HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-8-09
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Advisory Committee of Non-Voting Taxpayers
Committee Meeting Minutes
Meeting of ACNVT held August 9,2002, in the Nantucket High School conference room
Present: Howard Blitman, Roger Ernst, Ellen Roman, Bill Sherman, Jay Strauss, Terry
Sutphen, Helene Weld and Joan Wofford. Others: Rick Atherton and Jim Treanor
Call to order: Chairman Ernst called the meeting to order at 10:06 a.m. with a quorum
present. Without objection, the Chair declared the minutes of 7/26/02 meeting approved as
distributed.
ACNVT Mission Statement: Chair Roger Ernst mailed our Mission Statement to the Board
of Selectment with his cover letter dated 8/2/02 (copies distributed prior to the meeting).
Because of the few months of a summer when the ACNVT can meet on island, Ellen urged
that the Mission Statement - once accepted by the Board of Selectmen [now expected at their
8/14/02 meeting as item #3(1) sometime after 7 p.m. opening in second-floor courtroom] - be
continued year-to-year. Otherwise, much ofthe summer may pass before the ACNVT is
agreed on its focus and takes effective action.
For scheduling future meetings in 2002 and 2003, members planned times on island will be
surveyed at the next meeting.
Town's Capital Planning Rick Atherton, Chair of the Capital Program Committee and
member of the Town's Finance Committee, upon ACNVT invitation, spoke about the
Town's funding of infrastructure projects. Typically, after bids are in and a winning bid
selected, vote on a bond issue is taken to Town Meeting. Debt service for the bond is derived
from the real estate tax levy. With Town budgets so tight, typically a Proposition 2 Y:z%
override is voted at the ballot box for bond funding.
No-interest loans from State or Federal sources are unlikely in the foreseeable future. While
the Town continues to study alternative funding sources, prospects are dim for raising large
sums - unless enabling legislation can be obtained from the State. Increasing Town fees
could only yield an estimated $250,000 per Roger. The home rule petition to enable an island
1 % sales tax has been pending on Beacon Hill for about 1 year without action. The proposed
tax on seasonal vacation rentals has met State-level opposition. Impact fees charged against
new home construction have not yet been enabled under State law.
Specifically as to payment for the recently constructed sewer line extension into Monomoy, a
decision has not yet been made whether to impose betterments charges against Monomoy
households potentially or actually served by the public sewers. If some are charged, a
question remains how distant from the installed lines might households be upon which
charges should be imposed. All users of public sewers could be burdened with the total or a
share of the costs; alternatively, the cost burdens could be put on the real estate tax levy.
Howard and Terry noted the high prospective cost of bringing island septic systems into
conformity with the State's Title V health code, at least judging by the recent 45% failure
rate of septic systems checked concurrent with changeover of property ownership. Eight
failed septic systems are considered the source of Pol pis harbor pollution. Howard noted the
financial impact on non-resident taxpayers, and Terry noted the prospect of near $100 million
cost for all the needed wastewater treatment upgrades.
Given the Town's experience of multi-year delays between start of wastewater treatment
plant design and completion of construction, a question was raised how in-
Town development would be impacted as the Surfside plant runs out of capacity. Allocations
of hook-up permits between affordable housing projects and other new home construction
might prove difficult. New subdivisions might install package treatment plants, putting off
cost of a later hook-up to the Surfs ide plant.
Reacting to Rick's report that Nantucket bonds are rated "A", Howard noted the resulting
higher interest rate than would go with a higher rating.
Other concerns Roger was asked to present to the Board of Selectmen the Committee's
concern about harbor water quality (leaving to the Nantucket Land Council the technical
issues associated with harbor water).
Roger reported a request from Planning Director John Pagini for support ofthe safe routes to
school program. Some $21,000 of funding is needed - obviously not available through
ACNVT. The effort would help alleviate school-time traffic and provide a healthy alternative
to private auto transport. Bill will call Jenny Garneau of the School Committee.
Next meeting: The next ACNVT Meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 23d at
the Town Annex Conference Room at 37 Washington Street (across from Town pier-
parking limited). Members who are not able to attend, please notify Roger Ernst.
The meeting was adjourned at 11 :28 an .m.
Respectfully submitted,
William R. Sherman, Secretary