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Monday, May 20, 2013

By Steve Myrick
Published: April 9, 2009

A $24.1 million operating budget, beach and dredging projects, a complete revamping of the animal control bylaw, and $770,000 worth of Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects await Oak Bluffs voters who will gather for special and annual town meetings on Tuesday, April 14.

The special town meeting will begin at 7 pm, at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center, to be followed immediately by the annual meeting.

The operating budget includes three percent raises for nearly every town employee. The town is contractually obliged to make these pay adjustments, according to the terms of union contracts with police, teachers, and administrators.

Large salary increases for the town administrator and the town clerk may draw the attention of voters.

Town administrator Michael Dutton, who currently earns $99,900, would see his salary increase to $117,000, a pay hike of 17.1 percent.

Town clerk Deborah Ratcliff, who currently earns $64,147, would see her salary rise to $74,360, an increase of 15.9 percent.

Ron DiOrio, chairman of the selectman, said those increases are intended to address past discrepancies. "I don't think it's going to be an issue," he said. "Everyone has bought into the compensation study that we have implemented across the board. Both with the clerk and with Michael, it's just bringing them in line with what we agreed to do. In Michael's case, he's not had an increase in two years, and it still places him below what the compensation study says we should do. It's the same with clerk."

There are three Proposition 2.5 override articles in the warrant, to fund county pest control and healthcare services. But town officials expect to amend those articles on the town meeting floor, so they are funded within the operating budget, with no need for an override.

The budget is level-funded to the dollar from last year's spending plan. In order to fund employee raises and higher school and police budgets, selectmen opted to sharply reduce the highway department budget, a budget strategy that met sharp opposition from the financial advisory committee.

Last year's special and annual town meeting carried over four nights, much of it taken up by voters demanding greater detail in the town's operating budget. Town officials have promised to make the spending plans more understandable and more detailed at this year's meeting.

"We have broken out the entire budget," said town administrator Michael Dutton. "All of the 'other charges and expenses,' are being laid out with a lot more detail. In those departments where there are $5,000 of 'other charges,' they can see the six or seven things that's going to pay for."

Waterfront

Voters will decide several issues that affect town beaches and Sengekontacket Pond.

Among the articles submitted by petition is a request to borrow $500,000 to dredge a channel in Sengekontacket Pond, between big bridge and little bridge. Supporters say the channel would promote better water circulation through the salt pond, to improve water quality. Sengekontacket Pond has been closed to shellfishing for the past two summers, because of higher than acceptable levels of pollution. Because the article involves borrowing, it needs a approval of two-thirds of town meeting voters, followed by a majority of voters at the town election on April 16. "The question really is not whether it should be done," said Mr. DiOrio. "I think everyone agrees it should be done, but it's whether we should go out in this economy to do the borrowing."

One of the CPA projects before voters is a $75,000 request for additional engineering studies for repair of coastal banks and beaches. Also among the CPA projects is $15,000 for improvements at Eastville Beach.

On the special town meeting warrant, voters will be asked to transfer $15,000 from ferry fees and other funds to improve drainage from storm water runoff and construct ramps for disabled access to the beach along Sea View Avenue.

The CPA committee has recommended $300,000 in funds for a complete restoration and handicap accessibility of the clay brick bathrooms near the Steamship Authority terminal.

Church vs. state

Several members of the financial advisory committee have signaled their objection to CPA committee recommendations involving money funded by tax dollars for church projects. The committee is recommending $24,000 for restoration of colored glass windows in the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association Tabernacle, under the provision of the law that allows historic preservation. The committee also recommends $24,000 for window replacement in the Trinity Methodist Church.

Dog rules

In a town of dog owners, no restructuring of animal control laws is likely to escape a spirited debate.

The new bylaw defines a dog at large as one that "is not under immediate control of owner via lead restraint or first call command." It would deem a dog to be a public nuisance if it is not under the owner's immediate control on beaches, parks, and public or private roads. Also declared a public nuisance would be dogs over the age of six months that are not wearing an appropriate collar with license and rabies tags. Owners would be subject to orders or fines.