entity, it is the legislative body for towns in Massachusetts, and is referred to simply as “town meeting.” Thirteen of the 15 Cape Cod towns including Wellfleet have “open town meetings,” meaning all voters who live in that town may vote on all matters. Falmouth, though, has a “representative town meeting,” where all voters elect town meeting members who then vote on all town meeting matters. The town of Barnstable is governed by an elected town council rather than by a town meeting.

When and where is the Bourne town meeting?

The Bourne town meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, May 6, at the Bourne High School at 75 Waterhouse Road.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Bourne votes: School budgets and a skate park. Town meeting is May 6.