HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Selectmen Minutes April 27, 2011_201402061649108385BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Minutes of the Meeting of 27 April 2011. The meeting took place in the Public Safety Facility
Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road, Nantucket, MA 02554. Members of the Board present
were Rick Atherton, Robert DeCosta, Michael Kopko, Patricia Roggeveen, and Whiting Willauer.
Chairman Roggeveen called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM.
I. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. The office of Human Services will be relocated to 2 Bathing Beach Road by 2 May 2011.
2. Town Manager C. Elizabeth Gibson noted the Board has an Arbor Day proclamation from the
Department of Public Works (DPW) and that there will be a seedling giveaway on Saturday, 30
April 2011 and Sunday, 1 May 2011 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Nantucket Landfill (Materials
Recovery Facility Area).
3. Ms. Gibson reviewed the 2011 committee/board/commission vacancies, noting that the
2011timeline, list of committee openings, current committee membership list, and applications are
all available on the Town’s website (www.nantucket-ma.gov).
4. The Board will be holding a Sewer Issues Workshop meeting on Thursday, 28 April 2011 at 9:00
AM in Public Safety Facility Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road.
5. Mr. Willauer noted that Mr. Kopko has been nominated for a seat on the Cape Cod Selectmen
and Councilors’ Association Executive Committee, and that the next CCSCA meeting is being held
on Nantucket Saturday 14 May 2011.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Tom Landry asked Chairman Roggeveen if she will be accepting comments from the public
regarding the pedicab discussion. Chairman Roggeveen answered affirmatively.
2. Mr. Kopko noted that today is National Administrative Professionals Day and recognized Ms.
Gibson and the rest of her administrative staff for their work.
III. NEW BUSINESS
None.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WARRANTS, PENDING CONTRACTS
1. Approval of Minutes of 23 March 2011 at 6:00 PM. The minutes of 23 March 2011 at 6:00 PM
were approved by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
2. Approval of Payroll Warrant for Week Ending 24 April 2011. The payroll warrant for week ending
24 April 2011 was approved by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
3. Approval of Treasury Warrant for 27 April 2011. The treasury warrant for 27 April 2011 was
approved by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
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V. CITIZEN/DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS
1. Marine and Coastal Resources Department: Request for Acceptance of Gift of $1,750 from
Nantucket Shellfish Association for Shellfish Propagation Program. Marine Superintendent Dave
Fronzuto spoke in favor of accepting the gift from the Nantucket Shellfish Association. Mr. Willauer
noted that the Shellfish Association has voted to appropriate further funds to supplement seasonal
staff for the Town Biologist which will be forthcoming. Mr. DeCosta moved to accept the gift of
$1,750 from the Nantucket Shellfish Association for the shellfish propagation program with a letter
of thanks; Mr. Atherton seconded. All in favor, so voted.
VI. TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT
1. Review of Children’s Beach Peer Review Final Report and Recommendations. Ms. Gibson
explained that the Children’s Beach project was part of the Town’s Stormwater Management
Program and that some problems surfaced about 18 months ago or so, and that last year the
Board voted to authorize a peer review study to review the issues. Assistant DPW Director
Mohamed Nabulsi introduced John Richardson from Blue Hill Hydraulics, which performed the peer
review, as well as Tom Parece and Dick Jubinville from AECOM, the firm which designed the
system at Children’s Beach. Mr. Richardson reviewed the chronology of events, starting with the
pumps at Children’s Beach being installed in June 2009, and noted the storm event with a high tide
which occurred in October 2009 in which the pumps failed and major flooding occurred. Mr.
Richardson noted that AECOM identified three possible causes of the operational issues which he
reviewed in detail: 1) inadequate ventilation of the inlet side of the pump station for start-up
condition where the inlet pipe is full; 2) surcharging of the discharge side of the pump station during
start-up when the tide is high; and 3) surcharging of the discharge side of the pump station when
the pumps are shut down. Mr. Richardson also reviewed the three proposed design changes to the
system by AECOM: 1) ventilate the inlet and discharge chambers; 2) add a pressure relief valve
between the inlet and discharge chambers; and 3) add Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs). He
stated the peer review included reviewing the AECOM analysis model and its recommendations,
and that once that was done Blue Hill Hydraulics did its own analysis. Mr. Richardson
recommended that the inlet/discharge side of the pump station be ventilated, and that VFDs be
installed to control the start-up and shut-down of the pump station to increase the start-up time to
the maximum 90 seconds. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Nabulsi answered questions from the Board.
Mr. Jubinville said the system was designed by Mr. Parece and his team and that there was one
condition they neglected to consider during the design: the simultaneous combination of a higher
than normal tide, a higher than normal rain fall, and an inflow pipe with no air in it. He said this
combination caused the pumps to shut down, which AECOM never anticipated; if they had, he said
the VFDs would have been part of the original design. Mr. DeCosta asked who is responsible for
paying for the vents and the VFDs. Mr. Jubinville said AECOM missed a design parameter and
they are working on an estimate now and are willing to discuss costs with the Board, noting that
these situations are typically dealt with as change orders. Mr. Kopko said he feels the system
should have been designed this way from the beginning and if it had been, the Town would have
paid for it. He added the issue is the premium or extra costs of having to go back in and make the
changes.
VII. SELECTMEN’S REPORTS/COMMENT
4. Decision Regarding Proposed Pedicab Regulations. Ms. Gibson reviewed some issues that
arose at last week’s public hearing. Roberta Joy, representing pedicab applicant PJ Antonik, said
the intent is to make a “visitor’s experience”, adding that a pedicab is not a taxi service. Tom
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Landry said he feels pedicabs will dictate the flow of traffic in and out of Town and he suggested
limiting the service route area to the Brant Point and Jetties areas. He also questioned one person
controlling all the available pedicab licenses. Mr. Atherton said he feels the low speeds are a
concern and that he feels regulations are a good thing and can be rescinded if the pedicabs don’t
work out. Mr. DeCosta said his concerns include traffic and he questioned what the public good is.
Mr. Kopko said he is not ready to judge a business plan and that the Town needs to regulate the
commercial aspect of pedicabs. Discussion among Board members followed. Chairman
Roggeveen said she is not 100% sold on the idea and was also interested in seeing the service
route area limited. Mr. Willauer said he is inclined to allow a limited trial use of pedicabs. Ms. Joy
answered questions from the Board. Mr. Atherton spoke in favor of allowing two pedicabs for a
limited season. Mr. Willauer spoke in favor of allowing three pedicabs. Ms. Joy said from a
business standpoint, they need to start with four pedicabs, and she said she is uncomfortable with
the idea that the Board can pull the licenses at any time for no reason. Further discussion followed
regarding enforceability of regulations. Chairman Roggeveen noted that Town Counsel has
recommended the Town implement regulations. She added that service for a tip is a commercial
service.
At 7:35 Mr. Willauer left the meeting; he returned at 7:38 PM.
Ms. Gibson said she supports the idea of a trial season with regulations and a set number of
licenses. Erika Mooney noted the Traffic Safety Work Group recommendations. Chairman
Roggeveen said she is in favor of amending the service route area to eliminate the mid-island area.
Mr. Atherton moved to adopt the pedicab regulations; that the Board set the number of licenses at
two, and to include a map of the service route area, eliminating the mid-island area, and at will the
Board can determine whether pedicabs are unsafe and revoke any licenses; Mr. Willauer
seconded. Proposed rates were discussed, and the Board agreed on $100 for a license fee per
license per year and $25 for an operator’s license, per operator per year. Mr. Atherton agreed to
incorporate the fees into the regulations and the motion. Chairman Roggeveen suggested that the
map be redrawn and that a clean set of regulations be available for the Board to vote on next
week. The Board was in consensus.
1. Election of Officers. Mr. Kopko nominated Mr. Atherton as chairman and he accepted the
nomination. Mr. Atherton was appointed chairman by acclimation, to be effective once tonight’s
meeting concludes. Mr. Atherton nominated Mr. DeCosta as vice chairman; Mr. DeCosta declined
the nomination. Mr. DeCosta nominated Mr. Willauer as vice chairman and he accepted the
nomination. Mr. Atherton nominated Mr. Kopko and he accepted the nomination. Mr. DeCosta,
Chairman Roggeveen, and Mr. Willauer voted in favor of Mr. Willauer. Mr. Atherton and Mr. Kopko
voted in favor of Mr. Kopko. So voted to elect Mr. Willauer as vice chairman.
2. 2011 – 2012 Board Committee/Liaison/Work Group/Representative Appointments. Mr. Atherton
recommended postponing the Board representative appointments for a week. Mr. Willauer noted
he will not be present at next week’s meeting and asked that they be postponed for two weeks.
The consensus of the Board is to wait until its 11 May 2011 meeting. Mr. Willauer suggested
putting the representative list out in the office for Board members to initial what they are interested
in. The Board reviewed the current list and updated it.
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3. Discussion Regarding Future Board Meeting Location. Chairman Roggeveen asked that the
Board also discuss its summer schedule. Following a brief discussion, Mr. DeCosta moved to meet
the first and third Wednesdays of July and August 2011; Mr. Willauer seconded. All in favor, so
voted. Regarding future Board meeting locations, Chairman Roggeveen said she doesn’t feel she’s
had enough time in the new room and she suggested they meet in the PSF Community Room for a
while then discuss it at a later time. Mr. Willauer spoke in favor of staying at the PSF Community
Room. The Board consensus is to continue meeting at the PSF Community Room until the Board
decides otherwise.
5. Committee Reports. Chairman Roggeveen reported that the Audit Committee met yesterday
with the auditor. Some discussion followed.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8:06 PM. Mr. Willauer thanked Ms. Roggeveen for
serving as chairman, noting she did the job well.
Approved the 11th day of May, 2011.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
27 APRIL 2011 – 6:00 PM
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY COMMUNITY ROOM
4 FAIRGROUNDS ROAD
NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS
List of documents used at the meeting:
I. 2. Arbor Day Proclamation
IV. 1. Draft minutes of 23 March 2011 at 6:00 PM
V. 1. Memo from Marine Dept, re: Nantucket Shellfish Association gift; copy of letter from
Nantucket Shellfish Association, re: gift
VI. 1. Memo from Mohamed Nabulsi, re: Children’s Beach Pump Station; peer review report from
Blue Hill Hydraulics; PowerPoint presentation
VII. 2. BOS Work Group/Committee Reps list for 2010-2011
VII. 4. Email from Chatham Selectman Timothy Roper, re: pedicabs; Chatham Selectmen
minutes of 6/22/2010; email from Town Counsel; draft pedicab regulations; Traffic Safety
Work Group recommendation and associated service area map; letter and pedicab
information from PJ Antonik