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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Managers Newsletter - 2012 08 02 From the Desk of Town Manager Libby Gibson JULY/AUGUST 2012 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 7 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 Town Administration News and Updates Office Moves As of July 16th, the Code Enforcement offices located at 37 Washington Street (Health Department, HDC, Building Department) were moved to the municipal building at 2 Fairgrounds Road and have been consolidated with the other land-use offices into a department called Planning and Land Use Services (“PLUS”). The day-to-day administration of PLUS will be under the Director of Planning, who reports to the Town Manager for this purpose. There are several reasons to move the offices and consolidate them in this manner, including: -- an improved physical layout on a single floor with a central clerical area where staff can be co-located and cross-trained to assist the public -- extension of hours to 7:30 am – 4:30 pm during the work week so that the public may interact with staff at more convenient times -- professional and support staff will be in closer proximity and interaction and coordination can be achieved through one-stop shopping with increased cohesion and communication with agencies related to land use being under one roof -- the move also advances related goals to dispose of the Mooney Building at 22 Federal Street and eventually consolidate the Finance Offices in the Town Building campus. Current General Town Administration Activities Assistant Town Manager Gregg Tivnan and I attended the monthly Cape Cod Manager’s Meeting on July 12 held in Orleans. Topics of discussion included an update about wastewater litigation pertaining to the Cape; an update about a regional e-permitting grant, in which the Town of Nantucket is one of 5 pilot towns to get e-permitting software purchased and up and running by April of 2013. There was also a discussion about a Cape-wide effort to regionalize dispatch services, plus some collective bargaining issues. We always learn a lot at these meetings, there are some valuable discussions. A long-awaited report of the Attorney General’s office regarding the procurement practices of Nantucket Memorial Airport was received last week. The Board will discuss the report at its August 8 meeting. At the Board’s meeting on July 25th, the Board endorsed a timeline for a special town meeting to be held on October 22, 2012. The warrant will be open for citizen petitions from August 2 – August 16 at 4:00 pm. Citizen petitions for special town meetings require the signatures of one hundred (100) registered voters. Town Administration will be compiling the town warrant articles over the next month or so. Work Groups We recently established two long-term planning work groups: Our Island Home Long-term Planning Work Group and Sewer Planning Work Group. Both are subject to the Open Meeting Law and meetings will start shortly once the citizen members are appointed. A Space Needs Work Group is actively meeting regarding long-term municipal office space needs and its meetings are also posted in accordance with the Open Meeting Law. Town Administration staff with the assistance of its wastewater consultant, Woodard & Curran, is actively meeting with various community groups throughout the summer to update them on current wastewater initiatives, including the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan update and Phase II-B downtown sewer rehab project. To date meetings have been scheduled or held with: Nantucket Community Association, Nantucket Civic League, Advisory Committee of Non-voting Taxpayers, Hummock Pond-Cisco Association, and Madaket groups. Financial Management We are also currently working on a long-term financing plan for capital projects, with associated projected debt service schedules and tax rate implications, using various assumptions for the Board’s review this fall. The Finance Department is very actively working on the tasks that need to be accomplished for completion of the FY 2012 audit, which must be submitted to the Department of Revenue by November 1, 2012. Two weeks ago we received a Financial Management report which the Department of Revenue commenced at the Town’s request, in April. The Board will likely discuss the report in detail in September. Advisory Committee of Non-Voting Taxpayers I was invited for an annual visit with the ACNVT on Saturday, July 14th. I gave the group an update on various town projects, activities and initiatives, including space needs planning, long-term planning for Our Island Home, sewer planning, financial management improvements, operational changes and the offices moves. The Committee is very gracious and very willing to offer its expertise and knowledge in various areas to the Town. Several of the Committee members have skilled professional backgrounds, and all have a strong commitment to the island. The Committee generally meets on Saturday mornings throughout the summer. New Public Stairs Near Dionis Beach – (Contributed by Andrew Vorce, Director of Planning) Installation of the new public stairway at 39 Eel Point Road is the end of a long journey, testament to intergenerational visioning, planning and perseverance. The story begins in 1954 when the Town purchased land for what is now Dionis Beach for public recreational use. Other land purchases in the area and the availability of the surplus Radio Monitor site, a former federal WWII property, on Eel Point Road in the late 1970s led to the vision of a cross-Island Sound to Ocean greenbelt. Land Bank purchases assembled all of the remaining property except for one lot that separated the Radio Monitor site from the Dionis Beach property. Owned by a fiercely independent owner, a house was constructed on the intervening lot and the connection idea seemed lost. Negotiations about an easement were fruitless and by the mid 1990s the effort was shelved. This owner passed away a decade later and a new owner motivated by solving an access problem was open to discussion. In true Nantucket fashion, final details of an exchange of easements between the parties were resolved at a wedding (Dawn and Michael Holdgate’s) between the new owner and the Director of Planning, much to the chagrin of their companions. After several Town Meeting articles and legislative approval the Town granted a driveway easement over a small corner of the Radio Monitor site and received a walking easement connecting the public properties. The intervening lot was sold and new homes constructed but the new owner honored the agreement to construct a public stairway -- now completed and probably the nicest public stairway in Nantucket --maybe in all of New England! A granite public marker at Eel Point Road and improved path will be implemented this year. The route offers a fantastic view from the top of the dune and the ability to complete a strenuous loop from the Dionis Beach parking area -- check it out! Events The annual Senior Citizen of the Year event was held on June 28th at the Faregrounds Restaurant. There were two recipients this year: Randi Wight and Paul Connors. They were honored with a nice luncheon and gift bags, organized by Linda Roberts, Senior Services Director. At the event, it was announced that Linda will be leaving the Saltmarsh Senior Center this summer to take a position at Wannacomet Water. Linda’s presence at the Senior Center and personal touches with the seniors and others will be missed. We wish her all the best. Jan Davis of Wannacomet Water, retired in late June, following 34 years of service. Jan’s service to Wannacomet and the Town was publicly recognized at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on June 27th. Wannacomet hosted a small drop-in reception for Jan on June 29th. The annual Fourth of July Main Street events, with the traditional water fight between the Boynton Lane Fire Reserves and the Nantucket Fire Department went off as well as usual. These events are successful with the assistance of volunteer and Town employee help – a sincere thank you to all those involved! In other Fourth of July news, the Board had an update from the Police Department at its July 11th meeting regarding how the July 4th crowd control and underage drinking prevention efforts which had been extensively discussed with the Board at two prior meetings, preceding the 4th. Parking restrictions and other controls were put into place, maps of affected areas were reviewed and posted on the Town’s website in advance. Our office received mostly positive feedback from residents in the affected areas; however, others who wanted to access some of the areas expressed frustration at the controls. There is a balance that needs to be achieved to accommodate responsible beach goers, the concerns of the neighbors and while addressing irresponsible, illegal behavior which can occur at large beach gatherings. The Town was fortunate to have assistance from other law enforcement agencies: Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department personnel (thanks to Nantucket Sheriff James Perelman) and Massachusetts State Police troopers – all at no cost to the Town. On July 14, the Nantucket Civic League held a re-dedication of Mill Hill Park. The Park was donated to the Town, from the Civic League in 1920. The ceremony was supposed to have had Selectman Whitey Willauer as a speaker; however, state representative Tim Madden kindly stepped in on short notice, when it was learned that Whitey had passed away the prior evening. The Civic League engaged Annie Mendelsohn to prepare the attached, beautifully detailed map of the park. The Nantucket Community Association will be hosting its annual forum on Tuesday, August 7 at 9:30 am at the Great Hall of the Nantucket Atheneum. The Board members and I will each discuss a particular topic(s) for 5 minutes or so and then entertain a Question and Answer session. The forum is meant to give seasonal – and year-round – residents an opportunity to learn what types of projects, initiatives, plans the Town is working on. We also appreciate the questions and input from the audience. Board of Selectmen News and Updates The Board of Selectmen holds its regular Wednesday meetings twice a month in July and August: July 11, July 25, August 8 and August 22. The Board will revert to its weekly schedule on September 5. It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Selectman Whitey Willauer on July 13. Whitey was in the third year of his second term as a Selectman. He previously served as Chair and represented the Board on several other Boards, Committees and Commissions. He was also very active in several other community and civic groups. Whitey’s service to the Town was tireless and involved. We will miss him greatly. The Board members gave Whitey a nice tribute at its July 25 meeting, with each member saying a few words of remembrance. The Board of Selectmen will consider whether or not to hold a special election to fill the remainder of Whitey’s seat (expires in April, 2013) in August. Pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, seats which become vacant on the Board of Selectmen may only be filled by an election. The Board discussed its Goals for 2012-13 at its June 27th meeting and generally agreed to somewhat revise its current goals and to adopt revised goals at its August 8th meeting. NEW E-NEWSLETTER FEATURE “Get to Know Your Town Volunteers”. This new feature will ask a member of a Town board, committee or commission questions about their interest in serving and some other information about them. This month I talked with Jim Cooper who is currently a member of the Board of Health. Q: How long have you lived on Nantucket? A: 54 years Q: Where are you from, originally? A: Cambridge, Mass. Q: What is your job? A: General Contractor, Real Estate Broker, Property Manager. Caretaker Q How long have you served on the (committee, board, commission, volunteer position)? A: Starting my second year on the BOH Q. Have you served on any other Town boards or committees besides that one? A: I taught the GED High School Math Program for 17 years, from 1990 to 2007. Q: What interests you about serving the Town makes you want to be involved? A: Just a great feeling to give back to the town that has been very good to me and my family. Q: What is the most rewarding part about serving? A: Knowing that you are honestly trying to make Nantucket a better place to live. Q: What is the most challenging part? A: To listen to all sides of a discussion and keep an open mind before you make a decision on anything. And leaving all personal feelings out of any decision you make. Q: If you could change one thing about Town government, what would it be? A: I would really like to make it smaller. I know that is not going to happen, but it seems that people cannot move without getting a permit for everything they do. I know there must be checks and balances, but I feel sometimes it gets too invasive. Q: What is your favorite spot on Nantucket? A: I have lived all over the island in my 54 years, but I think that Tom Nevers East is the best place. I feel that it is the only private place left on the island. Jim Cooper (left) with his brother Richard. JULY/AUGUST TRIVIA QUESTION Why does the Town Clock ring 52 times, three times a day? JUNE TRIVIA QUESTION What is this dog’s name? (Hint: he works for the Police Department…) ANSWER: Bleck Answers submitted by: Diane O’Neil As always, ideas for future e-newsletter topics are welcome!