HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Managers Newsletter - 2011 02 08
From the Desk of Town
Manager Libby Gibson
FEBRUARY 8, 2011 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2
Town of Nantucket
16 Broad St.
Nantucket, MA 02554
P: (508) 228-7255
F: (508) 228-7272
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Fiscal Year 2012 Budget
Town Administration presented its recommendations to the Board of
Selectmen on December 8, 2010 and to the School Committee on December
14, 2010. The Board had some discussion about the budget during its
December meetings, held a public hearing regarding the budget on January
5, 2011 and adopted its recommended budget on January 19, 2011. The
recommendations were presented to the Finance Committee on January 24,
2011. The Finance Committee spent most of its January meetings reviewing
individual departmental budgets and other financial items for Town Meeting.
On February 2, 2011, Town Administration provided the Committee with an
update on proposed department consolidations for FY 2012. Currently, we are
working on the specifics of transition plans for each of the three
consolidations and are meeting with various community groups and town
agencies to explain them further. Associated collective bargaining
negotiations are also on-going. The consolidations represent a departure from
the way in which the Town has traditionally conducted business. Such
changes can be difficult to implement for a variety of reasons, including
uncertainty as to how much of a change the final outcome will be; loss of
fellow employees from the workplace; and the actual change in terms of
different work operations. We are working to take all of this into
consideration as the consolidations proceed.
2011 Annual Town Meeting
The 2011 annual town meeting warrant was adopted by the Board on
February 2, 2011. The Finance Committee began its review of citizen warrant
articles in December and continues its review of all warrant articles
throughout February and into March, with adoption of its motions in early
March. The Committee will hold a public hearing on all warrant articles on
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 6:00 pm at the Nantucket High School
Cafeteria at 10 Surfside Road at which public comment will be heard.
Town Projects and Other Events
Civil War Monument Restoration
At the 2010 annual town meeting, voters authorized the use of $60,000 of
Community Preservation funds to restore the Civil War monument at the
intersection of Main, Milk and Gardner Streets. The monument has been
professionally cleaned and restored, the granite posts have been reset, along
with the installation of iron bars linking the granite posts. The metal railings
that had been part of the monument in recent years were actually not
original features of the monument. Below, is the monument shortly after its
construction in the 1880’s.
MONUMENT AFTER RESTORATION
Proposed Madaket Wind Turbine
The Energy Study Committee, with the assistance of Town Administration,
sponsored a public information meeting on January 31, 2011 for Madaket
residents and other interested parties regarding this proposed project which
is now proposed to be two 900 megawatt turbines vs. one 1.6 mw turbine.
Review and analysis of the project is continuing and will culminate in a
recommendation to the 2011 annual town meeting for funding.
Solar Projects
The Board was given an update on three solar array projects which are
currently in development, at its January 19, 2011 meeting.
Legislative Visit
Representative Timothy Madden and newly elected Congressman William
Keating and State Senator Dan Wolf visited the island on February 4, 2011
and among other activities, met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss
various issues of concern or interest. The legislators also met with the public
following the Board meeting at Sherburne Commons.
Employee News and Accomplishments
The Nantucket Civic League sponsored a forum on January 31, 2011 entitled
"Meet the Conservation Commission and Historic District Commission", which
was a presentation by HDC Administrator Mark Voigt and Conservation
Commission Administrator Dirk Roggeveen, followed by a question and
answer session. It was very informative and Mark and Dirk did a great job.
Art Gasbarro, a local surveyor with Blackwell Associates was also featured.
FEBRUARY TRIVIA QUESTION
In what year was the current Nantucket Atheneum built?
JANUARY TRIVIA QUESTION
What is a Sally Port?
The layman’s answer: Sally port...that’s where they bring the
prisoners/misbehaving folks into the police station and the doors shut so they
can’t escape.
The technical answer: The primary modern meaning for sally port is a
secure, controlled entryway, as at a fortification or a prison. The entrance is
usually protected in some way, such as with a fixed wall blocking the door
which must be circumvented before entering, but which prevents direct
enemy fire from a distance. It may include the use of two doors such as with
an airlock. Many times they are driven through secured garages designed to
pick up and drop off arrestees.
Correct answers from:
Pam Meriam
Catherine Stover
Jim Lentowski
Diane O’Neil