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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Managers Newsletter - 2011 12 12 From the Desk of Town Manager Libby Gibson DECEMBER 12, 2011 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 11 Town of Nantucket 16 Broad St. Nantucket, MA 02554 P: (508) 228-7255 F: (508) 228-7272 Contact Us! Town of Nantucket Website Newsletter Archives Subscribe to the Newsletter Please note: The Board of Selectmen is not currently scheduled to meet on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 Town Administration News and Updates Fiscal Year 2013 General Fund Budget Town Administration presented its FY 2013 budget recommendations to the Board of Selectmen at its December 7th meeting for a balanced, “live-within- revenue” budget. While the budget is tight and does not allow much in the way of anything new, enhanced, expanded or in some cases the timely continuation of a particular program, it also doesn’t compromise Town services and doesn’t require the deep cuts that many cities and towns have had to implement over the last couple of years. Several proactive measures taken over the last three years have enabled us to avoid difficult cuts and maintain services, such as adoption of the local meals tax and increase in room occupancy tax in 2009, increased utilization of revolving funds for eligible services and costs, the hiring freeze enacted in 2008, and the department consolidations in 2011. Without these measures, the Town would have been faced with a much more challenging situation for FY 2013. The Board of Selectmen will be reviewing the budget at its weekly meetings into January, with a public hearing on January 4th and presentation of its recommended budget to the Finance Committee on January 23rd. 2012 Annual Town Meeting The 2012 annual town meeting is scheduled to start Saturday, March 31, 2012. Seventeen citizen warrant articles were submitted by the November 14th deadline. The Board has started to discuss articles it will include on the warrant and is scheduled to adopt the warrant on January 25th, with any ballot questions for the April 10, 2012 annual town election. The Finance Committee will be reviewing citizen articles and capital requests in December. Health Insurance Reform Legislation At its meeting of November 9, 2011, the Board voted to adopt the procedure contained in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32B, sections 21-23. This Law, enacted by the State Legislature in July of 2011, allows municipalities to implement certain specific changes to municipal employee health insurance without formal collective bargaining negotiations, but through a specific and detailed process which involves the identification of cost savings, changes and other information to the unions. This process will proceed over the next several months. Preliminary anticipated cost savings exceeds $500,000, 25% of which must be used for a mitigation plan for those most adversely impacted in the first year. Coastal Management Plan At its meeting on November 2, 2011, the Board voted to “support a process, continue to develop the erosion control plan, hold public hearings, seek public input, and have a deadline of January 31, 2012 for consideration by the Board of that document". Town Administration has since scheduled a public forum for Monday, December 12th at 4:00 pm in the second floor Training Room of the Public Safety Facility. Draft coastal erosion management principles for Town-owned property have been developed and written public input is welcome until January 6th. There has been a bit of public debate/discussion over whether or not the Board of Selectmen should adopt a Coastal Management “Plan” or if “Principles” are sufficient, as related to Chapter 67-1C of the Town Code. That discussion is on-going. The Board will have a public hearing regarding the Plan on January 18th. Board of Selectmen Wastewater Action Plan The Board of Selectmen held a meeting on November 17th with representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection and the consultant for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, to review a report on Madaket Harbor and Long Pond and the Total Maximum Daily Loads for the various associated estuaries in Madaket. Discussion occurred at the meeting about ways in which to reduce or eliminate nitrogen loading from these areas, including sewering portions of Madaket and reducing/removing “the Hill” at the landfill. As previously reported the Board will be seeking funding at the 2012 annual town meeting for an update to the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan which will address options and alternatives to addressing the island’s wastewater needs, including Madaket. Employee Recognition Nantucket Police Department Three Nantucket Police Department employees were recognized for good work by Chief William Pittman and the Board of Selectmen at the November 16, 2011 Board meeting. Dispatcher Hillary Ray was presented with the Life Saving Award after the mother of an 11-month old called 911 to report her child was not breathing. Hillary instructed the mother on how to perform CPR. The child was successfully revived before the EMTs arrived on scene and transported the child to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The child fully recovered and was present with her parents at the Board meeting. We listened to the 911 call at the Board meeting which was riveting to say the least. Sgt. Daniel Mack was presented with the Exceptional Duty Award after he observed a person in a high state of agitation at the Barnstable Memorial Airport while awaiting for a return flight to the island. Sgt. Mack, knowing this individual was a suspect in several incidents on Nantucket, initiated a conversation with him. The information that Sgt. Mack acquired enabled detectives to obtain a search warrant for property at 12 Atlantic Avenue where they located numerous items determined to have been stolen from several Nantucket residences. Sgt. Mack’s willingness to get involved, even outside his jurisdiction, resulted in the police department solving several residential burglary cases that occurred over the summer. Sgt. Kevin Marshall was awarded the Honorable Service Award for his work to implement the Volunteers in Police Services program at the NPD. Since May, 2011 he has recruited and trained 12 citizen volunteers who have put in over 425 hours of volunteer service to date, a cost value of over $11,000 to the Town. The VIPS volunteers serve the NPD with various administrative tasks including such as working the front desk, contacting crime victims for follow- up information purposes and assisting officers with small duties such as re- stocking supplies. Sgt. Marshall is working on identifying other tasks where the skills of the volunteers can be best utilized to support the NPD in accomplishing its mission. Chief Pittman said these employees were all recognized because they were willing to act when others couldn’t, wouldn’t, or were not willing to accept the status quo and sought solutions and alternatives to problems. Community Events/News Veterans Day Ceremonies were held on November 11th to remember and honor our veterans both those who returned from conflicts and those who did not. A somber and sobering memorial was held at the Methodist Church followed by a procession to the Veterans’ Memorial next to the Town Building. Thanks to all involved. We are grateful for the services our veterans provided and provide, to our country. MV Iyanough This from our Steamship Authority representative: “Coming from Hyannis on Wednesday, November 23rd at 31 knots the Iyanough was having a normal trip, not too bouncy, when she suddenly hit a large wave that smashed in the luggage compartment doors. A huge blast of water broke open all three doors and then washed back out. Amazingly, the luggage was not soaked, and no one was injured, but the boat had to go back to the shipyard to have the doors replaced, as they were twisted and unusable. Temporary repairs to the M/V Iyanough were completed at the Gladding- Hearn Shipyard on November 29th. Only one of the doors to the luggage and bicycle compartment area is functional. The vessel resumed her normal operating schedule on November 30th with the 1:55pm trip from Hyannis. Gladding-Hearn Shipyard and the Duclos family opened their yard so that repairs could begin immediately. Carl Walker and Stephen Clifford of the SSA worked over the holiday weekend to coordinate the necessary repairs at the shipyard so that we could get the vessel back in service as soon as possible and in time for the Christmas Stroll weekend. The rest of the staff also did a great job in responding to this unfortunate situation. I appreciate everyone¹s efforts.” Nantucket Whalers Football Team Wins Division V Mayflower Small League Super Bowl! At its December 7th meeting, the Board recognized the Whaler Football Team for its win at the Super Bowl on December 3rd. The team was acknowledged with a slide show prepared by my Executive Assistant Erika Mooney; and, a standing ovation. DECEMBER TRIVIA QUESTION Who was the one and only Snow King at the first Christmas Stroll in 1977? ANSWER TO NOVEMBER TRIVIA QUESTION In what year did Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard unsuccessfully attempt to secede from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts? Answer: 1977 Correct answers submitted by: Diane O’Neil Barbara Gookin Susan Balester H. Flint Ranney Jim Lentowski Catherine Stover Richard Ray As always, ideas for future e-newsletter topics are welcome!