Oak Bluffs residents will have a chance to cast their votes on a number of town spending decisions next month when a 12-article special town meeting commences on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center. 

The warrant includes funding for various town maintenance projects, affordable housing land designations and minor changes to general bylaws, among other “housekeeping” items, said town administrator Deborah Potter at a select board meeting Tuesday. 

Voters will be asked to approve $15,000 for the overall upkeep of the Oak Bluffs harbor, and $20,000 for the repair of buoys and signs in Lagoon Pond and other waterways. The town also plans to establish a designated anchoring area in Lagoon Pond for shellfish harvesting, as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

An additional $57,300 is being requested by the harbor master to purchase a truck for emergency response calls, towing and launching boats and other harbor necessities. 

The town is also asking residents to approve the availability of two vacant town properties on Panola avenue and Oak avenue for affordable housing development. 

The select board agreed that, in the future, it will evaluate several town properties at a time for potential affordable housing construction, rather than approving them one-by-one. 

“If were going to build house by house, we’re going to lose, and that’s my view of this situation,” said board member Dion Alley. “But for now, let’s help who we can. If we can help two people that’s better than helping no people.”

Residents will once again weigh in on the development of a solar energy system at an 18-acre parcel at the Oak Bluffs landfill. Efforts to build the system initially began and were approved by the town five years ago, but the project was stalled by the Covid pandemic. No additional funds need approval at this time, said Ms. Potter. 

“This is more of a confirmatory vote, because this was all done in 2018,” said Ms. Potter. “We’re doing this per recommendation by the solar consultant… to go back out there and re-look at the whole process and make sure we’re following it right.” 

The final article of the warrant asks voters to approve several small changes to the wording and format of town bylaws. 

“We now actually include general bylaw changes that have been approved since 2018… and we have changed the wording from selectmen to select board,” said Ms. Potter.