FinCom & Selectmen FY18 Budget Hearing February 6, 2017 Meeting Minutes
Present: FinCom Members; Chairman Marshall Carroll, Susan Murphy, Bruce Golden,
Vicki Divoll, Adam DeBettencourt, Eric Glasgow and Rob Hannemann.
Selectmen: Chairman Warren Doty and Jim Malkin. Bill Rossi was not present.
Others: Tim Carroll, Ellen Biskis, Melanie Becker, Diana DeBlase, Isaiah Scheffer, and
Emma Green-Beach.
At 7:00 PM Chairman Carroll called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s meeting room.
#299 Shellfish Department:
Shellfish Constable Isaiah Scheffer presented this budget. This budget is flat other than
the 1% COLA. Mr. Scheffer said he has been focusing on expanding the propagation with the Assistant Will Reich who has been working out great. Mr. Scheffer said expanding the Assistant Constable to a year-round position has really worked well. Mr. Scheffer said they are working on Quahog propagation improvements and are seeing a better product.
Ms. Divoll said she noticed that not many people are harvesting the Great Pond on Chilmark side for steamers but that there are many. Mr. Scheffer said there are many steamers in that area.
Mr. Scheffer said this is the time of the year that he utilizes the line #5384 Propagation. This year he intends to purchase about 350,000 steamer seed and try a test spot near Burton’s Camp. Mr. Doty said that the budget line #5693 is MV Shellfish Assessment and the town purchases Oysters, Scallop and Quahog seed from MVSG using this line. Emma Green-Beach said the MVSG grows lots of seed but not steamers. Chairman Carroll thanked Mr. Scheffer for this presentation.
MV Shellfish Group (MVSG)
The MV Shellfish Assessment to Chilmark total is $37,000.00. Ms. Green-Beach supplied a breakdown of the FY17 and proposed FY18 budget for the MVSG. The total budget is $377,307.00 compared to $345,810.00 for FY17. The island towns are assessed 37,000.00 that remained the same as FY17. Ms. Green- Beach said the remainder of $155,307 is raised by writing grants and fundraising and donations. Ms. Green-Beach said director Rick Karney is retiring and the MVSG has reformed the management to have both Almandine and Emma co-Directing the MVSG.
Mr. Malkin said there is a wonderful event at the Harbor View this Saturday called “Romancing the Oyster” Ms. Green-Beach said we will be holding an oyster seminar prior to the dinning.
Discussion turned to the health of the Squibnocket Pond and what the MVSG is doing to help. Ms. Green-Beach has been working with ridge mussels as an aid to clean the pond. At this time the pond is not healthy and no shellfish should be taken. Chairman Carroll thanked Ms. Green-Beach for this presentation.
Minutes:
Draft minutes from 11/29/17, 1/24/17, 1/25/17, 1/26/17, and 1/30/17 were reviewed. some grammar and spelling corrections were made. Mr. Golden moved to approve minutes as corrected, Ms. Divoll seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: FinCom: 7 Ayes, Selectmen: 2 Ayes 1 not present
Draft Warrant Articles: Tim Carroll distributed a draft of warrant articles. Discussion took place.
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