HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Selectmen Minutes February 12, 2010_201402061620176399BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Minutes of the Meeting of 12 February 2010. The meeting took place in the Town and County Building
Conference Room, 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Members of the Board present were Rick
Atherton, Brian Chadwick, Michael Kopko, Allen Reinhard, and Patricia Roggeveen. Chairman Kopko called
the meeting to order at 10:30 AM.
MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND
REPRESENTATIVE DELAHUNT’S OFFICE REGARDING MADAKET (FAA) AND LORAN (SCONSET)
PROPERTIES. Town Manager C. Elizabeth Gibson welcomed John Kelly from the General Services
Administration (GSA) and Mark Forest and Chris Adams from US Representative Delahunt’s office.
Regarding the Loran property, Ms. Gibson said legislation allows for the US Coast Guard to dispose of the
property. Mr. Adams explained that while the Loran signal was officially shut down on 8 February 2010
analysis is currently ongoing to determine whether to create an enhanced Loran system to act as a back up
for GPS, noting the Coast Guard has said it is more than a year away on making a determination on
whether to dispose of the Loran property. Mr. Forest said the Coast Guard needs time to determine what its
needs are. Mr. Kelly noted that real estate disposition hasn’t been considered at this point as there are 23
other Coast Guard sites which also need to be considered for disposition. Mr. Forest said he does not feel
the Coast Guard will dispose of the entire property. Ms. Gibson noted that there are two structures which the
Town owns and maintains – the Siasconset Wastewater Treatment Facility and the barracks buildings - that
are located on adjacent Coast Guard land. She said the Town is in process of completing transactions with
the Coast Guard for transfer of ownership of those parcels to the Town. Mr. Forest recommended the Town
sending a letter to the Coast Guard Commandant expressing its interest in the Loran property and to ask to
be involved “in every step”.
Regarding the former FAA land in Madaket, Ms. Gibson gave some background information on the property
and the Town’s interest in acquiring the property to build a wastewater treatment facility for Madaket, noting
that the Town will require more than the mandated three-year time period allowed for construction.
Chairman Kopko added that there is a need for a wastewater treatment facility in Madaket, that this property
has been deemed the best location, and it is “smart planning” for the future. Ms. Gibson explained that the
entire FAA property is approximately 100 acres, and that the Town is seeking 40-50 acres for a public health
benefit conveyance for a wastewater treatment facility. Mr. Forest said legislation has been filed to authorize
a transfer to the Town but said he feels the prospects of success are slim. Mr. Kelly discussed a possible
negotiated sale to the Town of the property, noting a negotiated sale requires a public purpose but it is
flexible in that it allows for varied purposes of use. He recommended the Town developing a tangible work
schedule for the proposed wastewater treatment facility. A discussion followed regarding funding options.
Mr. Kelly said the GSA supports a portion of the FAA property going to the Town for a wastewater treatment
facility, and encouraged the Town and the GSA to have appraisals of the property done simultaneously to
ensure that both parties are dealing with the same market data. A discussion followed on requesting letters
of support from the Town’s state delegates to go to the US Department of Health and Human Services
regarding the Town’s proposed wastewater treatment facility.
Representative Tim Madden recommended that the Board send a letter to the Secretary of the Interior
commenting on an alternate location for the proposed Cape Wind off-shore wind turbine project. Board
consensus was for Planning Director Andrew Vorce to draft a letter for the Board to send to the Secretary of
the Interior.
The meeting was unanimously adjourned at 11:45 AM.
Approved the 20th day of October, 2010.
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