HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-9-7ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS
Minutes of meeting 10 A.M., SATURDAY, September 7, 2013, at
4 Fairgrounds Road
1. Attending: Lou Bassano, David Brown, Roger Ernst, Don Green,
Steve Meader, Bill Sherman, Jim Treanor and Tony Walsh - -- a
quorum; also guests NRTA Administrator Paula Leary and
Transportation Planner Mike Burns, plus Joan Bassano.
2. ACNVT Vice -Chair Jim Treanor called the meeting to order at
10:00 a.m. declaring a quorum present. The minutes of the August
101, 2013 meeting were approved.
3. Paula Leary began by recalling the history preceding the present
Nantucket Regional Transportation Authority. Early proposal of
bus service goes back to 1897. The idea was revived in 1977 and
voted by the 1995 ATM. Paula became Administrator in 1997.
NRTA is a body politic established in 1986 under MA law (MGL
c. 161B of 1973) and is currently under the MA Department of
Transportation. It is one of 15 regional transportation authorities in
the state. With a —$1.2 million budget, fare revenue (including for
passes) accounts for $370,000.
4. In addition to the regular NRTA shuttle buses (the Wave), NRTA
provides a service for the disabled and elder called Your Island
Ride, a door -to -door two -van service. 2012 passenger boardings on
the Wave were almost 270,000. About 10,000 one -way trips were
provided on Your Island Ride.
5. The NRTA sells season passes to town employers for their
employees, easing demand for core district parking.
6. Paula provided members present with a 15 -page power -point type
printout complementing the above. In its summary of FY 13
expenses and revenues, it showed local assessment of Nantucket
taxpayers as $338,080. Bill Sherman asked if NRTA would
welcome further revenue from the Town, e.g., from an extension of
the MA Room Occupancy Tax beyond guest houses to seasonal
home rentals. NRTA would welcome further funding to extend
routes and other services, for example, to Tom Nevers. Paula noted
that the NRTA Wave alleviated traffic congestion by replacing
some 250,000 passenger vehicle trips. Information, e.g., on park -
and -ride at the elementary school, the Muse, the Box, and the
Faregrounds restaurant, is available at http: / /www.nrtawave.com.
7. Transportation Planner Mike Burns spoke of the new Hummock
Pond Road bike path. Funding is now committed for extending the
Prospect path from Mill Hill to Joy Street (to get bikers off
Prospect and Quaker to continue on the Madaket Road bike path).
8. For the in -town path along Washington and Lower Orange Street,
MASS DOT will hold an on -island public hearing at 4 p.m. on
September 26th at the PSF Training Room. The road layout is wide
enough two directions of bike travel plus a sidewalk - -- which
would require moving or undergrounding utilities. Formidable
issues faced by extending a path along the old r.r. bed were taken
up at a BOS Wednesday workshop 9/4/13. Lou Bassano urged
signage at the Milestone rotary: "walk your bike."
9. Mike provided members present with the following handouts:
9/6/13 "In -Town Bike Path," "Proposed FY2014 Capital Project:
Mill Hill Lane Path," and "Proposed FY2015 Capital Projects:
Prospect Hill Bike/Pedestrian Improvements."
10. Our guests Paula and Mike were thanked for their able
presentations.
1 l.Don Green reported that the Town is forming a Compensation
Committee. He will be following its work. Town employees
reaching 65 go onto Medicare with Town support of supplemental
insurance. Married employees do not each need Town- supported
insurance. Don urged that the Town evaluate what an insurance
exchange could offer and involve island physicians in planning.
The Committee will also look into employee pensions.
12. The meeting was adjourned at 11:14 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Sherman, Secretary
Draft minutes a -dist ibuted and submitted to Town Clerk 9/1 /13
Minutes adopted6 /4, hard copy submitted to Town Clerk / /14
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