Tisbury wrapped its second and final night of its spring town meeting Wednesday after falling below quorum in the middle of approving the warrant on the first night.
Overall, voters approved 52 articles in town meeting. According to moderator Deborah Medders, this year’s town meeting presented the lowest number of articles in Tisbury’s modern history.
On Wednesday night, voters had to wait 20 minutes after the 7 pm start time for a 100th eligible voter to show up and reach a quorum. Once started, voters approved each of over a dozen remaining articles, including the town’s budget of about $41.5 million.
Voters also approved the creation of several new town positions: a year-round deputy shellfish constable with a salary of $70,000; a conservation agent with a salary of $55,000; and a part-time inspector of short-term rentals for $40,000.
The positions met some pushback from some who were concerned that existing positions could already meet departments’ needs.
Town shellfish constable Danielle Ewart told voters that her department has struggled for years without another full-time employee, and that adding the deputy constable position would reduce the need to hire a second part-time staffer. She said that she has long relied on seasonal staff who often leave for more competitive offers. “This revolving door of employees limits the department’s ability to grow, yet the responsibilities within the shellfish department have increased,” she said, citing a need to comply with state regulations.
“I want to be able to increase the amount that the shellfish department can put out. But I cannot continue the way it is,” she said.
Voters approved the full-time position unanimously after shellfishermen spoke in support of the department’s work. But it met resistance from dredge committee member Lynn Fraker, who asked the town to explain what happened to a position created at 2021 town meeting for a natural resources assistant position between the shellfish and harbor departments.
“They started out in the harbor department,” Ewart responded. “And [the harbor department] kind of just drew them in, and it never really worked out. Shared positions don’t always pan out the way you want them to.”
Planning board member Ben Robinson similarly questioned why the town needs a short-term rental inspector. He said the town appears to not have filled its local inspector position for over a year, and recommended offering more money for that job instead of creating another.
Town building inspector Greg Monka said that the part-time inspector is intended as a stopgap while the town continues its difficult search for a full-time local inspector. Come July 1, he said, the building department will be tasked with conducting short-term rental inspections on its own due to a state mandate. This part-time employee would visit properties and help other town departments ensure that properties comply with regulations.
