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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-07-18 ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS Meeting at 9:00 A.M. held Friday, July 18, 2003, in the High School Cafeteria. 1. Present: David Brown, Roger Ernst, Ellen Roman, Bill Sherman, Jay Strauss, Duncan Sutphen, and Helene Weld. 2. Call to Order: The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. with a quorum present. 3. Without objection, the chair declared the minutes of the previous meeting 6/28/03 approved as distributed. 4. Our Chairman Roger Ernst introduced new member David Brown and David, in turn, spoke of his life before Nantucket, including links with the Newspaper Association of America (includes Ottoway/I&M) and his continuing consulting work. He mentioned current links with the editor of the Nantucket Independent. 5. After nomination of the following slate, motion was made, seconded and duly passed affirming the election of officers for FY04, namely: Chair Roger Ernst Vice Chair Terry Sutphen Secretary Bill Sherman Hope was expressed that a woman committee member might take the leadership in FY05. 6. Adopting the categories proposed by Finn Murphy, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, at our previous meeting, appointments were made to head the respective efforts: . Howard Blitman, Chair of the subcommittee to develop ACNVT recommendations for how to raise funds needed to cover the prospective capital costs for Town infrastructure, e.g., impact fees, betterments, and/or tax levy. . Jim Treanor, Chair of the subcommittee to develop ACNVT recommendations on undergrounding of utility wires. . Terry Sutphen, Chair of subcommittee to check on delay of state approval for wider use of Town compost. Terry will also contact and report on the proposals of the Nantucket Beach Foundation while seeking also the views of the ConCom. Bill Sherman reported results of his informal inquiry about whether recyclables were truly recycled after separation, answering that - yes - whether they reach the Waste Options facility in unsorted bags picked up by trash collectors or by citizens putting metal, glass, plastic and paper items in respective stations at the dump. Jay noted that the final step in recycling depends upon the market for what is collected. Fresh ideas for relocation of bulk fuel storage tanks away from the Core District, e.g., toward the airport, might best come from the Nantucket Land Council. 7. Terry Sutphen reported on the NSDC presentation through Alan AtKisson of results from its 'indicators' project for Nantucket. A written summary is available. 8. Ellen Roman expressed the view that appropriate issues for ACNVT include taxes, traffic, quality of life, and the like. Roger asked that members consider what our further focus should be, additional to those of Paragraph 6 above. 9. Regarding taxes Terry expressed his belief that, for many summer residents, island taxes were low; the focus of ACNVT should not revert to the year-round residential RE tax exemption. Continued gain in property values would be far more significant. 10. Jay Strauss expressed a preference that Town fees be earmarked for specific programs, not the general fund. Ellen Roman thought user fees warranted further study. She questioned what revenue the Town derived from the Stop & Shop. 11. Roger Ernst and Helene Weld questioned the impact on one's tax bill when neighboring properties are gentrified with attendant sharp increases in assessed values. Should ACNVT favor user fees when summer residents carry some 79% of the residential tax levy? Should the MA legislature's proposed head tax on day trippers be favored? 12. Ellen Roman thought of interest to ACNVT would be an update on litigation by non-residents in other states seeking a voting right. 13. Bill Sherman expressed interest in determining the balance between revenues flowing from Nantucket to the state government and, conversely, flowing from the state to Nantucket. Interest remains in deriving revenue for the Town from island seasonal vacation rentals. 14. Roger expressed interest in determining the extent to which mandates of state law resulted in Town government inefficiencies. Perhaps a consulting firm expert in municipal government would be worth engaging to expose inefficiencies or to affirm the soundness of current Town administration, perhaps to recommend some level of privatization. 15. Reflecting on the foregoing, Terry proposed that each ACNVT member share with the others by email what his or her island quality-of- life issues of most personal concern might be. The email is to be just one page and might include thoughts on how to get sufficient funding to sustain our quality of life. Concurring, those present asked that discussion of the results be an agenda item for the next meeting. [See also Terry's email of 7/25/03 proposing a six-step procedure.] 16. Ellen and Roger suggested that a distillation of ACNVT/summer resident interests and concerns be written up for the selectmen and perhaps the I&M and NI. The perception is that few on island know of the ACNVT or have an overview of summer resident concerns. 17. Among such concerns, Terry spoke of sustainability of quality of life, Roger of limits on growth, Jay on who pays for growth impacts, David Brown on the workings of Prop 2-1/2. 18. Terry received an o.k. to alert ACNVT members to the upcoming 20/20 Vision forum sponsored by the Nantucket Community Association, with the five selectmen and Town Administrator Libby Gibson as panelists discussing the challenges of growth. To be held at the Madaket Room of the Harbor House, the forum is set for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 5th. 19. After scheduling ACNVT meetings for August 1, 15, and 29 18th at 9 a.m. (in the High School conference room), the current meeting was adjourned at 10:25. Respectfully submitted, Bill Sherman, Secretary DATES OF INTEREST: AUGUST 1 9 A. M. ACNVT MEETS AT HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE ROOM AUGUST 5 7:30 P.M. AT THE HARBOR HOUSE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION VISION 20/20 SUMMER FORUM WITH SELECTMEN AUGUST 11 4 P.M. AT 'SCONSET CASINO CIVIC LEAGUE CENTENNIAL PROGRAM AUGUST 15 9 A.M. ACNVT MEETS AT HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE ROOM AUGUST 29 9 A. M. ACNVT MEETS AT HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE ROOM -l -". CD..t J> ~:._, :z:: ~,- 8 ::t:>> en o G r" (i"" ;:J;7 ~~ - .j::o. -0 . . - .....