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Sunday, May 26, 2013

By Janet Hefler
Published: July 30, 2009

The Tisbury selectmen addressed some parking and planning issues and followed up on town projects at a meeting Tuesday night at the Katharine Cornell Theatre.

They also heard a preliminary report from consultant Robert Wasserman about the town's police department.

The selectmen approved some parking rule changes in response to interim police chief Dan Hanavan's requests. Chief Hanavan said that drivers had complained that parked cars along the shoulder of Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road block their sightlines for turning from Skiff Road.

The selectmen approved a no-parking regulation and the addition of a sign to that effect on the south side of Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road 40 feet from the Skiff Road intersection. They also approved changing the no-parking hours on Main Street to 12 am to 6 am. Fire Chief John Schilling reported that the DeSorcy Company is progressing on repairs to the fire station on Beach Road after a truck hit and damaged the building around 8 pm on Friday, June 19.

Chief Schilling said the driver of a small Chevy pickup truck said it lost its brakes as he drove down State Road toward Five Corners. After sideswiping a car, he veered his truck into the fire station to bring it to a stop and the impact knocked the entire northeast corner of the building off its foundation, Chief Schilling said. The driver and his passenger were not hurt.

Harbormaster Jay Wilbur said his department has been very busy, with the recent Vineyard Cup racing, the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club Regatta, and a bad storm. Since last weekend's Monster Shark Tournament took up much of the Oak Bluffs harbormaster's time, Mr. Wilbur said he responded to most of the calls on the Lagoon for both towns.

Selectman Jeff Kristal suggested that Mr. Wilbur confer with town administrator John Bugbee and town accountant Suzanne Kennedy to determine the extent and value of in-kind services he provides. Mr. Wilbur added that the there is a good relationship between both departments and a lot of give and take.

Emergency services facility (ESF) chairman Joe Tierney said plans for a proposed new building on Spring Street for the fire department, ambulance department, and emergency management services will be provided to a cost estimator on August 7.

The second half of a traffic study around the Tisbury School, which is located across from the ESF site, will be completed, with $10,980 in funds already allocated for the design phase.

Planning board co-chairman Tony Peak said after looking at all the options, the board recommends relocating the town hall annex offices to either a temporary trailer or a new building on the DPW property off High Point Lane.

Mr. Peak, co-chairman Henry Stephenson, and planning board member Robert Aldrin met jointly with the selectmen to approve the appointment of Daniel J. Seidman to the board.

In other planning board business, Mr. Stephenson provided an update on tentative plans to change traffic direction on Union Street toward Main Street sometime this fall. Traffic exiting ferries would continue to be directed toward Five Corners, he said.

The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) will be helping with traffic counts around the Steamship Authority terminal and traffic circle, as well as traffic going up Spring and Pine streets, Mr. Stephenson said.

In a follow-up to other planning board issues, Mr. Peak said that Vineyard Haven Yacht Club Commodore Greg Stevens said the club is agreeable to working out a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for swapping use of the beach parcels off Owen Little Way. Currently, the town owns a beach parcel in-between two properties owned by the yacht club, which creates a problem when swimmers get in the midst of a boating area. The selectmen approved the planning board's request to work with town administrator John Bugbee and town counsel on drafting an MOU.

Regarding traffic and pedestrian safety issues at Main Street and Owen Little Way, Mr. Bugbee said a stop sign would not be appropriate for the intersection, according to a MassHighway official. Mr. Peak said MVC transportation planner Michael Mauro offered to take a look at the intersection and make suggestions.

In other business, former selectman Denys Wortman, a member of the Spring Building Preservation Committee, said most of the building's exterior repair work is done, except for the dormers. Mr. Wortman said the next step is to start work on the interior. The selectmen approved a design services contract for $9,500 with Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture and Engineering for renovations at the Spring Building.

Following a bid process for renovations to town hall, the selectmen also approved a contract award for $145,000 to Campbell Construction Group, based in Peabody. Mr. Bugbee said no local contractors certified by the state's Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) bid on the project.

In other discussion, Mr. Kristal expressed concerns about emergency services access on poorly maintained private roads in Tisbury. Selectman Geoghan Coogan suggested drafting a letter for review by town counsel to inform residents who live on roads identified as problem areas.