Tisbury selectmen learn it’s not easy going green

0

The Tisbury selectmen got a “roadmap to becoming a green community,” in a presentation at their meeting Tuesday night at the senior center. The process will take time.

Technical program officer Kari Hewit of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) outlined a summary of five criteria Tisbury must meet in order to be designated a green community and a timetable to achieve them.

A green community designation would allow Tisbury to apply for grants through a state program to finance all or a portion of the costs of studying, designing, constructing, and implementing energy-efficiency activities. Funds may also be used to finance siting and construction of renewable and alternative energy projects on municipally owned land.

Ms. Hewit’s presentation was part of free planning assistance provided by the state Department of Energy Resources’ Green Communities Division to Tisbury and other eligible towns and cities seeking a green community designation.

Given the involved process and time it will take, Tisbury’s goal is to apply to DOER for designation as a green community next spring, Ms. Hewit said. Selectman chairman Jeff Kristal said the Tisbury planning board would be key to the designation process.

In other business, the selectmen approved police department policies submitted by police Chief Dan Hanavan two weeks ago. The policies address stops and frisks, search and seizure, criminal offender record information (CORI), arrest protocol, custody, use of force and use-of-force reporting, vehicle pursuit, and in-car video cameras.

Based on the shellfish advisory committee’s unanimous vote at a meeting last week, shellfish constable Danielle Ewart recommended changes and additions to Tisbury’s shellfish regulations. These include prohibiting shellfishing in areas where there is an abundance of seed, and reducing the family permit limit to one-half bushel of soft-shell clams and quahogs combined, per week.

The selectmen will hold a public hearing on the shellfish regulations on September 21, at 5:15 pm.