Chilmark voters will be asked to decide articles on a short special town meeting warrant Monday that include a measure to borrow $300,000, the town’s share of improvements to the regional refuse district’s waste transfer station in Edgartown, and $600,000 for deferred road paving and maintenance. The meeting is scheduled for October 20 at 7:30 pm at the Chilmark Community Center.
“Let’s hope we have a good turnout,” Bill Rossi, chairman of the board of selectmen, told The Times. “I have a feeling it’s going to be quick. There’s nothing really controversial on it.”
Voters will decide whether to approve a $2.5 million bond authorized by a vote of the Martha’s Vineyard Refuse Disposal and Resource Recovery District. Chilmark’s assessment from the refuse district is 12 percent, so the town’s share of the bond amounts to $300,000. The money will fund Chilmark’s share of capital improvements at the Edgartown transfer station. While Chilmark has a local drop-off open Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, many residents use the regional transfer station near the Martha’s Vineyard Airport.
“Refuse district availability is important to us,” Mr. Rossi said. “Our own transfer station is open on a limited basis. Most of the trash goes to the refuse district by commercial carriers and some people go down there on their own.”
Mr. Rossi said the the refuse district recently paid off its remaining debt.
“Their last bond is up, so it’s not going to be an increase in our annual assessment,” Mr. Rossi said. “We’re looking at borrowing a new round of funds. They’re going to redesign the layout. They’re going to separate the commercial from the residential and upgrade how the traffic flows in and out of the property. We’re looking at another scale to assist in efficiency.”
Also Monday, voters will be asked to borrow $600,000 to fund reconstruction, paving, and various repairs to town roads. The article authorizes selectmen to borrow the money, only if voters exempt the bond from the limitations of Proposition 2.5, in a question on the November 4 state election ballot.
The town has delayed or deferred some of the usual road maintenance over the last few years, according to Mr. Rossi. “We have to get back on a plan so it doesn’t become this overwhelming expense,” he said. “There used to be a plan in place to pave a mile a year to keep up with it. With the economic downturn, some years we went where there was nothing done. We’re trying to catch up. There are parts of town that really need attention.”
Mr. Rossi said parts of Middle Road and Tabor House Road need immediate attention. “It’s obvious something has to be done.”
Also on the short warrant is a measure to spend $17,000 for roadside grass and brush cutting, and $13,260 for tree work along town roads. The article includes the cost of a police detail during the maintenance work.
The town’s community preservation committee will ask voters to approve $50,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to continue the rental assistance program managed by the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority. Currently, four Chilmark families get help from the program, and there are three others on a waiting list for rental assistance. The program subsidizes rents for households that earn less than half the area median income, and pay at least half of the rent for market priced apartments
CPA funds are generated by a three percent surtax on property taxes. A varying percentage of the funds raised locally are matched by state tax funds.
Voters will also decide whether to spend $65,000 for exterior renovation of town hall.
