HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-9-13
ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS
Meeting at 8:30 A.M. held September 13, 2002 in the
Conference Room at the Town Annex Building
1. Present: Louis Bassano, Trig Cooley, Roger Ernst, Suzanne Mueller,
Jim Treanor, Joan Wofford, and Richard Wolfe.
2. Call to Order: The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
with a quorum present.
3. Approval of minutes of meeting of 9/6/02. Without objection, the
chair declared the minutes of the previous meeting approved as
distributed.
4. Discussion of draft letter to Town Administrator.
The Chairman read for all a message from Bill Sherman indicating
that he had interviewed Randy Norris, Liz McIsaac and the RMV staff
and then prepared the letter under review. He also advised the
members of his conversation with Fred Jaeger re the administration
of the rental vehicles at the airport, and reported the latter's
assertion that they checked all vehicles closely as they received
revenue from the operation. Ergo, if there is a problem, it occurs
elsewhere than at the airport.
It was suggested, and agreed that the letter should have the
following changes made before being sent:
Add a paragraph regarding 4WD vehicles to say that the ACNVT had
not looked at the issue, in part for the reason that an effective
Committee on Beach Management is seized of the question.
Delete the first subparagraph which states "Retain the current
bylaw without change", on the basis that we have not seriously
studied it.
Add a paragraph stating: "While we believe that the number of 4WD
vehicles should be reduced, were this not adopted as a goal by
the BOS, then cause rules of usage to be issued and given to each
renter in written form, have such rules posted at suitable
locations, e.g. Smith Point. Action should be taken to accompany
the rules with a schedule of penalties for infractions of the
rules. As an example, "No vehicle shall be driven in the water,
nor through the beach grass nor up or down the dunes other than
by recognized passages." Violations shall incur a monetary fine
of significant size, perhaps ranging from $100 to $1000.
The Committee authorized the Secretary pro tem to sign the letter on
its behalf, for the Chairman, when ready to be sent.
5. Regarding the matters listed under #4 of the agenda:
a. The Chairman reported that the letter to the BOS re the ACNVT
bylaw had been delivered to the Town Administrator's office on
August 26, 2002. As of 9/12/02 no reaction had been registered to
him or to the Secretary.
b. The matter of traffic congestion was not addressed - left for the
'03 agenda if that is the wish of the BOS and/or the ACNVT at
that time.
c. Somerset Development. The ACNVT did not opt to take a position
for expression at the proposed Special Town Meeting to be held
this Fall. The ACNVT will plan on reviewing the matter of
affordable housing in more depth in '03. However, ACNVT members
I
did voice the following points for consideration: there is a need
for affordable housing not only for year-round persons and
families but also for seasonal staff and employees. Consideration
should be given to an idea used in other communities of attaching
a tax on all land transfers with the proceeds going into a "Land
Bank" type account for assisting in the development of affordable
housing, not just looking to developers and those who buy in new
developments to assist in covering the costs of affordable
housing - since the entire community benefits, not just those who
live in the particular development, as is the case in the
proposal by the Somerset Group.
The possibility of having a "package" of relevant materials,
produced by various groups on this matter sent to members for
study before next summer was posed and the matter entrusted to
the Secretary.
d. The issue of standardizing the definition of what constitutes a
'resident' was placed on the agenda for '03.
e. The matter of the roles of the BOS and of the TA (Town
Administrator) and of the item on the "Possibility of a Summer
Town Meeting in '03" are dealt with in a draft letter which the
ACNVT reviewed, and with several changes in wording and tone, as
well as to reflect the status of ACNVT action on the rental
vehicle matter as covered earlier in these minutes, is to be sent
to the BOS by the ACNVT Chairman during the week of 9/16/02.
f. Other Matters: Members offered observations on the functioning of
the Steamship Authority and suggested the need for the Authority
to avoid micromanaging the SSA - allow the CEO to be such, and
noted the possibility that the BOS might desire to offer a
"resolution" to this effect to the members of the Authority.
Note was made of the possibility of the sale of the land owned by
UMASS, and the undesirability of such was voiced and agreed by
all.
6. Methods for keeping touch, and establishing the date of the next
meeting. It was agreed that each member would advise the Secretary
of their addresses and locations/travel plans for the period from
now until members return to Nantucket in the early summer of '03,
both to facilitate communications and to permit the Secretary to
schedule a meeting(s) as might be feasible and needed.
7. The cancellation of the proposed seminar on "Conflict of Interest"
scheduled for 9/19/02 was announced per the request of Liz McIsaac
made to the Chairman orally on 9/10/02.
8. The meeting adjourned at 9:42.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger Ernst, Secretary pro tern
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