Yarmouth’s municipal golf courses generated a record $6.3 million in revenue last year, a financial "boom" that dominated Wednesday’s Finance Committee budget review. While the golf department prepares for modest fee increases, the committee has begun eyeing other potential revenue streams, including significant hikes to mooring and slip fees where demand continues to far outpace the town's supply.

Natural Resources Director David Condon presented a rinse and repeat budget for FY27, noting he preferred to gain a full year of experience in the role before making major changes. However, Vice Chair George Perkins questioned why the town wasn't capitalizing on high demand for water access to offset costs. If you have a queue waiting to get in, why the hell don't we raise the fees? Perkins asked, noting the waitlist at Packet Landing alone sits at 35 people. Condon admitted the town is currently right in the middle of fee structures across the Cape and Islands Harbor Master Association and suggested fee adjustments could be entertained in the next budget cycle. Nathan Ladley pressed for more detail on those backlogs, asking How many are you backlogged for Packet Landing and moorings? Condon confirmed that there isn't a single mooring location in town without a waitlist.

Beyond revenue, the Natural Resources department is managing over 60 public water access points, some of which require urgent attention. Rafael Gutierrez inquired about the safety of these sites, asking Regarding the 60 plus access points, are any of these locations unsafe? Are any currently putting the town at a liability? Condon responded that while some have been band-aided together or removed to shore up other spots, none currently pose a liability risk. A town-wide study is currently underway to prioritize future capital requests for these access points.

The committee then turned to Senior Services, where Director Diane Kaine reported a massive 35,695 touchpoints over the last year, including 30,000 Meals on Wheels deliveries. Despite the high engagement, the department faces logistical hurdles, including an electric van that struggles in the winter months. Our electric van works well in summer, but in cold weather, the mileage drops down to 16 miles for the day, Kaine told the committee. Responding to the spike in activity, George Perkins asked if the growth was due to a growing senior population or simply better outreach methods. Kaine noted it was a bit of both, highlighting that the methods used to contact residents are increasing. Chair Richard Simon looked into the specifics of the department's spending, noting The biggest single line item is professional and technical. That pays for all of your instructors? Kaine confirmed that the line item covers 17 weekly fitness programs and various outreach services.

Library Director David Wright reported that while the town has seen a slight shift toward electronic media, print remains the heart and soul of Yarmouth’s collection, particularly for children. He pushed back against the misconception that digital materials save the town money, explaining that digital subscriptions often follow an expensive recurring model rather than a one-time ownership cost. Our materials expenditure requirement is 13% of our total appropriation because the town crossed the 25,000 population threshold, Wright explained, noting the library must remain open 59 hours a week to maintain state certification. John Anderson asked for a breakdown of usage between the town's facilities, inquiring if Wright had a breakdown of visits between South and West Yarmouth. Wright noted that South Yarmouth is orders of magnitude busier, estimating an eight-to-one ratio in visits. George Perkins challenged the library’s technological role, asking if there was an advantage to putting you and the networking/hardware capabilities together. Wright argued that library IT management needs are very different animals compared to general town infrastructure and are best managed independently.

The standout financial performer remained the Golf Enterprise fund. Director Scott Gilmore, attending remotely, reported 97,000 rounds played last year—a record for the town. We brought in close to $6.3 million in total revenues last year. We are very strong, Gilmore said, adding that revenue for the first half of the current fiscal year is already up by $300,000. George Perkins asked why Yarmouth is thriving while other Cape courses are closing, to which Gilmore credited consistent reinvestment. If you keep reinvesting and keep conditions up, you have great luck, he said. Rafael Gutierrez raised concerns about the cost of doing business, specifically the $130,000 in credit card fees the department absorbs. On credit card expenses, do you allow members to purchase memberships with credit cards? Because that’s got to be hefty, Gutierrez asked. Gilmore confirmed they do, noting that they factor those costs into their fee structure. The department plans a 3-4% fee increase for the coming year to fund capital improvements, though it continues to struggle to find a mechanic, a position that has been vacant for over a year.

In the Recreation department, Assistant Town Administrator Amy Frigulietti reported that a significant pay increase for seasonal staff last year has solved previous staffing shortages. Steve Reynolds said recruitment was challenging, but they raised fees and salaries last year and had great success, Frigulietti said, noting that summer camp programs now often sell out within hours. Alyssa Mullin inquired if the town should consider additional incentives, asking Are we thinking about bonuses or sign-on bonuses to be competitive? Frigulietti responded that the current salary adjustments have been sufficient to keep the programs fully staffed without the issues seen in previous years.

The committee moved to formalize several other departmental budgets that had been under review. Motion Made by G. Perkins to approve the Community Development, Building Inspection, and Health budgets as printed in the budget book, excluding the Veterans portion of the Health budget. Motion Passed (6-0-0). The Veterans assessment was excluded as the final county figure remains pending. Additionally, the committee updated its records for the start of the year. Motion Made by J. Anderson to approve the minutes for January 7, 2026, and January 14, 2026. Motion Passed (6-0-0).

Chair Richard Simon concluded the session by filing a state ethics disclosure regarding his membership in a private charity to avoid any appearance of conflict, reminding the committee that members are considered special municipal employees under state law. The committee is expected to receive an update on the $207.2 million wastewater project financing and the $4 million school budget gap in its next session.