Tisbury selectmen approved a ban on the use of scallop drags in Lake Tashmoo for the rest of the season. Drags rely on heavy chains to scrape the bottom. Shellfish advisory committee chairman James Tilton said the committee recommended it in order to protect eelgrass beds and also because dragging often brings up more mud than scallops.
Shellfish constable Danielle Ewart told selectmen that scallop dragging “wasn’t worth it.”
Commercial scalloper Lynne Fraker thanked the board of selectmen for seeking public comment, and said that she hoped they would continue to do so in the future. Ms. Fraker said she dragged last year in Lake Tashmoo for two days, and stopped because “the destruction” was not worth the number of scallops dragging yielded.
In other business, the board of selectmen unanimously approved an amendment to the existing commercial and residential building-permit application process. The applicant will now be responsible for going to all local departments that would be affected by the permit. The departments would then sign off in approval of the application.
“Typically it’s done through the department, now it would be done by the applicant,” building inspector Ken Barwick told selectmen on Tuesday night. Mr. Barwick and town administrator Jay Grande worked together on the amendment.
Select board chairman Melinda Loberg said that she wanted the town to do electronic permitting through its website, which would notify the various departments through email.
Tisbury fire chief John Schilling told the board that although there is already an established procedure through a state transmittal form, it requires review from the fire department for each building permit, and some applications don’t get referred and are delayed.
“I think to give everyone full disclosure up front is probably the most effective means of dealing with the public,” Mr. Schilling said.
Selectmen also approved a project, led by Emma Green Beach with the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, to place six groundwater monitoring wells near the cluster of Phragmites australis that are located at Veterans Park. Phragmites, though an invasive reed, also potentially could be used for nitrogen mitigation, because the species absorbs nitrogen from ponds through its roots. Ms. Green Beach will collect data from the groundwater wells.
Ms. Loberg asked that Ms. Green Beach work in conjunction with public works director Ray Tattersall to make sure that the wells won’t interfere with sports played in the park.
Stabilization funds were also approved for three departments, presented by town treasurer Jon Snyder. The ambulance stabilization fund was approved for $35,000; the fire department for $100,000; and the DPW for $50,000.
