With summer in full swing, complaints and concerns about Chappy ferry lines, parade floats, boat ramps and more kept the Edgartown selectmen busy at their meeting Monday.
Joe Sollitto, grand marshal of the Edgartown Fourth of July Parade, said this year’s rendition of the annual procession was a grand triumph. A little bit too grand, though.
“The parade was a great success,” Mr. Sollitto said. “But we are probably going to have to start limiting the number of participants in the parade . . . every business on the Island wants to use it to advertise.”
Mr. Sollitto presented a draft list of strict rules and regulations for participants in the parade, with the intention of limiting floats to nonprofits, camps, teams, musical groups, farm or agriculture organizations, families, veterans or military organizations, and towns.
The rules say that groups in other categories, specifically businesses, may sponsor one of the allowed groups with no more than two signs on their float. They also ban the handing out of coupons, pamphlets or advertising of any sort, as well as the throwing of candy. The handing out of candy, however, would still be allowed.
“We should probably try to get away from the commercialization of the parade that has been happening over the past few years,” Mr. Sollitto said.
Selectmen voted to adopt the draft regulations, saying they would work on and refine the details for the parade next year.
“I think it’s good,” selectman Michael Donaroma said.
In other business, selectmen heard from Katama residents who requested the town halt progress on renovations at the Katama boat launch. Although the project has been in the works for more than two years, Katama residents who spoke at the meeting on Monday claimed they had not previously heard about it, and feared that the expansion of the ramp would increase commercial activity in the residential area.
“We were shocked to learn that this ramp . . . was going to be changed into a commercial type of operation,” Vincent Sabatini said. “I’m not sure anyone has thought this through.”
In 2017, the town appropriated $50,000 in community preservation funds to renovate and enlarge the boat ramp in order to accommodate the town dredge, sparing the town the expense for the use of a crane. This year, the town appropriated another $120,000 in cooperation with the state of Massachusetts for renovations on the ramp.
On Monday, Mr. Sabatini and resident Adam Brown requested the selectmen put the project on hold to allow for further discussion with Katama residents. Mr. Sabatini said the Katama Association, a group of homeowners in the area, voted to oppose the project at a recent meeting. Association president Steven Steinberg specified that the association supported the renovation of the ramp, but not an expansion.
“Why would we want to take a beautiful, scenic spot . . . and put up pilings in Katama Bay?” Mr. Brown said. “This is fundamentally a recreational town.”
Selectmen said there had been ample time for public comment on the project and that it had been approved overwhelmingly at town meeting in April.
“This is public access to water. The water belongs to everybody,” Mr. Donaroma said. “I want to see the dredge committee and [conservation commission] go full speed ahead.”
Selectmen also heard from Chappy Ferry operator Peter Wells, who said that he would allow JWL Towing to cut the ferry line for calls involving emergency mechanical assistance, as long as its drivers used a trailer or modified service vehicle. Owner John Leite had requested line cutting privileges at a selectmen’s meeting two weeks ago, threatening to stop service to Chappaquiddick because of the expenses. The selectmen told Mr. Leite to work with Mr. Wells and police chief Bruce McNamee to come to an agreement.
“There were concessions on both sides,” Chief McNamee reported.
Mr. Wells also reported another line-cutting request to selectmen from the owner of Jerry’s Place, the only commercial business on Chappaquiddick. Store manager Joanne Brine, present at the meeting, said that cutting the line would help the store stay financially viable. Mr. Wells thought differently.
“They want to cut the line so the ice cream doesn’t melt,” he said.
Selectmen said they wouldn’t get involved, and suggested the two parties work out the situation.
Mr. Wells also reported that the larger of the ferry fleet’s two boats will go in for Coast Guard inspection as soon as the derby ends. The inspection could take as long as five and a half weeks, according to Mr. Wells. He suggested discontinuing line cutting altogether together during that time period, excluding the school bus. Selectmen were hesitant, saying they would need a little to ruminate on the matter.
“It’s a long time,” Mr. Donaroma said. “Let’s think about that.”
Selectmen also heard a brief update from striking VTA drivers, who have attended the past three selectmen’s meetings. Driver Andre Bonnell reminded the board that Edgartown no longer has a representative on the VTA advisory board after the resignation of Louis Paciello, and that it was the town’s turn to appoint an ADA member to the board. Town administrator James Hagerty said the town had posted advertisements for the opening in Island newspapers, and would have to wait two weeks to make an appointment.
Mr. Bonnell added that negotiations were still at a standstill.
“It’s been slow, tedious, just like always,” he said.
Comments (6)
Comments
Comment policy »