Selectmen Minutes

Aquinnah Select Board   

September 9, 2020

Minutes

This meeting was held via Zoom videoconference

Attending: Jim Newman (chairman), Julie Vanderhoop, Gary Haley, Sarah Thulin, Randhi Belain, Howard Goldstein, Jay Smalley, Paul Manning Jeffrey Madison (Town Administrator)

Selectman Newman called the meeting to order at 9:12 a.m.

Minutes Approved ( February 12, 2020; July 22, 2020 August 19, 2020)

Minutes were approved by the Board with no objections

Parking Regulations During Bass Derby

(Parking Regulations to Remain in Effect)

Board discussed past practice of relaxing parking regulations during the Bass Derby.  Jim indicated that he had received complaints from residents who are consistently prevented from parking at West Basin and Lobsterville due to “Resident Parking Only” spaces being taken up by non-residents.  After much discussion it was decided not to suspend parking regulations this year.

RFP for Architectural Services

(Board voiced conceptual approval)

Town Administrator gave a brief rundown on minimum needs in a upgrade to Town Offices, Town Hall and Library (as recently communicated by Rosa Parker, Librarian).  Covid-19 had affected 

Sale of Town-Owned Land/Kennedy Sale

(Board indicated support for sale of parcels)

Meeting took a turn where discussion of issues related to Kennedy land sale and effect on tax rate were discussed together. Sarah Thulin presented on behalf of the Land Bank saying that she could not overstate the importance of protecting the rare habitat contained in the land to be sold. She indicated that the Kennedy family wanted to conserve the property in a manner that would allow public enjoyment. According to Sarah the portion of Red Gate Farm to be transferred includes ½ mile of Atlantic Ocean beachfront and 1 mile of frontage on Squibnocket Pond.

Open Space Plan

(Board Endorsed Plan as Amended)

Sarah Thulin reviewed the Open Space Plan and pointed out some minor corrections. She asked that the corrections, that she discussed with Dan Doyle from the MV Commission, be made before the Plan is submitted to the State.  Jeffrey pointed out that the completed plan could not have been finished without contributions from Dan Doyle.

Special Town Meeting

(Agreed to consider STM on Tuesday, November 10, 2020)

Discussion of need for a special town meeting in November. There was discussion of whether the meeting should be indoors or outside. Decided after discussion to conduct the meeting on the tarmac at the Fire Station on November 10.

PARC Grant Reimbursement

(No action taken)

Town Administrator explained that the grant received from the State to partially fund the lookout area at the Cliffs had been closed. All requirements of the State had been satisfied and State funds received by the Treasurer.

Cancelled Check for Dinghy Permit

(No action taken)

An email from Theresa Levinson was read to the Board wherein she gave notice of an uncashed check in the amount of $80 she wrote to the Town for 2 dinghy permits. The check, issued in June, remains uncashed.

Squibnocket Pond Access

(discussed during the review of sale of Kennedy property)

Letter from Gary Robinson

(Board accepted Gary’s resignation as EMD)

Gary Robinson notified the Select Board that he will be moving off-island and will have to leave his position as Emergency Management Director. The Board thanked Gary, instructed the Town Administrator to write a letter thanking him for his service and wished him well as he moves to the mid-west.

Meeting was adjourned at 10:34 a.m.