Edgartown town hall may be getting a facelift.
Juliet Mulinare, the town’s procurement officer, told selectmen Monday there was $97,000 available in leftover Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funds for renovations that were done on town hall. Mulinare said that money should be used for renovations to the front of town hall, which is in need of repairs.
Mulinare said much of the wood on town hall is rotten and needs to be removed. The town will eventually have to do a major renovation project that will include removing the stairs and making repairs to the roof of the historic building. According to Mulinare, the $97,000 will work as a short-term fix, giving the town more time to put money together for a full town hall façade overhaul.
Selectmen agreed something needed to be done to the building. Selectman Arthur Smadbeck said the town hall should be a part of the town’s capital programs list. Mulinare said she would gather more information so selectmen would know exactly how much work can be done on the front of town hall for $97,000.
In other business, Edgartown is looking to place solar panels at its landfill. Bill Bennett of Solar Invictus, a company that has been installing solar panels on the Island since 1992, told selectmen the town’s capped landfill is a great spot for a solar array, and expressed interest in installing panels there.
Selectmen said they were interested, and will ask town counsel what the next steps are for the process, whether they can sign a lease with Solar Invictus or have to go through a formal process and get voter approval at a town meeting.
“We’re interested in moving on this, the sooner the better,” selectmen chair Mike Donaroma said.
Selectmen approved a new article from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School for the town warrant. The high school’s new article clarified language on the use of excess and deficiency (E and D) fund authorization and usage. The high school recently learned it had been inappropriately appropriating E and D funds, and must notify towns first. Selectmen approved the new article for the warrant.
Town administrator James Hagerty gave a short presentation on the newly expanded short-term rental tax. Hagerty will be leading a listening session on the short-term rental tax on Wednesday, March 13, at 6 pm in the Edgartown Public Library. The public is invited to learn more about the tax and its impacts on Edgartown.