Tisbury selectmen address school safety

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Tisbury selectmen discussed a sidewalk safety mitigation plan for Tisbury School Tuesday.

The $6.8 million Emergency Services Facility budget, approved by voters at a special town meeting last November, included $50,000 for school safety measures.

Based on the recommendations of ESF building committee chairman Joe Tierney, planning board co-chairman Henry Stephenson, and Tisbury School principal Richie Smith, selectmen approved a plan to erect new fencing around the school set back four feet to accommodate new, wider sidewalks.

In addition, a three-foot wide grassy buffer will be added between the sidewalks along Spring Street and West William Street.

Since some curbing must also be replaced, Mr. Tierney said the project’s estimated cost would be about $67,000. School Choice funds may be available to fund the extra $17,000. Director of public works Fred LaPiana said the project would be done before school starts.

In other business, selectmen held off on a suspension of Tropical Restaurant and Bakery owner Joelson Cardoso’s common victualler’s license.

Tisbury Fire Chief John Schilling issued a cease and desist order to Mr. Cardoso on August 3, telling him not to use the restaurant’s grill, Fry-o-lator, and rotisserie, because of fire safety violations.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Chief Schilling said Mr. Cardoso, who was present, has been compliant with the order and is using only the pizza oven to cook hot food. Mr. Schilling said Mr. Cardoso has made arrangements with a contractor to install a new hood and fire suppression system.

The selectmen agreed to give Mr. Cardoso until September 7 to get the work done or they will revoke his common victualler’s license.

Selectmen also approved a request from the Tisbury’s beautification committee to spend $20,000 appropriated at town meeting to hire an architect/consultant and to purchase flowers and new signs, planter boxes, benches and trash bins for downtown Vineyard Haven.

In other business, the selectmen approved a per diem proposal for six months for weekend, holiday, and after-hour coverage for animal control officer Laurie Clements; established a five-member Tisbury multi-use path committee; and voted for the town to join the Vineyard Power cooperative.

John Bugbee also reported on the town’s efforts to enforce the selectmen’s order to ban two Siberian Huskies owned by Ken Garde and family from town. Mr. Garde’s final appeal to keep the dogs was heard and denied in court, and he was notified he must remove the dogs from town within 10 days of the notice or be fined $100 a day.

If Mr. Garde takes no action, as a next step Mr. Bugbee said, the town would file with the state Supreme Court for permission to go on his property and remove the dogs.