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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Selectmen Minutes March 4, 2009_2014020616121851181 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes of the Meeting of 4 March 2009. The meeting took place in the Court Room, Town and County Building, 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Members of the Board present were Rick Atherton, Brian Chadwick, Michael Kopko, Allen Reinhard, and Patricia Roggeveen. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Chairman Kopko called the meeting to order at 6:08 PM. ANNOUNCEMENTS Attorney Bill Hunter, representing the Nantucket Dreamland Foundation, reviewed the Dreamland’s street and sidewalk closures logistics plan during renovations to take place in 2009-10. Ms. Roggeveen recused herself during the review. Department of Public Works Director Jeff Willett gave a weekly update on the downtown sewer rehabilitation and storm water drainage improvement projects currently underway. PUBLIC COMMENT Jeanette Topham read a prepared statement regarding the Adult Community Day Care (ACDC) program, appealing to the Board to reconsider the elimination of the ACDC program in the FY 2010 budget. She said there is a "group of interested people who are willing to explore avenues of possible future funding as well as new space" and went on to ask the BOS to fund the program "for another year" to allow ACDC proponents "to research other options." APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WARRANTS AND PENDING CONTRACTS Approval of Payroll Warrant for Week Ending 1 March 2009. The payroll warrant for the week ending 1 March 2009 was approved by the unanimous consent of the meeting. Approval of Treasury Warrant and Pending Contracts for 4 March 2009. The treasury warrant and pending contracts for 4 March 2009 were approved by the unanimous consent of the meeting. CITIZEN/DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS Land Bank: Request for Approval of Documents Relating to Nantucket Land Bank Bond Refinancing. Land Bank Director Eric Savetsky explained that this is not a request for new funding but purely refinancing existing debt at a savings of $1.4 million. Mr. Reinhard read the motion for approval of the Nantucket Islands Land Bank 2009 Series A Refunding Bonds (attached); Mr. Chadwick seconded. All in favor, so voted. Town Clerk: Request for Adoption of Revised 2009 Annual Town Election Warrant due to Technical Error. Town Manager C. Elizabeth Gibson noted a new election warrant was issued to correct a technical error. Mr. Reinhard moved approval; Mr. Atherton seconded. All in favor, so voted. Application for Transfer of Common Victualler License from Global Restaurant Management, Inc. to Lola Burger LLC d/b/a Lola Burger for Premises Located at 10A Broad Street, Nantucket. Jeff Stetina of Vaughan, Dale, Hunter, Stetina and Beaudette was present representing Lola Burger and spoke in favor of the application. Mr. Chadwick moved approval; Mr. Reinhard seconded. All in favor, so voted. 2 NRTA: Request for Approval of On-Street Parking Plan for Greenhound Site/Washington Street and Candle Street. Transportation Planner Mike Burns reviewed the proposed parking plan which includes the removal of two on-street NRTA bus parking spaces on Salem Street resulting in two new public parking spaces; the removal of two public parking spaces on Candle and Washington Streets to widen the curb cuts for the buses to pull in and out of the Greenhound bus site; and opening up seven parking spaces on Washington Street to public parking from 6:00 PM to 7:00 AM. NRTA Administrator Paula Leary reviewed the 2009 bus schedules. Mr. Reinhard moved approval of the on-street parking plan as presented; Ms. Roggeveen seconded. All in favor, so voted. Nantucket Homes for People/Abrem Quary Phase II (Housing Project): Review of Changes to Local Initiative Program (LIP) Application. Cliff Schorer of Nantucket Homes for People requested Board endorsement of the revised LIP application and preliminary site plan, and reviewed the changes that have been made to the application since it was last reviewed by the Board on 24 September 2008. Mr. Chadwick recommended the addition of a sidewalk on Blueberry Lane and noted that one of the road names in the development is already in use elsewhere on the Island. The Board discussed the application and suggested some technical changes. Director of Planning Andrew Vorce said he feels the application is eligible for the Board’s approval. Mr. Atherton moved that the Board send a letter of support to the Department of Housing and Community Development for the LIP application; Ms. Roggeveen seconded. All in favor, so voted. Approval of Conservation Restriction for VFW Property Located at 22 Bunker Road. Ms. Gibson explained that one of the conditions of securing the required permit from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program for this project is to place a conservation restriction on the property, which in this case would be held by the Nantucket Land Bank. Mr. Atherton noted that the conservation restriction would not be placed on the actual land where the VFW is being built, but on an adjacent parcel. Mr. Chadwick moved approval; Ms. Roggeveen seconded. All in favor, so voted. TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT Review of Landfill Mining Proposal. Ms. Roggeveen, a member of the Board’s Waste Services work group, introduced Waste Options Nantucket (WON) president Whitney Hall, who gave a presentation to the Board on potential landfill cost reductions, such as restructuring the waste services contract with the Town for construction and demolition (C&D) disposal, and resolving the legacy costs of the landfill through an accelerated landfill mining program. Mr. Hall said there have been landfill cost impacts, including the C&D building, the wood waste ban, and a decrease in C&D tonnage delivered to the landfill. Mr. Hall also reviewed municipal solid waste (MSW) tonnages, MSW tip fee revenue, C&D tonnages, the landfill mining history, and the schedule of capping and closure of the landfill as mandated by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Mr. Atherton noted that it will cost the Town an estimated $7.3 million to cap and close seven acres of the landfill, that the Administrative Consent Order (ACO) issued by the DEP has been amended six times to date, and that the landfill is supposed to be closed by June 30, 2009. He said that the DEP indicated it would consider extending that date if the Town proceeds with an accelerated landfill mining program. Regarding the accelerated landfill mining program, Mr. Hall said approximately 80,000-100,000 yards of material per year is expected to be mined, which in five years, would reduce the size of the landfill to 14 acres, and that he advocates a five year mining program with an option to mine the landfill in its entirety. He estimates that it would take 12 years to mine the entire 3 landfill. A discussion followed among Board members and Mr. Hall regarding his presentation. Mr. Hall noted that an accelerated landfill mining program will cost approximately $2 million less than capping and closing the landfill. The Board then took questions and comments from Carl Jelleme, Richard Cooper, Myles Reis, and Nat Lowell. Chairman Kopko thanked Mr. Hall for his presentation and said the Board would take these issues under advisement. SELECTMEN’S REPORTS/COMMENT Finalization of FY 2010 Budget Recommendations. Ms. Gibson made a presentation on the FY 2010 budget and noted that the FY 2010 General Fund projected deficit is currently $4,820,000 for the Town and school. She reviewed recommended budget reductions and recommendations for closing the Town’s portion of the budget gap, which includes operation expense reductions; program reductions and eliminations; savings from the hiring freeze; and alternative funding sources. Ms. Roggeveen said she felt any reduction to personnel equals an impact to Town services. Mr. Chadwick discussed the elimination of the Adult Community Day Care (ACDC) program, saying he has received numerous calls and emails asking him to support the program, and that he would support funding the program for one more year. Chairman Kopko said the ACDC program cut is an elimination of $138,000 from the budget. He suggested that the Board consider reducing the $500,000 allocation to the reserve fund by $138,000, to be made up by Free Cash at a later time, to allow ACDC one more year of funding. A discussion followed among the Board members regarding the fate of ACDC, whether or not it is considered an essential Town service, and how it can become self-sustainable. Mr. Chadwick moved to restore funding for the ACDC program for one year by reducing the Reserve Fund by $138,000, and to charge the Council on Aging with the discussion on how it can assist ACDC with the transition off Town funds; Mr. Atherton seconded. All in favor, so voted. Review of 2009 Annual Town Meeting Citizen Sewer Warrant Article Recommendations. Chairman Kopko said the Board has been given recommendations from a staff group comprised of the Planning Director, the Department of Public Works Director, and the Health Director for the citizen sewer warrant articles based on an objective criteria check list endorsed by the Board two years ago. Chairman Kopko reviewed the warrant article recommendations. Ms. Roggeveen moved to make comments on the articles based on staff recommendations; Mr. Reinhard seconded. All in favor, so voted. Review of 2009 Annual Town Meeting Warrant Article Recommendations. Ms. Gibson reviewed outstanding motions for the 2009 Annual Town Meeting. Ms. Roggeveen expressed her reluctance to take action on any recommendations tonight. Chairman Kopko urged the Board to review the information presented and to commit to making recommendations at next week’s meeting. Chairman Kopko asked the Board to consider that all submissions to be reviewed by the Board also be submitted electronically. Ms. Roggeveen noted that the Audit Committee met earlier today and that the town is on target with the 2008 audit timetable. The meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:55 PM. Approved the 7th day of October, 2009.