Town Committee on Squibnocket
Minutes
June 16, 2014
Chilmark Town Hall Selectmen’s Meeting Room
8am
Present: Jim Malkin (Chair, pro-tem), Allison Burger, Steve Flanders, Dan Greenbaum, Billy Meegan, Jane Slater, Janet Weidner, Ron Rappaport (ex officio)
Also Present: David Damroth, Barbara Lee, Wendy Weldon, Chris Murphy, Miles Jaffee, Tony Orphanos, Wendy Jeffers, Warren Doty, Margaret Maida, Tom Wallace, Jay Walsh
Introduction: Jim Malkin called the meeting to order and asked each member to introduce him/herself and describe experience and interest in serving on the Committee.
The amendment to Article 28 passed by Town meeting on April 28, 2014, and the letter of appointment of Committee members by Town Meeting Moderator Everett Poole, was noted as providing the mandate of the Committee.
Process: The Committee discussed how to conduct its work; a number of members noted that the work of the “Large House Subcommittee” of the Planning Board provides a strong example of the kind of process that is needed to address the difficult issues before the Committee. The Committee has before it the existing proposal developed by the Selectmen, as well as some alternative suggestions. All proposals will be reviewed, examined, and assessed. Elements of the issues to be addressed in a proposal (parking lot/beach erosion, etc) could be broken out and reviewed in more detail, possibly by Sub-committees.
Dan Greenbaum has created an engineering template to facilitate consideration of the various issues involved; this will be made available to the Committee, posted on the Town website, and will form the basis for the Committee’s discussion at its next meeting.
The Committee also noted that, once it has gained a clear overview of its task, it will be important to hold hearings at which various interested parties, including, but not limited to those named in the Moderator’s letter of appointment, can be invited to present viewpoints, concerns, priorities and proposals. In addition, the Committee will seek to engage meeting participants in discussing the work of the Committee.
The Committee will aim to prepare a progress report, which could include a range of possible options, to present to the fall Town Meeting, with a view to bringing a final report to the Annual Town Meeting in 2015.
Schedule of Meetings: The Committee decided to meet weekly on Tuesday mornings at 08:00 (8am) in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room at Town Hall.
Meeting Officers and Staff: Jim Malkin was nominated to be the Chairman of the Committee, the motion seconded and unanimously approved, with Jim Malkin abstaining. The Committee will seek to operate by consensus wherever possible.
Jim Malkin noted the importance of a scrupulously fair, open, transparent and inclusive process. He noted that Committee members could be approached to engage in deliberations outside of the meeting and stressed that interested members of the public should be strongly encouraged to attend Committee meetings, where ample opportunity for input will be provided; he then asked whether the Committee would like to designate a spokesperson. The Committee felt that the role of spokesperson resides in the office of the Chair.
Ron Rappaport noted that he had been appointed as an ex officio member of the Committee by Town Meeting Moderator Everett Poole. He will participate in the Committee’s meetings when possible, and will be available for consultation as needed.
A town hall administrative assistant will be appointed by the Selectmen to ensure that that minutes of meetings are produced, records of the Committee are kept and made available on the town website, and that all meetings of the Committee are duly posted in accordance with the Open Meeting Law. Email correspondence to the group will also be posted.
Discussion: David Damroth spoke to the need to include consideration of the effects of climate change and ocean level rise; Wendy Weldon concurred. He also suggested that the Committee examine Town leases. Tony Orphanos noted that the critical issue of access seemed central to any viable proposal, and that addressing this first would enable other elements of a solution to emerge. Chris Murphy spoke to the process and encouraged using the town website and actively engaging meeting participants. Members of the audience thanked the Committee for taking on this challenging and important task.
The meeting was adjourned at 09:00.
| 