Edgartown allows two new sites for pond aquaculture

By Susan Vaughn - March 29, 2007

Edgartown selectmen approved two aquaculture grants for commercial fisherman Raymond Bailey at their meeting Monday. One lot is located in Katama Bay, and the other is in Cape Pogue Bay.

The l50- by-100-foot Katama Bay lot is one of six lots in an area reserved for aquaculture, shellfish constable Paul Bagnall explained. Mr. Bailey said the different sites would allow him to try growing different species or oysters or other shellfish.

In other business, Chris Scott, Martha's Preservation Trust executive director, asked the selectmen for permission to close Daggett Lane two days next week to allow roofing work on the Old Sculpin Gallery. He said all the work on the side of the building that would affect the waiting line for the Chappaquiddick ferry would be completed during the closing. The work is expected to start Monday, weather permitting.

Traffic will be rerouted from Water Street down Kelley Street and Dock Street to access the ferry, Police Chief Paul Condlin said.

Michael Brisson, owner of the L'Etoile restaurant, appeared before the selectmen to answer a complaint that he had not kept the restaurant open three nights a week as required by the terms of his liquor license. Mr. Brisson apologized to the board for not appearing at a previous hearing about the matter, and he agreed to comply with the license conditions.

Highway superintendent Stuart Fuller reported that bids had been received March 1 for a new storage building to be built on Meetinghouse Way, but they came in too high. The lowest bid was $792,000 and the project has been allocated $850,000, but more leeway is needed for contingencies. He recommended rebidding the entire project.

"The cleanest way is to reject bids and re-bid and make it clear they can't go over a certain amount," Mr. Fuller said. The project has been modified to help reduce the cost. The building will be used for storage and small offices for the highway, shellfish, and dredging departments, and the harbormaster.

The selectmen granted a request from Judy Bettencourt of Pease's Point Way to have a 100-year-old town-owned tree cut down. "It is rotten and leaning toward the house," she said.

Mr. Fuller confirmed that the tree is in a state of decline and its roots are damaged. He proposed that the highway department and Ms. Bettencourt split the cost of removing the tree.