Tisbury selectmen approve William Street closure on Halloween

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To ensure the safety of trick-or-treaters on Halloween, the Tisbury Police Department plans to close a portion of William Street to motor vehicle traffic on October 31, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. The street will be closed from Spring Street to Woodlawn Avenue. Colonial Lane, Church Street, and Center Street from Franklin Street north to Main Street, also will be blocked off to prevent entrance onto William Street.

The Tisbury selectmen approved Police Chief Dan Hanavan’s request for the street closing at a meeting Tuesday, October 18. They asked him to advertise the closing and call neighborhood residents to inform them beforehand.

In other business, the selectmen held a public hearing and approved the town’s participation in a joint application with Oak Bluffs for a federal Community Development Block Grant for housing rehabilitation and childcare subsidy funds.

They also approved contracts for $14,443 from Plan B Construction of Barrington, RI, to add a dormer and deck to the harbormaster’s building, and for $130,000 from Alpha Contracting Associates of Dedham for sealing town hall’s building envelope and repairing and replacing clapboards around the exterior.

In addition, the selectmen approved a request from artist Julia Kidd to place a sign with a positive message at the Lake Tashmoo overlook for two weeks as part of an Island-wide project. They also appointed Nevin Sayre to the dredge committee and Douglas Asselin Jr., as a temporary assistant shellfish constable.

In the town administrator’s report, John Bugbee provided answers from town counsel regarding questions asked by business owners about one-day beer and wine permits and seasonal licenses.

Mr. Bugbee said town counsel advises that the selectmen do not have the ability to change regulations to permit one-day licenses because their authority to issue the licenses was granted by special legislation. In answer to questions from business owners with seasonal licenses, town counsel said they could not revert to “bring your own bottle” status after the season ends.

Under department reports, emergency services facility building committee chairman Joe Tierney said construction is progressing and the building would be close to substantial completion in two to three weeks.

In follow-up to previous discussion, the selectmen agreed to sign off on a post-closure use permit application to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, provided there are no issues raised by the board of health. The application’s approval is required for a project by the Cape Vineyard and Electric Cooperative to install solar panels at the town’s capped landfill.

Tisbury health agent Tom Pachico raised questions about the project at a previous meeting, which Mr. Bugbee said were answered by town counsel and an engineer Mr. Pachico contacted. He did not follow up with any more questions since, Mr. Bugbee said.

The selectmen voted to go into executive session at the meeting’s conclusion, which they stated was for the purpose of hearing a complaint brought against a public officer.