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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Managers Newsletter - 2012 02 08 From the Desk of Town Manager Libby Gibson FEBRUARY 8, 2012 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2 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: -- Town offices will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2012 in observance of President’s Day -- The Human Services office has moved from 2 Bathing Beach Road to the Saltmarsh Senior Center Town Administration News and Updates Fiscal Year 2013 General Fund Budget Town Administration presented the proposed FY 2013 budget recommendations to the Finance Committee on January 23rd. The Committee has had numerous meetings with departments about the budget and will continue to formulate its budget and other recommendations for Town Meeting throughout February and into early March. Sewer Rates Following a public hearing on January 18th, the Board approved sewer rate increases. The average annual bill is expected to increase 20-25%. The new rates will be effective May 1, 2012. For at least the past two years, the prospect of sewer rate increases has been discussed by the Board during the development of the annual sewer enterprise fund budget. The FY 2013 sewer budget requires a rate increase without any new projects. Rate increases have been mitigated by the use of sewer retained earnings (fund balance) for several years but that is not sustainable, especially with new projects coming up that need to be started, including a downtown sewer rehabilitation project known as “Phase IIB”; and, an update to the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. 2012 Annual Town Meeting The 2012 annual town meeting is scheduled to start Saturday, March 31, 2012. The Board adopted the warrant on January 18th, with three ballot questions for the April 10, 2012 annual town election. The Finance Committee has begun reviewing warrant articles and will continue to meet throughout February and into early March to finalize its motions to the articles. The three ballot questions are debt exclusion overrides: 1) funding for the renovation of 20 South Water Street (old police station); 2) funding for the completion of a bicycle path along Hummock Pond Road; and 3) funding for a wind turbine at the Madaket landfill. These questions are preceded by Articles 11, 12 and 13 respectively, on the Town Meeting Warrant. The articles will be accompanied by motions from the Finance Committee which will include the amounts of the appropriations being sought. The 20 South Water Street renovation is expected to cost between $6,700,000 – 7,000,000 and would add approximately $54 per year for the 20-year life of the debt to the tax bill of an average residential property assessed at $1,500,000. The Hummock Pond Road bicycle path project is expected to cost approximately $3,200,000 and would cost the same average residential property about $30 per year for the 15-year life of the debt. While not factored in to these numbers at this time, the project cost is expected to be offset by private donations of at least $500,000. The wind turbine is expected to cost $3,500,000 and would cost that same average property $27 per year for the 20-year life of the debt. The turbine is expected to generate enough power to pay for itself over a period of time. The Energy Study Committee has developed a report on this; however, it is continuing to undergo review as to the assumptions and numbers. Community Service Visit On Monday, January 30th, I was visited by a group of Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and one Brownie who were working toward their community/public service badge. They received a tour of the first floor offices in the Town Building and then were lucky enough to meet with the Judge in the Court Room on the second floor. Quahog Day Six more weeks of winter, indicated Quentin the Quahog with a significant squirt to the left on February 2nd at the annual Quahog Day event at the Marine Department. However, he also predicted the Patriots would win the Super Bowl. So. Photo courtesy of Nicole Harnishfeger Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Conference Assistant Town Manager Gregg Tivnan and I attended the above on January 20-21 in Boston. It is always beneficial to touch base with one’s peers in municipal government. Among other events, we attended a health insurance reform act workshop, a social media workshop, a talk by State Police Colonel Marian McGovern and met with several of our colleagues about a variety of issues. Procurement Workshop Thanks to Diane O’Neil, Chief Procurement Officer, we were able to benefit from an all-day workshop on January 26th with representatives from the Inspector General’s office and Attorney General’s office, who explained and reviewed the various Massachusetts procurement laws under their jurisdictions. Over 50 town staff and officials attended. Town Project Update A long-awaited project along Nobadeer Farm Road which combines drainage improvements with a multi-use path has begun. The Town’s contractor for design of the project is local survey and engineering company Blackwell & Associates. Board of Selectmen Wastewater Action Plan Update At its meeting on February 8th, the Board will review a report from the state’s contractor for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project of modeling done in Nantucket Harbor as to the effect that sewering areas of Monomoy and Shimmo and raising the Jetties could be expected to have on the nutrient load (Total Maximum Daily Load “TMDL”) in the Harbor. The Board also has a joint meeting with the Board of Health on February 9th as to the possibility of an administrative consent order for property owners with certain types of septic system issues, in connection with future sewer projects. Lastly, we are seeking funding at the 2012 annual town meeting to update the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. FEBRUARY TRIVIA QUESTION Where is Rhoda Weinman’s dog, Frazier, going to be next week? ANSWER TO JANUARY TRIVIA QUESTION What kind of oil's viscosity remains constant at any temperature, and has been used in space programs for that reason? Answer: sperm whale oil Answers submitted by: Jim Lentowski Catherine Stover H. Flint Ranney Erika Mooney As always, ideas for future e-newsletter topics are welcome!