Special Town Meeting on November 6, 2021

Warrant & Explanations Special Town Meeting

November 6, 2021 A.D. 1:00 PM CCC Basketball Court 

2/3^rds Vote Article 1.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $950,000, to pay costs of procuring and installing a cold-climate heat-pump system, additional insulation, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto at the Chilmark School, and that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §7(1), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, only if the Up Island Regional School District Committee, the Town of Aquinnah, and the Town of West Tisbury approve and join in a Inter Municipal Agreement authorizing this HVAC project and providing for the apportionment of costs. Any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with M.G.L. c. 44, §20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

The Chilmark School was built in 1999 with two oil-fired furnaces. Only one is operating today.  Please see the attached project cost estimate.

2/3^rds Vote Article 2.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $5,500 to pay costs of civil engineering  services for the Fire Station at 3 Menemsha Cross Road and the EMS building at 399 Middle Road, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto, which amount shall be expended for this purpose in addition to the $640,000 previously appropriated for architectural design services under Article 15 of the Warrant for the 2019 Annual Town Meeting and under Article 2 of the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting October 28, 2019, and that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §7(7), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor.  Any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with M.G.L. c. 44, §20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This was an additional project cost for the Fire/EMS building project.

9/10ths Vote Article 3.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $16,588.26 for bills of a previous fiscal year to the following:  John Collins $12,768, Vineyard Land Surveying $2,642.85, C. Kurth & Sons $927.41, Rhymes/MV Propane $250.

 Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

These are obligations of the town that have not been paid because they were received after the close of the 2021 fiscal year on July 15.  They require a town meeting vote to pay.

2/3^rds Vote Article 4.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $35,000 from the Fire Stabilization Fund for the purchase of a 4x4 pickup truck for the Fire Department, including expenses related thereto.

 Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

The Fire Chief had obtained a surplus SUV through the state fire marshal's office to use for fire department business.  This vehicle has proven to be a necessary part of the fire department fleet.  It carries various testing, safety, and fire fighting equipment as well as personnel.  It is used by the Fire Chief and the duty officer to respond to fire alarms and other calls for service.  This pick-up truck would replace the SUV the Fire Department has been using with a more reliable vehicle that also has four wheel drive.  As it is coming from the Fire Stabilization Fund, it requires a 2/3rds vote

Article 5.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $2,500.00 to pay for two replacement windows on the North Road Fire Station, including expenses related thereto.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

The North Road Fire Station was built in 1992.  The Building Maintenance Supervisor feels it is time to replace these two windows.

Article 6.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $4,500 to pay for a line-painting machine for the Highway Department, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This would allow the Highway Department to paint parking lot and traffic control lines when and as necessary.  Previously a vendor ccame from off-island once a year when they were doing work for other island towns. This has not worked out scheduling-wise every year and many requests came this summer after the vendor window had closed.

Article 7.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $33,000.00 to replace the Charter Dock floats in the South East corner of the basin, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

See attached Harbor Memo.

Article 8.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 from the Waterways Improvement account to complete maintenance dredging and piling replacement in Menemsha Basin.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

See attached Harbor Memo.

Article 9.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $4,500.00 to replace three power pedestals on the Transient Yacht Dock, and to meet this appropriation to transfer $3,560.13 from the Waterways Improvement Account and $939.87 from available funds in the treasury.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

See attached Harbor Memo.

Article 10.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $12,000.00 to purchase software upgrades/licenses for the town computer network, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This would fund the purchase of the digital rights to use various common business software (MS OFFICE, Outlook, etc) as part of a plan to improve and repair the town's current email system to replace a software called Mailer Daeomon.

Article 11.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $26,000 to perform upgrades to the computer network at the Town Hall, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This would address network security issues, upgrade old switches and network appliances, and conduct a system security audit & necessary training.

Article 12.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $12,000.00 to make repairs to the Lucy Vincent Beach road and parking lot, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This would do a regrading of the Lucy Vincent road and parking lot to maintain its current integrity during these times of more severe and more frequent heavy weather events.

Article 13.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $36,000 to fund the Town’s share of a $271,000 project by the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group to replace the seawater supply lines at the John T. Hughes Hatchery and Research Station, with the proviso that any funds remaining at the completion of the seawater lines replacement shall be returned to the Town.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

See the attached memorandum from the MV Shellfish Group.

Article 14.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $3,500.00 to fund two extra hours a week for the Board Administrator to provide support for the Public Safety Building Committee during the project and other committee assignments expected in calendar 2022.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This is to staff the Fire/EMS building project after Chuck's retirement.  Once this project ends, we will be shifting coverage to include the Energy Committee/Climate Working Groups with administrative support.

Article 15.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $5,000.00 to fund a share of the local match for a $298,346 Coastal Resilience Grant “Storm Tide Pathways Project” administered by the MV Commission.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

Please see the MV Commission memorandum attached.

Article 16.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $41,114.92 to fund the Town’s share of an additional $321,713 for the West Tisbury School Roof Replacement project, provided that all three member towns approve their related request.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

Please see the attached letter from the Superintendent of Schools.

Article 17.  To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds in the treasury the sum of $25,000 to fund the implementation and annual cost of an online permitting system for town departments, including expenses related thereto.

  Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

During COVID-19 the town improvised to maintain all services and process taxes, applications and permits.  One area that we were asked to improve was the online permitting process (where it exited at all) and our treasurer encouraged the Select Board to look at integrated systems.  We joined with Edgartown to broker a deal with Granicus Software to provide a digital citizen engagement platform GovService.  The annual cost during our three year contract is $10,000.  Our new Board Administrator Alison Kisselgof has been pursuing grant funding to help with eligible costs.

Article 18.  To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $14,500 from the Sale of Cemetery Lots fund to purchase and install a fence along the King’s Highway at the Abel’s Hill Cemetery, including expenses related thereto.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

The Cemetery Commission feel a fence is desirable to maintain the border between the cemetery and the private home lots with a simple fence.  This fund is restricted to use for certain cemetery functions.

2/3^rds VoteArticle 19.  To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $200,000 from the Highway Stabilization Fund to repave, repair, and improve sections of paved town public roads.

Recommended by the Finance Advisory Committee - 6 Ayes - 0 Nays – 1 Not Present

This is planned to pay for the repaving of sections of town roads that are most in need of repair next spring when the paving plant reopens.  Possible sections are:  the Basin Road, the intersection of Basin Road and North Road, older sections of Middle Road & the Menemsha Cross Road. Unlike state highway aid, these funds can be used for shorter sections of road (like the North and Basin intersection) that are in need of repairs.