After a lengthy discussion Tuesday, Tisbury selectmen moved a step closer to approving a summer concert festival in Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Selectmen voted to grant Adam Epstein, CEO of Innovation Arts and Entertainment, commercial use of the park on August 9 to 11, however, delayed granting him an entertainment license and a license to hold the festival on a Sunday.
Selectmen opted to take more time to review the proposed agreement with the entertainment company and give the public a last opportunity to air their opinions. The proposed event is expected to appear on the agenda again for their Jan. 22 meeting.
Selectboard chairman Tristan Israel said he wanted to take more time in part to make sure community concerns were taken seriously.
“I always think the neighborhood is really important, even as you try to address concerns,” he said. “If there’s an opportunity where we don’t really need alcohol, then I would opt, the first year of trying this, not to do alcohol.”
Neighbors and abutters attended the meeting to voice concerns and approval for the festival.
Dan Carbon, owner of Educomp, said he was worried about people using his business parking lot to watch the festival.
“We’re a pretty small business. We support computer networks across the Island,” he said, adding that technicians need to be able to come and go from the building. “In the summertime, parking is really tough already.”
But others said they thought the festival was a great opportunity, and emphasized Mr. Epstein’s experience producing the summer concert series on the Island.
John Zannini, who owns Salt MV near the park, said he wholeheartedly supports the idea, and he believed attendees would be respectful of the area.
“I think it’s a great thing for the town,” he said. “This could be revenue that could go straight to the [Tisbury] school restoration or renovation.”
Selectman Melinda Loberg said if the festival goes forward, the community will have the final say.
“This is definitely a trial, and if it works we will go back to the community and say... should we do this again?” she said.
Mr. Epstein, who has already said he will compensate the town and law enforcement for the event, said he was committed to working with the town to make the event a success.
“We want to come back again, so we don’t want to ruin the opportunity by not handling it properly,” he said.
In other business, selectmen approved a livery license for a new tour company for Breth Inc. a company owned by Bob Breth, who owns and operates Bobby B.’s restaurant on Main street.
Selectmen also considered 2020 budgets from animal control, police, fire and ambulance services.
The town’s new police chief Mark Saloio presented a preliminary budget of about $1,993,000 with an increase of 2.6 per cent. He outlined several items in need of an upgrade including security cameras, police firearms, uniforms, and professional development for higher ranking officers.
EMS coordinator Tracey Jones presented a preliminary budget of about $737,000 with an increase of about nine per cent over the 2019 budget.
Fire chief John Schilling presented a preliminary budget of about $367,000 with an increase of one per cent over this year’s budget. He also said there would be a warrant article at town meeting to transfer to hiring a full-time assistant chief for the department. Currently, the assistant chief position is part time and stipended.
Selectmen plan to meet jointly with the finance committee to discuss the whole budget on Feb. 6.
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