DENNIS — Voters at annual town meeting on Tuesday repealed the ban on single-use plastic water bottles and approved $7.7 million to design the first phase of a sewer system and accompanying treatment plant.

Tuesday's session was held in the auditorium at the Nathaniel H. Wixon Innovation School.

On a tally of 565-33, voters approved Article 22 to spend $7.7 million towards designs for the first phase of a municipal sewer system and treatment plant at 120 Theophilus F. Smith Road.

Plans to build a sewer system have been in the works for the town for over 20 years. At a Feb. 1 Select Board meeting, experts told the Select Board that the water quality in Swan Pond and Bass River are just as bad, if not worse, than over a decade ago when it was discovered both bodies had poor water quality due to high levels of nitrogen.

The Finance Committee also pointed out that by approving the article, Dennis will be able to tap into state funding and grants that it hasn't had access to, for offsetting the cost of future upgrades to the wastewater system.

"From a financial viewpoint, a lot of work went into supporting this, from the Select Board and the Finance Committee, to save for this," James Plath, Finance Committee member, said. "It's quite an accomplishment that there will be no increase in taxes. This will put us in a better place for future funding."

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Debate was fierce on the measure. Some homeowners are wary about the cost of changing from a septic tank to a municipal sewer system.

A woman from South Dennis who identified herself as Colleen urged voters to reject the measure, citing the expense.

"The town would like you to think all you have to do is hook up, but it's not as simple as that," she said. "We're being asked to come here to vote on clean water, which I don't think is fair, because I want clean water, too. We just weren't given any other alternatives."

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"This has been in process since 2014," Diane Chamberlain, chair of the Wastewater Implementation Committee said. "We have done everything we can to take this next possible step."

Voters also approved Article 21, a related measure, which transfers $482,713 from the rooms tax to the wastewater stabilization fund.

Article 35: Repeal Plastic Bottle Ban: Passed 229-211

Article 35, a citizen petition, sought to repeal Dennis' controversial single-use plastic water bottle ban, which prohibited the commercial sale of non-carbonated, unflavored drinking water in single-use plastic bottles of less than one gallon. The ban has been in effect since Dec. 31, 2021.

Those in favor of repealing the ban argued that it was harming local businesses economically, who now have to stock their shelves with more expensive aluminum-canned water or waxed cartons of water.

"Why go to Captain Frosty's when you can drive up the street to Peterson's to get your water?" one man in favor of repealing the ban asked.

Others who want the ban to stay cited the disastrous impact single-use plastic has had on the environment, and encouraged voters to look towards reusable options, like thermoses.

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"When we were growing up, we'd fill up our thermos at home with water and take it to school with us," a woman against repealing the ban argued. "Why can't we go back to that?"

The bottle ban was repealed, ultimately, in a 229-211 vote. Voters rejected a move to reconsider the measure.

Article 24: Amend Finance Committee By-Law: Defeated 375-159

Town meeting rejected a citizen petition that called for changing the way seats are filled on the Finance Committee. 

The measure wanted to change the bylaws so that Dennis residents would fill four of the seven committee seats at the ballot box. That task now falls to the town moderator.

"All seven Finance Committee members are appointed by the town moderator, which gives him enormous power," one woman in support of the change said. "There should be more transparency."

Those against argued said that the way in which people are chosen for the committee is not an attempt to keep voters in the dark, and that if the committee was opened up to an election, special interest groups could potentially work their way into the race.

Article 30: Community Preservation Committee- Tobey Woods

Voters approved Article 30, which asked the town to authorize the Community Preservation Committee to purchase a conservation restriction of approximately 8.02 acres of undeveloped marshland and forest at 272 Main St. (Route 6A) in Dennis for $600,000.

The committee will take $300,000 from the Community Preservation Act open space reserve account and $300,000 from the Community Preservation Act reserve account to be used for any purpose.

Articles 1-5, which sought to accept the written reports of the town officers, to hear and act on any unpublished committee reports, budget supplements for fire department over-time, the fiscal year 2023 budget and fix the salaries of town officials, passed unanimously.

The fiscal year 2023 budgets of the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School and the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District, $16,127,000 and $71,776,209 respectively, passed unanimously.

Voters approved Article 8, to spend $3,100 from the shellfish mitigation fund for shellfish propagation.

Articles 10-20, which dealt with further capital outlay items, revolving accounts, the $2,236,212 Community Preservation Committee fiscal year 2023 budget, transfer of $100,000 to other post-employment benefits (OBED) trust, and labor union agreements, all passed unanimously.

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Articles 25, 27-29 and 31 and 32, concerning a $40,200 transfer from the beach capital improvement fund to reserve fund for beach nourishment, an increase in fire department ambulance fees, $600,000 to rebuild Dennis' closed secure fiber network iNet for town data sharing, $20,000 for tourism funding and $167,000 and $434,775 for temporary repairs to Green View Drive and Uncle Bob's Way respectively were all passed unanimously.

Article 37, a public advisory question calling for Holtec International to withdraw any plans to discharge radioactive water from the now-closed Pilgrim power plant into Cape Cod Bay, did not receive a motion.

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The evening began with two awards: the Skip Nelson and Don Trepte Awards.

The Skip Nelson Award, named for a founding member of the Dennis Advisory Committee of Disabilities, is given yearly to a resident who has gone above and beyond for the town's disabled citizenry. 

Dennis resident Carol Malone was given the Skip Nelson Award.

The Don Trepte Award honors a graduating high school senior with a $500 prize. This year Caitlyn Reen, who is graduating from Saint John Paul II, was recognized at the meeting for the award.

Sheryl McMahon, a long-time member of the Select Board, was honored as well. This was McMahon's final town meeting.