HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008 Nantucket Town Report - report of the Board of SelectmenReport from the Chairman on the Past Year
The mission of the Board of Selectmen is to serve the community by providing clear, concise
goals and policies that ensure quality in the delivery of Town Services, long-term planning and
improved efficiencies in operating Town government.
This past year...
Following the 2008 annual town meeting and town elections, the Board convened for the coming
session, welcoming former chair of the finance committee Rick Atherton to the Board. Michael
Kopko and Patty Roggeveen were elected Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Selectmen,
respectively. Acting as the County Commission, Brian Chadwick was elected Chair of the
County, and Rick Atherton Vice-Chair.
In preparation for establishing goals and objectives for the coming year, the administrative staff
recommended a new approach to that process, which the Board adopted. It was determined that
the Board would adopt fewer specific goals and endeavor to make substantial progress and
completion of the objectives outlined pursuant to those goals. Another change was to clearly
delineate the responsibilities of the Board and the administration by defining objectives as Policy
Priorities and Management Priorities. In this way, the Board could focus on its responsibility to
develop and oversee broader policies to guide the work of the Town, and the administration
could set clear management priorities to carry these policies out. This approach kept us on task in
prioritizing our work.
It should be noted that two issues have become overarching priorities that informed a large part
of our work in the past year. One is the health and management of the Town’s finances. The
other is examining and improving the way that the Town government functions. These priorities
are reflected in the goals and objectives outlined below.
Our first goal was to Improve Administrative Management.
First objective was to develop a Board Policy Manual. This process is ongoing. As the Board
acts, policies are compiled into a manual for easy reference and access. The second objective
was to plan for continued employee professional development. To this end, a number of key staff
were enrolled in and completed training through Suffolk University. Staff and selectmen
continue to do professional development to enhance skills and reach accreditation. Our third
objective was to work toward reorganizing the Department of Public Works. The Town
commissioned a study and the consultant’s report has been issued. Recommendations are being
considered, and the next step will be to develop and execute an implementation plan based on
these recommendations. These changes will result in significant efficiencies in the department
and better delivery of services. The Town also commissioned a reorganization study of the
Finance Department. The report contained 36 recommendations that are being implemented in
reorganizing and fully staffing the department. These changes will also result in significant
improvement in the department.
The Board continues to support the Town Manager’s efforts to improve the way we “do our
work”, and transition to a level of professional management necessary to run as complex and
expensive an institution as the Town of Nantucket in the twenty-first century.
Our second goal is to Improve Fiscal Management.
The primary objective under this goal was to bring our accounting and audits current. The Towns
audits had gotten significantly behind, and as a result, the Finance department needed to
complete four years of past audits. Working closely with the Audit Committee, the Town
Manager and Finance department made this project their first priority. As of this writing, the
final overdue audit from 2008 has had its final paperwork submitted to the auditor. It is
anticipated that audits will be current well before the end of this fiscal year. It should be noted
that this work was done simultaneously with new protocols and practices being implemented for
FY 2009, and the implementation of the reorganization of the Finance Department. The past year
has seen a very significant turnaround in the way that the Town manages its finances.
The Ad Hoc Budget Committee continues to meet. The committee, which consists of the chair
and vice chair of the Selectmen, School Committee and Finance Committee, as well as
administrative staff from the Town and Schools, is an important part of the budget planning
process. The parties in the budgeting process have met earlier and more often this year,
necessary to working together in addressing the fiscal challenges that are facing municipalities
across the state and the country.
Our third goal was to Develop an Overall Waste Management Plan (Wastewater & Solid
Waste.)
On the wastewater side, the Nantucket Sewer Act was passed by the legislature and signed by the
governor in December. The Act takes effect at the beginning of FY10, and provides for greater
local control over our wastewater system. It will also provide a range of options for funding the
implementation of the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP). Our hard work
on wastewater issues will put us in good stead as the state begins to implement assistance to
cities and towns in financing these expensive projects. The Board has prioritized the next phases
of the Plan. An implementation workgroup will be tasked in the coming weeks to have the
elements of the Sewer Act in place for the beginning of the next fiscal year.
On solid waste, after a number of difficult years in our relationship with our landfill contractor,
the Board determined to create a working relationship with the contractor, seeking to create an
equitable contractual relationship while controlling costs to the Town and the taxpayers. The
Board engaged an expert in municipal solid waste management and special legal counsel with
expertise in solid waste issues. In the fall, the Board tasked a workgroup to open a channel and
begin talks with our contractor. These talks have lead to a point where the parties can now
negotiate in good faith, and the Board expects that the result will be an equitable management of
the contract and significant cost savings to the taxpayers.
Our fourth goal was Enhance the Quality of Life.
Many objectives were identified and addressed under this goal. One Big Beach agreements were
completed giving public access to South Shore beaches. The Harbor Plan Implementation
Committee has issued its draft report, and state approval of our harbors plan is imminent. This
will give the Town strong local regulatory control over the protection and development of
Nantucket and Madaket harbors. The Board reviewed the planning Board’s 4181-D master plan,
reviewed many traffic-related plans and developed a protocol to be sure that Planning Board
requirements for improvements to public roads and ways come to the Board for approval. We
adopted harbor regulations prohibiting large vessels from anchoring in the environmentally
sensitive up-harbor area. We are working with a consultant to develop a request for proposals for
the development of affordable housing at 2 Fairgrounds Road.
The Board continues to appoint workgroups and advisory committees to involve citizens in
important work developing information and recommendations for the Board. The Energy
Committee updated its mission statement to include the exploration of alternative energy on
Nantucket. They created a program for students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute came to the
Island and develop feasibility information on the development of municipal wind power projects
o the island. These projects are moving along, thanks to the good work of that committee. Other
committees of citizens working to get things done include the Harbor Plan Implementation
Committee, Citizens’ Committee on the Public Safety Facility, Downtown Revitalization
Committee, Streets and Sidewalks Committee, Bulk Fuel Study Committee, etc. These
committees are providing valuable service to the Town using a great resource, the knowledge,
experience and commitment of our citizens.
The Board also continues to work in its regulatory capacity. We are currently developing
guidelines on consequences for liquor license violations as the Local Licensing Authority. The
Board reviews and approves liquor licenses, as well as victuallers’ and entertainment licenses.
We have also reviewed and updated the taxi regulations, as the board acts as Police and Fire
Commissioners. In our capacity as the Board of Health, we are proposing to establish a separate
Board of Health, composed partially of health and environmental professionals, to more
effectively regulate those issues. The Board has appointed a blue-ribbon commission to
recommend a comprehensive approach to controlling tick-borne diseases. In addition to being
the Licensing Authority, Police and Fire Commission and Board of Health, the Board of
Selectmen also serves as Sewer Commission/Public Works Commission, Regional Transit
Authority and County Commission.
This has been a challenging and active year for the Board of Selectmen. With the focused and
diligent work of the Town Manager and her staff, as well as analysis and recommendations from
experts, we have made significant progress in developing a new level of professionalism in the
administration and a more responsible approach to handling the Town’s finances. More
importantly, I believe that we have started to make fundamental changes that will make the
future management of the Town more responsive, efficient and worthy of the taxpayers’ trust.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Kopko
Chairman