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Home My WebLink About2008-07-25 ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS Minutes of meeting 10:00 A.M., SA TURDA Y, June 21, 2008, in the 2 Fairgrounds Road Conference Room. 1. Present: Howard Blitman, David Brown, Roger Ernst, Bill Sherman, Jay Strauss, and Jim Treanor. 2. Chair Howard Blitman called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. ~he minutes of the 9/29/07 meeting were approved subject tQ: ratificatIOn. ( ~ 3. Our Chair recalled the long and able service to ACNV'f1>y Te$ Sutphen, noting his untimely death earlier this year. A period of~ silence was observed. ::;:::. 4. ACNVT initiatives of summer 2007, resulting in letters dated fr<m1 9/20 to 10/3/07 from our Chair, were next discussed, namely: ~ - Letter enclosing and asking BaS response to ACNVT's 9/30/06 request that listed interests of summer residents be kept in mind while implementing island auto limitations - Letter asking the BaS with the Planning Department to bring the use of future secondary homes into conformity with the Nantucket Zoning Code's statement of their purpose - Letter supporting HR 3155 which would allow the Town to gain added revenue by levying seasonal vacation rentals (not sent because ACNVT members were not of one mind) - Letter urging a zoning change to address the practice of stripping a development site of all its native vegetation - Letter strongly endorsing a department head position to assure regulatory code enforcement and compliance - Letter noting Chatham's strong efforts on behalf of its summer residents and expressing hope that planning might get underway for a 2008 Nantucket seasonal residents' summer town forum. 5. No BaS response to the above has reached ACNVT. Discussion centered on the proposed summer town forum for which much enthusiasm was expressed. Bill Sherman expressed hope that the forum could affirm the support of summer residents for Town expenditures - if well spent - to fix island problems. 6. With the arrival of selectman Allen Reinhard (also Chair of the Town's Roads and Rights of Way Committee), discussion shifted to the state of the Town. Allen affirmed the strength of the current BaS (which recently reset its goals and objectives with more focus) and of Town Administration under Manager Libby Gibson, noting her recent stint at the Kennedy School of Government. Our new Assistant Town Manager Malachi Rice was cited for his legislative experience and Masters in Public Administration. 7. The BaS is pressing to get the Town audit current by year end, aided by the consulting firm, the Abrams Group, also generally to strengthen Town government and to make progress on quality-of-life issues (see BaS website for BaS goals for 2008). 8. The Planning Board seems amenable to BaS policy, currently displaying better communications. (Specifics of the proposed code enforcement czar were not stated.) Encouraging progress on area plans was noted, preliminary to an island-wide master plan. 9. The Downtown Revitalization Committee is looking at parking, auto limitations, the NRTA 'greenhound' terminal, and upgrade of the island's Steamship Authority terminal layout. 10.Results ofa long effort by the Roads of Rights of Way Committee will be presented to the BaS soon. (See its website http://www .nantucket- ma.gov/Pages/NantucketMA _ BComm/rowcom) 11.Allen spoke of the challenge and importance of BaS committee appointments, scheduled for the upcoming week. (For appointments made, see the I&M or the BaS web site http://www.nantucket- ma.gov/Pages/NantucketMA BOSMin/) 12.Answering a question, Allen expressed hope that a change in Marine management might help in layout of an in-town bike path running toward the Milestone rotary. Shuttle bus service from satellite parking areas is already available. Signage might help motorists' awareness. 13.Responding to a question about ACNVT's ability to get selectmen's attention, Allen thought all ACNVT letters were available to each selectman. He encouraged ACNVT members to attend regular BaS meetings on Wednesday evening to participate in the Public Comment segment at the start. BaS responsiveness has been evidenced in adoption of ~25 of the 52 recommendations of the Town Government Study Committee (which Allen headed) out of some 33 directed toward the BaS. 14.Howard expressed interest in a blog or other means to report positives about Nantucket, e.g., the success of top students in their college applications. He went on to express thanks on behalf of ACNVT for the work of Allen and the BaS in meeting the complex demands of their jobs. 15.After Allen's departure, ideas were explored for the next ACNVT meeting, set for July lih at 10 a.m. in the 2 Fairgrounds conference room. For summer forum, code enforcement, and other concerns, Libby Gibson or Malachi Rice were favored. At a later meeting Rick Atherton could offer insight as a new selectmen with deep FinCom involvement in Town finances. 16.Interest in hearing more about Dreamland theater plans was expressed (perhaps from Wendy Schmidt). 17.The meeting was adjourned at 11 :30 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Bill Sherman, Secretary Proposed agenda items to carry over to further summer 2008 ACNVT meetings: . Summer Town Forum for early August 2008 - or 2009 . Code enforcement czar . Zoning for secondary dwellings . Zoning to curb clearing all native vegetation from a development site . Auto limitations, e.g., any progress by the Downtown Revitalization Committee . Meeting with NHA and NHO representatives on island housing · Position on extending guest house room occupancy tax to vacation home rentals - or other alternative Town revenue sources . Developing ACNVT website