Sandwich town meeting voters pass $13M in school repairs but ballot vote remains

SANDWICH—Voters at Monday's annual town meeting breezed through the first 14 articles, but debated at length over single-use plastic water bottles, debt exclusion for school improvements, watercraft on Peter's Pond, and adult-use marijuana retail sales.

The town of Sandwich annual town meeting, which ran for almost four hours Monday, included 19 articles on the warrant.

Debt exclusion for school improvement

As voters quickly and unanimously passed the first 13 articles, and passed Article 14 with a 2/3 majority vote, the meeting slowed to make way for a presentation related to Article 15 – where voters approved a main motion for the $13 million Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion for several projects.

The projects included improvements to school buildings, grounds, playgrounds, and public infrastructure such as Sandwich High School, Oak Ridge School, Forestdale School and the town's Human Services Building.

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If the $13 million debt exclusion is also approved at Thursday's town election, there will be a $9.10 increase to the average taxpayer’s tax bill in fiscal 2024 compared with their current tax bill, town officials said.

Pamela Gould, superintendent of Sandwich Schools, John Nelson, school facilities director, and Don DiGiacomo, chair of the School Committee, gave a presentation on the state of schools and the need for construction improvements.

DiGiacomo said the repairs would be made over five years.

"We are here tonight seeking support for the debt exclusion for the town of Sandwich to approve $13 million for desperately needed work at our schools," he said. "The work that needs to be done has been discussed for several years."

Gould, the superintendent for six years, said the repairs need to go beyond daily maintenance. Instead, school officials are more focused on the lifespan of the buildings that are about 30 years old.

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"It's not fun, it's not sexy, but it is the cost of doing business," she said. "And we need to have these big discussions."

DiGiacomo said plenty of thought and effort went into determining the real needs.

"It's time to make the investment into the town, into our schools, into our people into our central offices, into playgrounds," he said. "I'm a taxpayer. I don't love the idea of paying more taxes. I never have. But, what we are getting for what we are spending is absolutely critical."

Kevin Lasit, director of Sandwich High School Theater Company, advocated for the debt exclusion and lamented much-needed roof repairs. He described theater productions at the high school where water leaked onto the stage during heavy rain storms.

"During our rehearsals we have garbage barrels to catch rain water," he said.

Although the debt exclusion article passed with a 2/3 majority vote at town meeting, a simple majority vote is needed to pass at Thursday's election.

Single-use water bottles will remain in retail

After lengthy debate, the Article 16 citizen petition to ban commercial single-use plastic water bottles failed. The proposed measure, with an effective date of Sept. 12, would have included non-carbonated, unflavored drinking water in single-use plastic bottles of less than one gallon.

Geoff Glover, Sandwich liaison for Sustainable Practices, gave a presentation on the proposed ban, citing the environment and the health of other species that may ingest plastic as food.

"Because there's no good way to dispose of plastics, microplastics are found in our air, water, food and in our blood," he said. "The average person consumes a credit card worth of plastic each week."

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Many voters wanted to keep single-use plastic water bottles on store shelves, including Eileen Starrs, who spoke during public comment. She said banning plastic water bottles will not save the world.

"Since the repeal of the ban in November 2021," she said, "this group has made no effort to suggest alternatives to bottled water. But just wants to take the easy route and ban them."

Watercraft will remain out of Peter's Pond

The Article 17 citizen petition to overturn the ban of watercraft on the 130-acre Peter's Pond also failed.

Nancy Horn, a year-round resident who lives on the south side of the pond, called the sound of watercraft "endless drumming noise pollution."

"It goes on for hours on end often continuing after dusk. It is inescapable," she said. "The irresponsible and reckless behavior of some riders is out of control."

There was a move to overturn the ban, which was passed in November 2021 at special town meeting. The latest petition attempted to reverse that decision - which failed.

Recreational marijuana lights up in Sandwich

After a motion to split Article 18 into two questions, and a request to vote by secret ballot, which was denied, the motion to allow adult-use marijuana retailers in Sandwich passed with a 2/3 majority.

Although a state-wide medical cannabis initiative passed in 2012, Sandwich previously voted to prohibit adult use marijuana retailers in all town zoning districts. But Monday's vote lifted those restrictions, pending approval from the state Attorney General's office.

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Moderator Garry Blank recused himself from the issue because of a financial stake in a local marijuana dispensary.

Sales from adult-use recreational marijuana could add revenue growth to the town, petitioner Adam Higgins said.

"We can't just keep taxing personal property. We have to develop new revenue streams and this is serious potential," he said. "We are talking about $750,000 added to this budget with one store. That's serious money."

The town election will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sandwich town meeting voters pass $13M in school repairs