Chilmark Board of Selectmen January 23, 2014 Meeting Minutes
Present: Chairman Warren Doty, Jonathan Mayhew, Bill Rossi, Tim Carroll, Virginia Jones,
Jen Delorenzo, Cynthia Hill, Lynn Christophers and an MV Times reporter.
At 12:04 PM Chairman Doty called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Chairman Doty said that Jonathan Revere passed away Sunday night. Jonathan Revere was our town’s videographer for all of the Selectmen’s meetings, and he will be greatly missed. Mr. Doty said he has a great memory of when Jonathan Revere ran for Selectmen in West Tisbury. Part of Jonathan’s campaign was a broom strapped to the roof of his car representing a clean sweep. The Selectmen all agreed that Jonathan Revere was a man with character.
Minutes:
Draft minutes from January 7, 2014 were reviewed, corrections were made. Mr. Rossi moved to approve minutes as corrected. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
MLR Memorandum of Understanding:
Tim Carroll said that the Housing Committee submitted a final draft of the Middle Line Road rental apartments Memorandum of Understanding. Mr. Carroll said this MOU is essentially what happens to the rental funds collected. Mr. Carroll said that the Molly Fender Housing Trust is meeting soon to review and approve of this MOU.
Mr. Rossi moved to approve the Middle Line Road rental apartments Memorandum of Understanding as presented. Mr. Doty seconded the motion. Mr. Mayhew said he was abstaining as his family’s land abuts the property mentioned. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes 1 Abstain
Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival:
Jen Delorenzo and Cynthia Hill from the MVFF presented the Selectmen the plans for the March 2014 Film Festival. Jen Delorenzo said that the MVFF is seeking the use of the Community Center as it has for years but with some additions this year. Ms. Delorenzo said this year they are adding a kids movie on Thursday night then the regular all day and night Friday – Sunday with set up and clean up days. The dates requested are March 10 -17. Ms. Delorenzo asked that the selectmen consider a rental reduction. Discussion ensued.
Mr. Rossi moved to approve this event as presented with a $600.00 rental fee. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
ACE MV:
Chairman Doty said the Selectmen’s Office received a letter from the Superintendent of Schools
referring to the amount the town would have as a Special warrant to support the Adult & Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard for the coming year. Mr. Doty said the letter was vague and that he would like more clarity on the plan.
Mr. Rossi said he supported the plan that Edgartown Selectmen have of reviewing the ACE MV business plan prior to initializing a special warrant for Town Meeting. No action was taken.
Dredging Menemsha Channel Update:
Mr. Carroll gave a summary of the last meeting in Aquinnah: The Tribe and Aquinnah Town Selectmen are in favor of the dredging plan but Mr. Scheffer our Shellfish Constable is strongly against unless there is evidence it will be beneficial to Chilmark’s scalloping industry.
Mr. Carroll said that the dredging has to be done by next October for the funding to work. The Army Corp of Engineers has Hurricane Sandy relief funds that would pay for the dredging, but it has to happen soon for the funds to work.
No action was taken; Selectmen’s office is waiting for more data to come prior to a decision being made.
MIIA Chilmark Insurance
Mr. Carroll said that there is up to $5,000.00 rebates available each year if our Town departments participate in the MIIA Insurance trainings. Mr. Carroll asked if the Selectmen would support having the department heads participate to help save the town money (up to 8% reduction in fees for the insurance policies)
Mr. Mayhew said to send this out to the departments as not mandatory but recommended by the Selectmen. Mr. Rossi supported department heads participating in saving the town money.
Parker Lawsuit:
Mr. Doty said he has spoken to people and knows the cost of an appeal is great but the Town feels strongly enough to pursue an appeal at the State Superior Court. Mrs. Jones asked what this appeal is about. Mr. Doty said that a resident at Squibnocket Pond requested using pesticides to rid the phragmites on their pond front property. Chilmark Zoning Officer Lenny Jason enforced the town bylaw and denied the use as it goes against our town bylaws. This resident has sued the town and the town lost. Mrs. Jones thanked the Selectmen for their action and as Chairman of the Planning Board in West Tisbury she is interested in having a similar policy in West Tisbury.
Mr. Rossi moved to move forward with this appeal. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion
SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Squibnocket Beach Project:
Mr. Doty said that in the last Selectmen’s meeting minutes the Selectmen had approved up to $7,000.00 for Vineyard Land Surveying engineering expenses but is moving to changing this figure to $7,500.00. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Harbor Department:
Harbor Administrative Assistant Virginia Jones said that Harbormaster Dennis Jason has recently had cataract surgery so she is here tonight with the updates to the Mooring list and Slip lists. Mrs. Jones reported that 14 mooring holders did not renew this year allowing 14 people on the waiting list to get one. Mrs. Jones said there was also a slip turned over but the Harbormaster recommended that the Selectmen wait to see what the USCG Boathouse building looks like prior to making any decisions. Mr. Carroll said that slip has always been an awkward area and supported waiting.
At 1:00 PM Mr. Rossi moved to adjourn. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Meeting Adjourned
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Approved 02/04/14
| 
