Tisbury selectmen approve town meeting warrants

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The Tisbury selectmen met Tuesday night to review late-filed articles and give final approval to the special town meeting and annual town meeting warrants. They completed the meeting in 27 minutes, unusually quick by Tisbury standards.

Three late-filed articles included a revised snow and ice bylaw, authorization for purchase of property off Holmes Hole Road to establish a water protection zone, and the expenditure of $25,000 to replenish the town’s fund to pay unemployment benefits.

Finance and Advisory Committee chairman Larry Gomez said the FinCom disagreed about whether to add a non-binding ballot question about the town’s continued participation in the Community Preservation Act (CPA). However, Mr. Gomez said in his opinion the question provided a good way to gauge voter opinion.

Selectman chairman Jeff Kristal and selectman Geoghan Coogan agreed. They asked town administrator John Bugbee to add a non-binding ballot question that asks voters whether the town should keep, reduce or eliminate the CPA tax, a 3 percent property tax surcharge.

The selectmen also accepted a $14,300 donation from Tisbury Waterways Inc. (TWI) for the town’s new state certified water-testing lab at the department of public works. Fred LaPiana, the department’s director, thanked Harriet Barrow and Pam Street, TWI board members who were present, for the generous gift. “Without their help, we would not have been able to do this,” Mr. LaPiana told the selectmen.

Selectman Tristan Israel was absent.