HANSON – Camp Kiwanee’s budget will be back before the voters at the October special Town Meeting to correct a revenue projection to fund the line item, while the Select Board also discusses on Tuesday, July 22 as how best to put a now-fully staffed Camp Kiwanee Commission to best use.
The events at the May Town Meeting were less an example of some “funkiness,” as Chair Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett put it about Camp Kiwanee articles at Town Meeting as “some misunderstanding about what was trying to be achieved,” she said. “I know some of it had to so with conversations that our town accountant had with the state about having certain things certified.”
Based on conversations that Town Accountant Eric Kinsherf has had since the May Town Meeting, to discuss what happened with the funding “from the very beginning” regarding what was intended, what happened, what the unintended consequences were and what needs to be done to move forward.
FitzGerald-Kemmett added that something might be able to be placed on the October Town Meeting warrant, based on those conversations.
Kinsherf said that, in fiscal 2023, the town collected $350,000 in revenue from Camp Kiwanee. The FY 2024 revenue when reported was only $227,000. Since Hanson based the budget on the higher revenue, the DLS requested that we not appropriate from retained earnings.
“In order to fund the FY 2026 budget, based on $227K in revenue, it was projected we would need $79K from free cash since we could not appropriate from retained earnings,” he said.
After reviewing the latest financial reports ending June 30, the Town collected $277,000 for FY 2025 in Camp Kiwanee revenue. This will allow the Camp Kiwanee FY 2026 budget to be funded by the increased revenue as well as projected retained earnings which will make the fund self-sufficient. There will be an article submitted for the Oct. 5, Town Meeting to amend the vote for the FY 2026 Camp Kiwanee budget.
The state had a problem with that, and the town had to get the tax rate set.
“Luckily we didn’t spend any excess and deficiency source,” he said. As long as no retained earnings were spent, it would make up any potential shortfall. … When the budget came up this year, at Town Meeting, we were told we couldn’t spend any retained earnings,” Kinsherf explained.
Kiwanee came in with a budget of $284,000 for fiscal 2026 and needed another $206,000, but all they had to go on was the $227,000 from 2024, so $79,000 in free cash asked for was to supplement that.
“That kind of went up in flames a little bit,” he said. “But that was the logic behind it”
“That’s because it was free cash at a time when we were doing the override and people … just thought it was willy-nilly,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.
Kinsherf said that, since Town Meeting, a couple of things have happened Dori has been working on the expense budget, where she found nearly $80,000 in turnbacks off the regular budget and, of $227,000 collected in 2024, there had actually been $277,000 collected.
“I’m anticipating when we certify the free cash before the October Town Meeting that the retained earnings will be certified at kind of like $150,000,” he said. “So, in order to balance the budget now, the budget that we need is $306,000. We can probably put [down] $275,000 as a good faith estimate, because that’ pretty close to what we got, and we’ll use the $31,000 [as a stop gap].”
At the October Town Meeting, the hope is that Camp Kiwanee will have a balanced budget and become self-sufficient, with about $120,000 left in retained earnings available.
“That begs the question, long-term, if the budget is about $306,000 this year and we’re only collecting $277,000 there is a gap between revenues and expenses,” he said. “ If that can be addressed, that’s fine, if not, we’ll have to wean off the $120,000 in retained earnings – peel off $30,000 o so every year. While it was confusing, I think we landed in a good place.”
He termed last year as a break-even one.
“So, we’re not bleeding money up at Camp Kiwanee,” FitzGerald-Kemmett summed up. “This is how people were interpreting this need for free cash.”
“No,” said Jamieson .“The reason was because there was no mechanism at that time [to assess retained earnings], unless we set the tax rate and would have had to call another Town Meeting to do this and no one’s going to do that.”
While FitzGerald-Kemmett stressed that she was not assigning blame to anyone, she noted the fact was not “made abundantly clear to everybody at Town Meeting, so I think it was a lot of misunderstanding and then I saw a bunch of stuff on social media about why are they losing money, etc.”
Jamieson said one of the newest members of the Kiwanee Commission is traveling out of the country until Aug.4. … I’ve been in touch with the members and we’re going to schedule a meeting right after that,” she said.
FitzGerald-Kemmett asked that a “crystal clear” explanation, like the one Kinsherf had supplied the board, in order to avoid confusion or “conspiracy enthusiasts.”
Jamieson also reported that Cranberry Cove brought in $50,000 – clearing $15,000 after $35,000 in expenses – and expects to equal or exceed that by the end of this summer. This year, with the help of some renovations, such as improvements to the groom’s cabin and the bride’s cottage, there are 12 weddings booked as well as 60 parties and a lot of camping.
“We’ve got good people, good staff, we’ve got good renovations we’re heading in the right direction,” Jamieson said, noting that a new retail food permit at the Cove, and they are renovating a nearby cabin as a store.
“The summer’s going good,” she said. “Any way you look at it, we’re doing great.”
FitzGerald-Kemmett asked because the Economic Development Committee “really wants to see how we can maximize revenues at – not just Camp Kiwanee, but all town properties.”
“I thought that since we’d have you here anyway tonight, I’d mention it to you.”
Some of the questions the EDC has been grappling with have involved advertising the town more broadly, explore the use of the lodge during the day for activities such as trainings or team-building sessions and similar business retreats, banquets and the like.
FitzGerald-Kemmett is chair of the EDC, as well.
Town Planner Anthony DeFreias has also been in touch with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to see if they might have some thoughts and ideas about connecting people there to put out information about Kiwanee.
EDC member Scott Rothwell, who owns a catering business, has also been discussing the potential in advertising on the website Yelp!
“He got so much business just from advertising on Yelp!,” she said. “I’m not sure that would be simpatico with Camp Kiwanee, but something like that.”
While she said she is aware that it is not the job of the Camp Kiwanee office staff to dabble in advertising Camp Kiwanee as they have, but the EDC wanted to meet with the Kiwanee Commission once it’s up and running, they might be invited to discuss what the EDC could bring to the table and how the two groups could work together.
Jamieson said DeFrias has been in touch with her on the subject and she is “totally on board.”
In other business, with Assistant Collector Fran Forte retiring, effective Aug. 4, the Select Board voted to appoint Lan Woodward, an in-house candidate who has worked for the town for several years, including experience in the Treasurer-Collectors’ office as a clerk from 2013 to 2017. She has also worked at Camp Kiwanee.
“She’s got a great foundation,” said Town Administrator.
Woodward was scheduled to train Monday, July 28 to Thursday, July 31, beginning her new assignment on Tuesday, Aug 5.