Recreation commission urges state ruling on prevailing wage before Wixom plans proceed

The Recreation Commission voted to ask the Select Board to request a state determination about whether the Cape Cod YMCA would be required to pay prevailing wages on any building projects done in combination with the Town of Dennis.

Chair (speaker 1) moved the primary recommendation, reading the motion aloud: “I move the recreation commission request the Select Board to ask the state for a ruling on whether the Y has to have prevailing wages on any possible building projects in combination with the Town of Dennis.” Commissioners amended the motion to cover both lease and purchase scenarios, and the amended motion passed by voice vote.

Commissioners said the preliminary step of securing a state opinion is necessary to avoid months of study that could prove futile if prevailing wage applies. One commissioner summarized the position as a practical triage: if the state says prevailing wages apply, “the Y will not proceed,” a point the clerk reported hearing from Y contacts during earlier conversations. Commissioners emphasized that a written proposal from the YMCA and an explicit deadline would be helpful to avoid indefinite delays.

If the state rules that prevailing wage does not apply, the commission recommended the Select Board form a study subcommittee consisting of two YMCA representatives, two Recreation Commission members, two town administrators and one interested resident to evaluate a potential partnership and a master plan for the 33-acre Wixom site. The commission asked the clerk to seek placement of the recommendation on the Select Board agenda as soon as possible.

The motion’s next step is the Select Board’s review; the Recreation Commission will wait for the state response before initiating committee appointments or detailed design studies.