Steamship Authority senior managers paid a visit to the Tisbury selectmen’s meeting Tuesday to discuss improvement projects around the ferry terminal.
SSA general manager Wayne Lamson, Vineyard governor Marc Hanover and port council member George Balco all attended.
Mr. Lamson said the SSA is ready to file for permits for dredging about 300 yards of sand next to the dinghy dock area in the Vineyard Haven harbor. He said he expects permitting to take at least nine months.
He proposed disposing of the dredge spoils somewhere inland that does not require a dredge spoil area permit.
Melinda Loberg, a member of the harbor management committee, suggested disposing of the spoils at Eastville Beach inside the split rail fence, which has been used as a dredge spoil area in the past and might already have a permit, although it is in Oak Bluffs.
Mr. Lamson also said the SSA plans to begin building a land-based pump-out facility for boat line ferries within the next few months, in compliance with the Clean Vessel Act which prohibits dumping untreated waste from holding tanks at sea within three miles of shore beginning in 2013.
The town is exploring its own options for expanding pump-out facilities around the harbor. Currently the town operates two pump-out boats in the harbor, Lagoon Pond and Lake Tashmoo, and has a land-based facility at Packer’s Wharf on the harbor. With the law coming into effect next year, the town is expecting increased demand for pump-outs from boats. At the meeting Tuesday, harbor master Jay Wilbur revisited an earlier discussion about the possibility of converting an unused storage tank beneath the SSA parking lot for use as a pump-out facility. But Mr. Lamson said probably not.
“That’s right next to the ferry,” he said. “Not a good location for the pump-out.”
“Well, it will probably be on the table,” said selectman and board chairman Tristan Israel. “We are going to look at a whole slew of options. Stay tuned for more on pump-outs in the next few months.”
In other business, department of public works director Fred LaPiana reported that the Martha’s Vineyard Commission will hold a public hearing on two proposed bike paths in Tisbury. The first proposed path would run alongside Beach Road from Saltwater Restaurant to Wind’s Up. The second path would be a bike lane running along Skiff avenue to Causeway Road.
Bill Veno, senior planner at the MVC who was unable to attend the meeting, said later by telephone that the proposals stem from a 2009 commission study that focused on extending the bike path network around the Island.
No date has been set yet for the hearing.
Finally, emergency services facility building committee chairman Joe Tierney was present as usual to give his report, this week about pavement recommendations. He said that at a meeting held last week with White Brothers-Lynch Corporation, C&C Construction, HKT Architects, and asphalt specialist William Scarpati from Fay Spofford and Thorndike Inc., all parties agreed that the best option was to perform pavement repairs without a seal coat. Mr. Scarpati recommended no seal coat for six to eight years.
The selectmen approved the pavement plans.
“Once we are done with the paving, then we can think about officially moving in?” asked Mr. Israel.
“Yes sir,” said fire chief John Schilling. “We look forward to it.”
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