HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Managers Newsletter - 2011 12 12
From the Desk of Town
Manager Libby Gibson
DECEMBER 12, 2011 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 11
Town of Nantucket
16 Broad St.
Nantucket, MA 02554
P: (508) 228-7255
F: (508) 228-7272
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Please note: The Board of Selectmen is not
currently scheduled to meet on Wednesday,
December 28, 2011
Town Administration News and Updates
Fiscal Year 2013 General Fund Budget
Town Administration presented its FY 2013 budget recommendations to the
Board of Selectmen at its December 7th meeting for a balanced, “live-within-
revenue” budget. While the budget is tight and does not allow much in the
way of anything new, enhanced, expanded or in some cases the timely
continuation of a particular program, it also doesn’t compromise Town
services and doesn’t require the deep cuts that many cities and towns have
had to implement over the last couple of years. Several proactive measures
taken over the last three years have enabled us to avoid difficult cuts and
maintain services, such as adoption of the local meals tax and increase in
room occupancy tax in 2009, increased utilization of revolving funds for
eligible services and costs, the hiring freeze enacted in 2008, and the
department consolidations in 2011. Without these measures, the Town would
have been faced with a much more challenging situation for FY 2013. The
Board of Selectmen will be reviewing the budget at its weekly meetings into
January, with a public hearing on January 4th and presentation of its
recommended budget to the Finance Committee on January 23rd.
2012 Annual Town Meeting
The 2012 annual town meeting is scheduled to start Saturday, March 31,
2012. Seventeen citizen warrant articles were submitted by the November
14th deadline. The Board has started to discuss articles it will include on the
warrant and is scheduled to adopt the warrant on January 25th, with any
ballot questions for the April 10, 2012 annual town election. The Finance
Committee will be reviewing citizen articles and capital requests in December.
Health Insurance Reform Legislation
At its meeting of November 9, 2011, the Board voted to adopt the procedure
contained in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32B, sections 21-23. This
Law, enacted by the State Legislature in July of 2011, allows municipalities to
implement certain specific changes to municipal employee health insurance
without formal collective bargaining negotiations, but through a specific and
detailed process which involves the identification of cost savings, changes
and other information to the unions. This process will proceed over the next
several months. Preliminary anticipated cost savings exceeds $500,000, 25%
of which must be used for a mitigation plan for those most adversely
impacted in the first year.
Coastal Management Plan
At its meeting on November 2, 2011, the Board voted to “support a process,
continue to develop the erosion control plan, hold public hearings, seek public
input, and have a deadline of January 31, 2012 for consideration by the
Board of that document". Town Administration has since scheduled a public
forum for Monday, December 12th at 4:00 pm in the second floor Training
Room of the Public Safety Facility. Draft coastal erosion management
principles for Town-owned property have been developed and written public
input is welcome until January 6th. There has been a bit of public
debate/discussion over whether or not the Board of Selectmen should adopt a
Coastal Management “Plan” or if “Principles” are sufficient, as related to
Chapter 67-1C of the Town Code. That discussion is on-going. The Board will
have a public hearing regarding the Plan on January 18th.
Board of Selectmen
Wastewater Action Plan
The Board of Selectmen held a meeting on November 17th with
representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection and the
consultant for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, to review a report on
Madaket Harbor and Long Pond and the Total Maximum Daily Loads for the
various associated estuaries in Madaket. Discussion occurred at the meeting
about ways in which to reduce or eliminate nitrogen loading from these
areas, including sewering portions of Madaket and reducing/removing “the
Hill” at the landfill. As previously reported the Board will be seeking funding
at the 2012 annual town meeting for an update to the Comprehensive
Wastewater Management Plan which will address options and alternatives to
addressing the island’s wastewater needs, including Madaket.
Employee Recognition
Nantucket Police Department
Three Nantucket Police Department employees were recognized for good
work by Chief William Pittman and the Board of Selectmen at the November
16, 2011 Board meeting. Dispatcher Hillary Ray was presented with the Life
Saving Award after the mother of an 11-month old called 911 to report her
child was not breathing. Hillary instructed the mother on how to perform
CPR. The child was successfully revived before the EMTs arrived on scene
and transported the child to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The child fully
recovered and was present with her parents at the Board meeting. We
listened to the 911 call at the Board meeting which was riveting to say the
least.
Sgt. Daniel Mack was presented with the Exceptional Duty Award after he
observed a person in a high state of agitation at the Barnstable Memorial
Airport while awaiting for a return flight to the island. Sgt. Mack, knowing
this individual was a suspect in several incidents on Nantucket, initiated a
conversation with him. The information that Sgt. Mack acquired enabled
detectives to obtain a search warrant for property at 12 Atlantic Avenue
where they located numerous items determined to have been stolen from
several Nantucket residences. Sgt. Mack’s willingness to get involved, even
outside his jurisdiction, resulted in the police department solving several
residential burglary cases that occurred over the summer.
Sgt. Kevin Marshall was awarded the Honorable Service Award for his work to
implement the Volunteers in Police Services program at the NPD. Since May,
2011 he has recruited and trained 12 citizen volunteers who have put in over
425 hours of volunteer service to date, a cost value of over $11,000 to the
Town. The VIPS volunteers serve the NPD with various administrative tasks
including such as working the front desk, contacting crime victims for follow-
up information purposes and assisting officers with small duties such as re-
stocking supplies. Sgt. Marshall is working on identifying other tasks where
the skills of the volunteers can be best utilized to support the NPD in
accomplishing its mission. Chief Pittman said these employees were all
recognized because they were willing to act when others couldn’t, wouldn’t,
or were not willing to accept the status quo and sought solutions and
alternatives to problems.
Community Events/News
Veterans Day
Ceremonies were held on November 11th to remember and honor our
veterans both those who returned from conflicts and those who did not. A
somber and sobering memorial was held at the Methodist Church followed by
a procession to the Veterans’ Memorial next to the Town Building. Thanks to
all involved. We are grateful for the services our veterans provided and
provide, to our country.
MV Iyanough
This from our Steamship Authority representative:
“Coming from Hyannis on Wednesday, November 23rd at 31 knots the
Iyanough was having a normal trip, not too bouncy, when she suddenly hit a
large wave that smashed in the luggage compartment doors. A huge blast of
water broke open all three doors and then washed back out.
Amazingly, the luggage was not soaked, and no one was injured, but the
boat had to go back to the shipyard to have the doors replaced, as they were
twisted and unusable.
Temporary repairs to the M/V Iyanough were completed at the Gladding-
Hearn Shipyard on November 29th. Only one of the doors to the luggage and
bicycle compartment area is functional. The vessel resumed her normal
operating schedule on November 30th with the 1:55pm trip from Hyannis.
Gladding-Hearn Shipyard and the Duclos family opened their yard so that
repairs could begin immediately. Carl Walker and Stephen Clifford of the SSA
worked over the holiday weekend to coordinate the necessary repairs at the
shipyard so that we could get the vessel back in service as soon as possible
and in time for the Christmas Stroll weekend. The rest of the staff also did a
great job in responding to this unfortunate situation. I appreciate everyone¹s
efforts.”
Nantucket Whalers Football Team Wins Division V Mayflower Small
League Super Bowl!
At its December 7th meeting, the Board recognized the Whaler Football Team
for its win at the Super Bowl on December 3rd. The team was acknowledged
with a slide show prepared by my Executive Assistant Erika Mooney; and, a
standing ovation.
DECEMBER TRIVIA QUESTION
Who was the one and only Snow King at the first Christmas Stroll in 1977?
ANSWER TO NOVEMBER TRIVIA QUESTION
In what year did Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard unsuccessfully attempt to
secede from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?
Answer: 1977
Correct answers submitted by:
Diane O’Neil
Barbara Gookin
Susan Balester
H. Flint Ranney
Jim Lentowski
Catherine Stover
Richard Ray
As always, ideas for future e-newsletter topics are welcome!