HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-8-10ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS
Minutes of meeting 10 A.M., SATURDAY, August 10, 2013, at
4 Fairgrounds Road n
1. Attending: Howard Blitman, David Brown, Roger Ernst, Lucas
Fischer, Don Green, Sue MatloM Steve Meader, Bill Fe&anjqay
Strauss, Jim Treanor and Tony Walsh - -- a quorum; atRo gwstn
Town Manager Libby Gibson (from 10:01 to 10:57 a.j�.).
2. ACNVT Chair Howard Blitman called the meeting tol)r&Fat o
10:00 a.m. declaring a quorum present. The minutes o€thOuly 20,
2013 meeting were approved. m
3. Town Manager Libby Gibson, fresh from participating in work of
the Clean Team, offered a report of her current activities, as she
had presented at the recent Summer Forum. Of Town
Administration relations with the ten unions, 5 are in contract
negotiations. For new Town employees, no automatic salary steps
are envisioned. Last year's COLA was 3 %. A study of
compensation comparables should help.
4. A Special Town Meeting planned for 11/4/13 is needed to adjust
the FY2014 budgets of the two water companies and Our Island
Home (enterprise funds). FY2014 revenues were budgeted as
projections of FY2013 revenues but actual revenues have fallen
short. So budgeted expenditures need to drop correspondingly.
5. Citizen - sponsored articles for the STM require 100 voter
signatures to go on the warrant.
6. State aid to the Town is a variable set only after the Town budget
is adopted at Annual Town Meeting, about $1.5 million for
FY2014. That is mostly for the schools.
7. Town real estate changes under consideration include proposals to
relocate the Cottage Hospital to a site on Wannacomet Water
Company land and the Fire Department station to the 4
Fairgrounds PSF.
8. With an engineering study of tank farm relocation to the Airport's
industrial zone, a question arises whether the Town/Airport should
lease long -term or sell the new tank farm site to the operator.
9. In Madaket the FAA property, almost 100 acres, cannot be
acquired by the Town at no cost since no wastewater treatment
facility is planned to qualify. Many endangered species make
development problematic. The Town could benefit from setting
aside some 25 upland acres as potential mitigation for loss of
wetlands.
10. An issue with the Town's Comprehensive Wastewater Treatment
Plan is how best to allocate costs of needed big sewer projects - --
equal thirds home by current users, new hookups and the Town's
general tax levy. Septic "tight" tanks are not allowed for year -
round residences, e.g., to address problems in Madaket and Squam.
I I.For solid waste management, a negotiated renewal of the contract
with Waste Options is contemplated. The Town's energy
consultant is considering merits of a possible plastics- to-fuel
conversion pilot program.
12.Town Administration building space needs are being studied for
possible relocations and for better long -term maintenance.
13.Planned for a BOS September Wednesday workshop is a meeting
with the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce on promotion of
tourism.
14.The Town's Department of Energy Resources is concerned that
National Grid's current two electric power cables from the
mainland, with —20 -year service life, will in 5 — 8 years need
supplementing with a third.
15.Howard Blitman expressed concern about the MOU between the
BOS and the SBPF, questioning replacement road and utilities
issues, such as who pays for betterments, access, also impacts of
project mobilization. Further details from SBPF are needed, e.g.,
quantities of sand. Libby Gibson responded that no Town funding
is committed by the MOU.
16.Libby, as part of a labor team with Assistant TM Gregg Tivnan,
with heads of DPW, NPD, NFD and Human Services, are
coordinating proposed changes in health insurance for the Town,
schools, water companies and airport. Concurrence of ten
employee unions will be sought.
17.Responding to Tony Walsh, Libby said Town Counsel is used
selectively in labor issues to hold legal costs to - <$100,000 /yr.
Under a State mandate to use a qualified retirement system, the
Town continues to rely on Barnstable's. Only —6 MA towns have
no unfunded liability, a long -term goal for Nantucket.
18.Because of new (construction) growth, the Town expects greater
revenue. Revenue is up from the meals tax and from the Room
Occupancy Tax. Extending the latter to seasonal home rentals is
gaining support in towns on the Cape. BOS support might be
greater if such increased ROT revenue was for a specified purpose.
19. Sue Matloff questioned whether NFD water -tank trucks needed
heating in winter, e.g., to extinguish a fire like a recent home fire
in Tom Nevers. [After the meeting, the NFD response: heating was
not needed.]
20.Bill Sherman expressed concern that ACNVT has little prospect of
representing concerns of very wealthy summer residents unless
members hear them via friendship networks. He also asked Libby
to reconsider her new policy of restricting (re)appointments to
ACNVT based upon the Committee's name as distinguished from
the non - restrictive text of the enabling Town bylaw. (Afterwards,
Libby left the meeting.)
21.Don Green joined by Sue Matloff returned to concern about the
Town's employee health insurance and the possibility of further
cost savings, also how older employees or retirees transition to
Medicare. After discussion and upon motion made, seconded and
passed unanimously, Chair Howard Blitman appointed a
subcommittee of Jim Treanor, Don Green and Jay Strauss to
discuss Town health insurance and retirement funding with Gregg
Tivnan and report findings to ACNVT.
22..Sue asked that the Secretary provide members with an updated
address list.
23.The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Sherman, Secretary
Draft minutes e- distributed and submitted to Town Clerk 9/4/13
Minutes adopted 9/7/14, hard copy submitted to Town Clerk 9/11/13