An Aquinnah special town meeting failed to attract the necessary quorum Thursday night, and will be rescheduled for Jan. 23 at 7 pm in the Old Town Hall.
The quorum of 37 people was not reached, even after waiting for 20 minutes past the established meeting time of 7 pm. Moderator Mike Hebert decided to reschedule the meeting, and said he hopes more townspeople will show up to the next one.
“Tell your friends about the next one,” he said. The special town meeting will address 11 warrant articles, eight of which involve the transfer of free cash sums. Free cash is defined by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue as a calculation of remaining unrestricted funds left over from operations in the previous fiscal year. These funds can be used as long as it’s supported by town meeting.
One article involved the use of $64,800 of previously appropriated funds under the Aquinnah Community Preservation Fund to improve the Gay Head Cliffs lookout area.
Aquinnah highway superintendent Jay Smalley said he hopes an article on the warrant will be approved to spend $46,000 to replace an old truck used for road maintenance.
Smalley said he can make the current truck work during the winter, but a new truck would make things better and safer for the people of Aquinnah.
“I can make this truck limp through the winter, but the conditions of the roads can be a public safety issue,” Smalley said.