DUKES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Minutes
February 14, 2007, 5 p.m.
Administration Building
Call to order
Vice-Chairman Les Leland called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. A quorum was present. Commissioners Roger Wey, Carlene Gatting, and Lenny Jason were present as well as County Manager E. Winn Davis, and Jennifer Caton, Executive Assistant.
Other representatives or visitors present included Noreen Mavro–Flanders, County Treasurer; and Joanie Ames MVTV.
Minutes
Lenny Jason / Carlene Gatting Moved to adopt the amended minutes of January 31, 2007; SO VOTED (4-0-0), unanimous.
Amendment to the motion correcting Representative Turkington instead of Senator.
County Manager’s Report
Grants Update
Winn Davis reported that he signed off on a substance abuse prevention grant for the Youth Task Force. If the Task Force receives the grant they will use the money for a specialized web site that will be geared to teens and parents.
The Cape and Islands United Way has awarded $9,000 to the Vineyard Health Access Program for outreach.
Lenny Jason / Roger Wey MOVED to accept the grant funds of $9,000 from the Cape and Islands United Way for the Vineyard Health Access Program, SO VOTED, unanimous.
NACo Prescription Card Update
Winn Davis provided a report on the NACo Prescription Discount Card. He said 111 people are using the card for a savings of $3,100 in the month of January. He said in total almost $10,000 had been saved since the start of the program.
Charter Study Update
Winn Davis reported that the office space for the Charter Study Commission had been cleaned out and was available.
Winn Davis announced that there has been a delay in the approval of the Charter Study Commission's Budget at the State level. He said that Chairman David Westervelt of the County Government Finance Review Board (CGFRB) had been summoned to the Governor’s Office on the same day that CGFRB had their meeting planned and the meeting had to be rescheduled.
Beach Management
Winn Davis said this is a very busy part of the year concerning beach management. They are currently looking for a grant from NACo and Five Star. The grant is for up to $20,000.
Hamstern Update
Winn Davis reported that he has received numbers from Dr. Cook that he needs to validate. He said originally from the meeting with the Health Agents, the numbers of honey wagons traveling off island would be decreased because they were being de-watered on island. According to Dr. Cook the Steamship Authority says the number of honey wagons going off island has increased dramatically. He said if those numbers are correct then the Hamstern would be more financially interesting.
Subcommittee Reports
Washington DC Update – Roger Wey
Roger Wey provided a brief report on his trip to Washington DC. He said he was there for the Legislative Conference, which is sponsored by the national Conference for Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) from February 5- February 8th. He explained that while he visited Capital Hill. He had appointments with the offices of Senator Kennedy, Senator Kerry, and Congressman Delahunt where he was able to meet with their staff. They discussed issues regarding the MV Airport and the FAA agreement. He said they were impressed with the packets that he was able to present to them. Roger relayed that they will be contacting Donna Witte to try to resolve the issues with the FAA. Roger said he discussed a Grant from the Department of Health and Environment for a program for substance abuse for adults. The grant is for $500,000 for a 3-year period.
Other topics of discussion were legislation to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision on behalf of the Dukes County Contributory Retirement System and issues with restoration of the bluffs on East Chop Bluffs for the Town of Oak Bluffs.
Roger said if he attended the conference next year, he would be happy to bring any issues from the County and towns for presentation.
Charter Study Commission Work Group Updates
Winn Davis reported on the Process Work Group. He said the Work Group was working on the language regarding consensus. He said the Information Work Group meetings have been cancelled. The Work Plan Work Group met and agreed to create five subcommittees to study the County how it exists currently. Each of the subcommittees will study one of the departments. He explained that the members on these subcommittees would be drawn out of a hat on camera.
New Business
Joanne DeBettencourt Retirement Relief
Noreen Mavro-Flanders explained that the Retirement Board has requested that Senator O'Leary re-file legislation to correct Joanne DeBettencourt's pension benefit. The only way to correct it is through legislation.
Lenny Jason / Roger Wey MOVED to request Senator O'Leary's office to re-file the legislation regarding Joanne DeBettencourt's Retirement Relief, SO VOTED, unanimous.
Old Business - Appointments
Policy on Interviews and Invitations (See Attached)
There was a discussion regarding the legal obligations and process of appointments to the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority and the Dukes County Health Council. It was determined that the County has the obligation to make the appointments, but is not required to hold interviews. It was decided that because the Towns and Health Council perform the screening and interview process, there was no need to duplicate the process. Although interviews would not be required an invitation to meet with the County Commissioners would be strongly encouraged.
Roger Wey / Carlene Gatting MOVED to adopt the Policy on Appointment Interviews dated 2-9-07 for the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority and Dukes County Health Council, SO VOTED, unanimous.
Airport Allocation Update
Winn Davis provided an update. He said he responded to the FAA with the information they requested on January 30, 2007. He said he called Donna Whitte to follow up and she is on vacation and would be returning next week. They are just currently waiting for the FAA to review the information.
New Business
John Jones – Applicant for Cape Light Compact (Tabled)
Discussion Eastville Beach Strategy (Tabled)
Request Sen. O’Leary to re-file the Land Bank Bill 1st time Home Buyers Exemption
Winn Davis explained that the Land Bank Bill would provide a floating rate exemption of $100,000 - $300,000 for first time homebuyers.
Lenny Jason asked if the Land Bank supported the Bill. Winn Davis explained that they did and the last time they reviewed it was two years ago. Carlene Gatting pointed out that the way it is represented the Bill sounds like the exemption would be not less than $300,000. She recommended that the Land Bank review it as a condition of the motion for re-filing.
Carlene Gatting / Lenny Jason MOVED to re-file the Land Bank Bill 1st time Home Buyers Exemption subject to the Land Bank's review and support, SO VOTED, unanimous.
Presentation of Contract with Wood’s Hole Group for State Beach
Winn Davis presented the contract between the County and the Woods Hole Group for State Beach management. He disclosed that he knew David Aubrey. He said David Aubrey was a client of a former partner, but he has had no contact with him in a few years.
Carlene Gatting pointed out that the Woods Hole Group has done an extensive study on Cow Bay Beach, which adjoins State Beach. She would like to see a provision included that the information derived from the Cow Bay Beach Study be used in the study for State Beach without duplication of charges to the County.
Carlene Gatting said she would look into receiving permission from the Cow Bay Corp. to use the information from their Beach Study.
Carlene Gatting / Roger Wey MOVED to accept a contract with the Woods Hole group for the management plan of State Beach, with the provision that the Woods Hole Group does not duplicate charges to the County for information that could be obtained from the Cow Bay Beach study, SO VOTED, unanimous.
Other Business
Bylaw Changes for Dukes County Health Council
Winn Davis distributed recommendations from Tad Crawford to change the bylaws for the Dukes County Health Council. Winn Davis explained that the bylaw changes would be put on the February 28 agenda.
West Tisbury /Engineering Invoices
Les Leland asked Winn Davis for an update on the West Tisbury Board of Selectmen's position with the Engineering Department invoices.
Winn Davis explained that he sent them a letter answering their questions regarding the Engineering Department and Rodent Control services.
It was decided that Winn Davis and would try to get on the West Tisbury Selectmen’s agenda for their February 21 meeting to try to resolve the dispute over the Engineering Department invoices. Roger Wey recommended that Les Leland attend the meeting with Winn as well.
Budget
Roger Wey asked what the schedule was on FY 08 budget. Winn Davis said that he hoped to have the budget on the March 14 agenda.
Ongoing Projects
Carlene Gatting asked that Emergency Management be added to the list of ongoing projects.
Correspondence
· U.S. Census Bureau
· Letter to David Westervelt
· Powers & Sullivan
· West Tisbury Board of Selectmen
· Slaughterhouse Regulations & Application - File
Public Comment
None
Calendar~
· The Dukes County Charter Study Commission meets February 22 at 5 p.m. at the VTA Administration Building.
· The next meeting of the Dukes County Commissioners will be Wednesday, February 28, at 5 p.m. at the Administration Building.
· The Slaughterhouse meeting will take place on February 22, 2007 at 10a.m in Walpole
· The New England Farmers’ Direct Marketing Conference will be on February 28- March 1, 2007 in Sturbridge.
· The Vineyard Stakeholders Group to Promote Locally Grown Products will meet Tuesday, March 6th at 4:30 at the MVC.
· Various meetings of Workgroups of the Charter Study Commission to be posted
· Barrier Beach Task Force Meeting, Friday the 4th of May 2007, at 9:30 a.m. at the County Administration Building.
Adjournment:
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned the meeting at 6:16 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by:
_______________________________________
JOSEPH E. SOLLITTO JR., Clerk of the Courts
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