An Act amending the waterways capital improvement fund for the town of Dennis

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Julian Cyr and 1 co-sponsor

S. 3097 would fix and possibly broaden how Dennis deposits boating-related revenues into its waterways capital improvement fund, with explicit percentage shares and by-law adjustme

Bill reported favorably by committee and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session

Purpose and intent

This bill, Senate No. 3097, proposes to amend the waterways capital improvement fund for the town of Dennis.

The goal is to modify how certain municipal revenues related to waterways and boating are deposited into the Dennis waterways capital improvement fund, without requiring additional appropriation.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1 amendments:

Replaces the existing sentence to specify that a portion of boat storage fees, a portion of any fees collected under chapter 118 of the acts of 2008, and all waterways user fees shall be deposited into the Dennis waterways capital improvement fund without further appropriation.

Section 2 amendments (newly drafted framework for deposited revenues):

Establishes explicit percentages of specific Dennis fee revenues to be deposited into the fund, without further appropriation:
50% of revenue from boat storage fees
50% of revenue from transient boater fees
37.5% of revenue from daily parking of vehicles and trailers
25% of revenue from slip holder fees
100% of revenues from fees for boats using private docks (and for dry-stored or rack-stored boats)
100% of revenues from waterways user fees
Provides that, if authorized by by-law, the Dennis select board may adjust (increase or decrease) the percentages above.

Section 3:

Takes effect upon passage.

Who would be affected

The town of Dennis would receive a defined, potentially larger and more predictable stream of revenues into its waterways capital improvement fund from various boating-related fees.

Fee-paying users and boaters in Dennis (e.g., boat storage customers, transient boaters, daily parking customers, slip holders, private dock users, rack-stored boat users) would have a portion of their fees directed to the fund according to the specified percentages.

The town’s governing body (select board) would hold authority to adjust the deposit percentages by by-law, subject to future decisionmaking.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Content notes:

The act would take effect upon passage.
The measure is currently in the 194th Massachusetts General Court (2025-2026) and was referred to the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on May 28, 2026.
It is a local approval-type bill petitioned by town officials (Dennis) and introduced by state senators Cyr and Flanagan.

Summary takeaway

Overall, S. 3097 seeks to formalize and potentially broaden the share of several waterways-related revenues deposited into Dennis’s waterways capital improvement fund, with explicit percentage allocations and a mechanism for the town to adjust those percentages by by-law. This could enhance funding for Dennis’ waterway infrastructure and related capital projects, while granting the town flexibility to modify deposits over time.