Edgartown selectmen told the town’s library building committee to consider options for the historic Captain Warren House and the Carnegie Library building, including refurbishing the Carnegie Library into a new, larger home for the council on aging.
Taxpayers bought the Warren House for $3.5 million, but it proved unsuitable for the original plan to include it in an expansion of the North Water Street site.
Library building committee chairman Carl Watt told selectmen Monday that he expects state funding for a new library on the site of the old Edgartown School to be distributed in two years, as part of a second round of funding.
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has $60 million do distribute, according to Mr. Watt. Edgartown missed the current round of state funding, totaling $27 million, but is fourth on the waiting list.
The board accepted Mort Fearey’s resignation as the financial advisory committee representative to the community preservation committee. They appointed Thomas Durawa in his place. The committee recommends how to spend Community Preservation Act money, funded through a surtax on property taxes and state contributions at varying levels.
“I think it’s going to come up for renewal, and I sure hope it doesn’t get renewed,” Mr. Fearey said of the preservation act. He said he could not speak out against the act, while he sat on the committee.
Selectmen conditionally approved a private fireworks display at the Schifter Wasque Point property on Chappaquiddick, on August 20. Selectmen agreed to the request if the fireworks are staged on private property, if the town is reimbursed for any costs, including police details, and the fire chief and police chief and harbormaster approve of a detailed plan for storing and igniting the fireworks. The fireworks company also needs approval from the state fire marshal, and soon.
“I just wish in the future that some of these things were known before we’re under pressure on a timeline,” selectman Margaret Serpa said. “This has been planned for quite a while.”
Town administrator Pam Dolby assured selectmen that negotiations to bring Comcast cable service to Chappaquiddick continue. Comcast is trying to reach an agreement with Nstar to use Nstar’s underwater conduits to house its wires.
