Orleans: Behind the Scenes

Latest Episodes:

Town Meeting | A Voter’s Field Guide (S3, 19) Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

In Orleans, the voters are the legislature. Amanda Converse and Mia Baumgarten break down how Town Meeting works, how Annual and Special Town Meeting differ, how to find and read the warrant, and how to get involved well before you take a seat on Town Meeting night.

In This Episode

•Open Town Meeting: why Orleans voters, not a council, make the big decisions

•The 200-voter quorum and why turnout matters•Annual vs. Special Town Meeting: what each one handles, and why "special" doesn't mean less important

•The warrant: what it is, where articles come from, and how residents can petition to add one•Finding the warrant: online at Town Meeting Central and in print at Town Hall

•Reading the warrant: article language, explanations, board recommendations, and vote thresholds

•Getting involved before the vote: voter registration, open houses, public hearings, staff presentations, and more

•Town Meeting night: check-in, the Moderator, motions, debate, and how to speak at the mic

•What happens after the vote

Resources

•Town Meeting Central (Town Meeting Information): warrant, article summaries, presentations, and event dates

•Special Town Meeting: Monday, November 16, 2026, 6PM, Nauset Regional Middle School

•Town Meeting Open Houses:

–Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Town Hall, 4:30–6PM

–Thursday, Nov. 12 – Snow Library, 12–1:15PM

–Friday, Nov. 13 – Council on Aging, 8:30–10AM

Four Zoning Articles | What's Coming to Special Town Meeting (S3, 18) Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Zoning decides what gets built in Orleans, where, and how it's used, but bylaw language is hard to read cold. Four zoning articles go to Special Town Meeting on Monday, November 16 at 6PM Amanda Converse and Mia Baumgarten sit down with Elizabeth Jenkins to break down what each article does, why it's on the warrant, and what it means for residents and businesses.

Town Meeting Information Proposed Zoning Amendments

Orleans: Behind the Scenes takes you inside the work of the Town of Orleans: the departments, projects, and people behind the services you rely on every day. Hosted by Amanda Converse and Mia Baumgarten.

Connecting to Town Sewer | Your Questions Answered (S3, 17) Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Thinking about connecting your home to Town sewer - or already in the middle of it? We sat down with John Nelson, Orleans' Water/Sewer Program Coordinator, to answer the questions residents ask most: what the process actually looks like, what it costs, and what changes once you're connected.

In this episode:

The step-by-step connection process - from hiring an engineer through final inspection
Why you need both an engineer and a contractor, and what each one handles
A breakdown of the real costs: engineering, contractor, sewer use fees, and betterments
Financial assistance available through the Cape Cod AquiFund loan program
What to expect during construction on your property
What never to flush, and how to care for a grinder pump if you have one
Where to check current construction updates for your street

Resources:

Need to Connect to Sewer? | Orleans, MA
Cape Cod AquiFund — www.capecod.gov/aquifund
Contact John Nelson, Sewer Program Coordinator: 508-240-3700 x2319 / JNelson@town.orleans.ma.us

About the show:
Orleans: Behind the Scenes introduces you to the people and departments behind daily life in Orleans - showing how municipal work shapes the town you live in.

Water Watch | Drought Management in Orleans (S03, E 16) Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Orleans' water comes entirely from a sole-source aquifer - no rivers or reservoirs to fall back on - which makes the town especially sensitive to how much snow and rain fall each winter. In this episode, Sue Brown, Orleans' Water & Sewer Superintendent, joins Amanda and Mia to explain what's really behind current water restrictions: how the state's drought designations work, what makes Orleans' rules different from some neighboring towns, how enforcement actually happens day to day, and what residents can do - beyond skipping the sprinkler - to help.

In this episode:

Why winter snowpack (not summer rain) is the key factor in Orleans' water supply
The difference between the state's drought guidance, Orleans' individual water permit, and the town's own local rules
What's currently allowed and restricted for outdoor water use
How violations are identified and enforced
Simple, high-impact ways residents can conserve water year-round

Resources:

Orleans Water Department

Eye on Water - track your household's water usage and set leak alerts

Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force

About the Show: Orleans: Behind the Scenes takes you inside the departments and people that keep our town running.

On Call | Fire-Rescue and Emergency Readiness in Orleans (S03, 15) Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Fire-Rescue Chief Geof Deering sits down to talk about his path into the fire service and what it's like leading Orleans Fire-Rescue. We get a real look at what the departmenthandles day to day - from call volume to coastal rescues to what it takes to keep the department running. Geof also wears a second hat as Orleans's Emergency Management Coordinator, and he shares practical, save-this-episodeadvice on hurricane preparedness, alarm systems, lock boxes, and making sure your house number is visible to first responders.

Resources

• Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency | Mass.gov

• Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

Reading the Water | Cyanobacteria Awareness in Orleans (S3, 14) Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Cyanobacteria can turn a summer pond day into a health risk - and Orleans has people watching for it. Health & Human Services Director Alex Fitch breaks down how the town monitors its ponds all summer long, and public health intern Rowan Brennan shares how she spent her internship making sure that information actually reaches residents.

What cyanobacteria is and why it shows up in Cape Cod ponds
How Orleans monitors pond conditions throughout the summer
What to do if you spot something unusual in the water
How Rowan researched other Cape Cod towns' communication strategies — and what Orleans adopted
New resources built this summer to help residents check conditions before they head out
Practical tips for a safe day at the pond

Third Space | Inside Snow Library (S03, 13) Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Libraries aren't just about books anymore - they're becoming one of the last free, no-strings-attached public spaces left in a lot of communities. This week, Snow Library Director Tavi Prugno joins us to talk about what the library actually offers today, why that matters more than ever, and what's next for Orleans' library.

Building a Resilient Downtown, Part 2 | Heat, Walkability & What the Charrette Revealed (S3, 12) Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

The Downtown & Town Cove Resiliency Project is back - and this time we're talking public health. We're joined again by Elizabeth Jenkins from the Town's Planning & Community Development department and Nate Burgess and Dillon Sussman from Dodson & Flinker to hear what the Community Charrette revealed, and where the project goes from here.

In this episode:

What happened at the Charrette - walking tours, design workshops, and a kayak share idea
Urban heat islands: what they are and why Orleans needs to pay attention
How shade trees can measurably improve downtown comfort
Why walkable, bikeable communities are a public health issue
"Living Routes" and connecting downtown to the Cape Cod Rail Trail
What's coming this fall from the project team

Learn more: Downtown & Town Cove Resiliency Project

Four Towns, One District | Inside Nauset Public Schools (S3, 11) Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

Glenn Brand came to Nauset after more than two decades leading schools across Massachusetts and beyond. We sit down with the superintendent to hear what his first year taught him, what's ahead for the schools in Orleans, and his vision for the district's next chapter.

More Than Tax Bills | Inside the Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office (S3, 10) Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Ever wondered what actually happens inside the Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office?

In this episode, we sit down with Scott Walker and Maya Golding to find out - from how your tax bills work to the surprising ways this office touches nearly every part of town life. It's more interesting than you might think.

https://www.town.orleans.ma.us/387/Treasurer-Tax-Collector

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