The Aquinnah select board announced plans Tuesday to host a special town meeting in the third week of August to address issues not covered at annual town meeting in May. 

Though no specific warrant articles have been approved and there was no vote to officially schedule the special town meeting, the board authorized Town Administrator Jeffrey Madison to meet with the town accountant to begin assembling a warrant.

“The purpose of the special town meeting is to clear up some projects that were blocked off of the annual town meeting due to the fact that we didn’t have money at that time to do them,” Mr. Madison said.

The board suggested putting on an article that would raise the town’s income cap for senior tax deferral eligibility from $20,000 to $40,000. Currently, Aquinnah seniors are only eligible to defer paying their property taxes until sale of property or death if they have a yearly income of under $20,000. The $40,000 cap would allow more seniors to take advantage of the program and would match tax deferral caps in many other municipalities in the state.

The board at Tuesday’s meeting also voted to require people erecting temporary structures, such as large event tents, to acquire a tent permit contingent upon a building inspection. 

Structures with electrical equipment exceeding LED string lighting will require an additional electrical inspection. The requirement is consistent with general state law, according to Aquinnah building inspector Adam Petkus.

The board also discussed the forthcoming lens replacement at Gay Head Lighthouse, slated to be performed by the Coast Guard this fall. Documentarian Liz Witham said the town should seek funding to install a custom Fresnel lens in place of the Coast Guard’s standard model. No decision on the alternative lens was made and the Coast Guard’s replacement will go forth as planned.