Selectmen approved several extensions for taxpayers and shellfishermen and women and also got a briefing on the expected financial hit the town will take amid the growing coronavirus pandemic during a teleconference meeting Tuesday.
Selectmen approved postponing the payment of real estate taxes to June 1 and waived any interest or penalties on motor vehicle excise bills that were due on March 19 until June 1.
Selectmen also extended the 2019 shellfishing licenses to June 1. Selectman Brian Packish said the extension was due to constraints and challenges with not having town hall offices open and financial hardships people are currently experiencing.
Town administrator Robert Whritneour also informed selectmen of the expected financial hit town government might face.
Whritenour said the town was not at risk because it has a stable revenue source from its property taxes, which make up around 80 percent of its revenue.
Whirtneour said he is watching the town’s local estimated receipts such as hotel, motel, and restaurant collections. The town must collect $241,000 in local receipts over the last quarter to make its budget.
While he said the town would take a “beating” with hotels and restaurants closed, he said the town will still see some collections and expects to collect $241,000.
In other business, selectmen appointed Colleen Morris to the town clerk’s position until the town election on May 16. Morris will take over for longtime clerk Laura Johnston who is not seeking reelection.
The meeting, held over Zoom and live streamed on MVTV, featured several interruptions from a person Zoom bombing the meeting. Zoom bombing is an unwanted intrusion that causes a disruption to a conference call.
The person repeatedly interrupted and made inappropriate comments before twice sharing their screen to draw inappropriate images.
The individual was eventually muted, but reappeared several times throughout the meeting.
Maybe all those people you want to keep off the island will mail in a check.