Path price gives West Tisbury officials pause
By Susan Vaughn - October 19, 2006
At their weekly meeting on Oct. 11, the West Tisbury selectmen considered whether to include funding for a new path along a section of the Edgartown Road in the warrant for a special town meeting on Nov. 28. The price tag for building the path from the police station to the youth hostel has been set at $190,000.
Chairman John Early said, "One hundred ninety-thousand dollars is a big chunk because we have other financial issues coming up." He also said he didn't think the work could get done this year.
The paths committee would like the path to be completed by Memorial Day, the selectmen's executive secretary Jennifer Rand said. The committee needs the extra lead time, because the permitting process takes several months, she said.
The money for the project would all come from town funds. There is no grant funding available.
In its review of the warrant articles, the selectmen tentatively decided to keep the article on the draft warrant but said they would talk further with paths committee members before making a final decision .
The selectmen reviewed 13 other articles for inclusion on the special town meeting warrant. They approved an article that would allot $10,000 for cemetery work, including fence repairs, and straightening and cleaning gravestones.
The voters will be asked to approve $10,000 to cover a shortfall from a $54,000 appropriation for the real estate revaluation process, because only one bid was received for the work.
Another article will ask the voters to redirect the $5,000 allotted for selectmen Jeffrey "Skipper" Manter's salary to cover MTV's fees for videotaping the selectmen's meetings through the year. Mr. Manter, who chose to forego his salary, said there was no funding to cover the taping costs.
"This would assure they could continue filming through the winter," he said.
The base charge for the filming is $62.50, including $25 for set-up, $12.50 for editing and $25 for the first hour, according to Jonathan Revere, who does the taping. Each additional hour is $25.
An estimated $25,000 may also be requested to resurface the library and Howes House parking lot.
Other items on the warrant will include a $1,500 shortfall to digitize town records and $1,000 for town employee training.
The selectmen planned to complete the warrant for the special meeting at their yesterday's meeting.
They also approved a $1,320 bill for cemetery records software.
