Housing, fire emergency articles will increase Provincetown FY24 budget by $2.7 million

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·4 min read

Voters at the Provincetown annual town meeting on April 3 will tackle 37 articles on the warrant, including a $34.8 million fiscal 2024 municipal budget that includes provisions for a $1 million Proposition 2 1/2 override to fund a full-time fire and emergency medical services department.

Town meeting will convene at 6 p.m. in Provincetown Town Hall at 260 Commercial St.

The budget represents a $2.75 million increase (8.6%) over the current fiscal year budget. The warrant calls for increased spending in all town departments, ranging from .39% (public schools) to 14.7% (public services).

Town Manager Alex Morse said Article 2 is one motion and includes the additional $1 million override to fund fire and emergency services. The town intends to maintain level service with Lower Cape Ambulance Association but for the first time the town proposes to hire full-time firefighter/EMTs and paramedics. Provincetown is the only town on the Cape without a full-time fire department.

At the upcoming annual town meeting on April 3, the town of Provincetown will ask voters to maintain level service with Lower Cape Ambulance Association and for the first time hire full-time firefighter/EMTs and paramedics. Lower Cape Ambulance Association employees Patrick O'Neal and Lisa Potter stand outside the fire station in Provincetown, in a January photo.

"We're very confident that Article 2 will move forward," Morse said, adding the town has held several public hearings and forums on the issue.

Town meeting article calls for hiring eight full-time firefighters/EMTs

Provincetown officials want to establish a full-time fire and emergency service department and the override will fund the transition. The town has a three-year contract with Lower Cape Ambulance Association to provide emergency services while the town begins hiring eight full-time firefighters/EMTs or firefighters/paramedics. Funding is contingent on an affirmative town meeting vote and an affirmative Proposition 2 ½ override vote on May 9.

More: Provincetown voters will be asked to pay for full-time fire department. Here's why.

Provincetown's efforts in easing Cape Cod's housing crunch produce six housing and housing-related articles.

Also on the warrant are articles intended to provide more year-round rental housing for Provincetown residents, increase public transportation hours, and offer tax incentives to property owners who rent to year-round Provincetown residents. They include:

  • $100,000 to fund a pilot project to provide more transportation options to Provincetown workers who live in Wellfleet, Truro and Eastham. Additional runs would take place from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m and from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. during May, June, July, August, September and October.

  • Approving a home rule petition, or special legislation, that would be submitted to Beacon Hill lawmakers, to allow the town to purchase year-round deed restrictions from homeowners or developers.

  • Creating residential exemptions for multi-unit property owners if they rent to year-round Provincetown residents.

  • Reaffirming support for a petition calling for a .5% real estate transfer fee that will support housing needs.

Town meeting voters will be asked for $300K to draft a coastal resiliency plan.

  • $300,000 to hire a consultant to help draft a coastal resiliency plan.

  • $310,000 for roof replacement and repairs at the Harbor Hill housing complex. Town will lose insurance coverage this fall, otherwise. Harbor Hill Apartments consists of one studio, four 1-bedrooms, 22 2-bedrooms, and one 3-bedroom unit for families or individuals earning too much to qualify for traditional affordable housing. Apartments are set aside for Provincetown residents earning between 80% and 200% of area median income.

  • $175,000 to build pickleball courts at Jerome Hill parking lot.

Learn more: How to speak up about Cape Cod housing needs. Training and support are available.

Other warrant articles for wage hikes, tourism spending

Other warrant articles seek to amend the town’s personnel classification and compensation plan, increasing compensation ranges for permanent, full- and part-time non-union positions, seasonal town employees, and most fire department employees. The town manager and chief of police would be exempt from this plan.

Use of $1,025,000 from the town tourism fund is proposed for on marketing, projects and landscaping related to tourism. The fund comes from receipts of the room occupancy tax.

Approval of a charter amendment is proposed that would require all candidates for municipal office, and all elected officials to have Provincetown as their primary place of residence.

Residents file their own special measures called citizen petitions.

Seven citizen petition articles cover everything from plastic reduction, short-term rental certificate regulations, short-term rental caps, using low-noise fireworks for town-sponsored celebrations, limiting the number of firework celebrations, and extending the boundary of the historic district.

The complete town warrant can be found at http://www.provincetown-ma.gov.

Denise Coffey covers business and tourism. You can reach her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT.  

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Provincetown may hire hire eight full-time firefighters/EMTs