Chain store ban passes with ease

Wendy Hudson was beaming at Monday night's Town Meeting opener when no one called her formula business article for discussion or debate. Being passed over is a good thing when it comes to this assembly because it guarantees automatic passage on the session's final night.

Only 21 of the warrant's 83 articles were called, with Article 10, the general fund capital expenditures carrying a $10.8 million override, passing by a two-thirds voice vote with few questions.

But unlike some proposals which were accepted as recommended by the Finance Committee or Planning Board, voters offered a flurry of criticism against the Parks and Recreation allocation in Article 24 to buy snowmaking machines for use in Dead Horse Valley. They also shot down a number of zoning changes and denied Christine Silverstein's article to fund broadcasting of government meetings.

The initial night of the 2006 session drew 535 people compared to 682 on the first evening of last year's annual meeting. Moderator Sarah Alger asked for a moment of silence to remember important community members who died since last year, including Faith Oldham, Donald Oliver, and just days ago, Mary P. Walker, the former school teacher and principal for whom the high school auditorium was named.

Then, prior to calling off the articles, retiring Finance Committee member Phil Bartlett was honored with a certificate from the House of Representatives by Sen. Robert O'Leary and Rep. Eric Turkington. The certificate was given in appreciation of Bartlett's 30 years on the FinCom, 22 of which he served as chairman. The surprise and two standing ovations brought him to tears.

"I just knew that the time has come to step down. It has been an honor to serve this community. No matter how much you take out of this community, you have to give something back," Bartlett told the audience as his

Several people told Hudson that Article 42 prohibiting chain businesses from opening shop downtown was likely to be accepted without argument, but she did not believe it until it happened.

"I was extremely gratified and relieved," Hudson said yesterday. "It was so encouraging to get that support. I did a lot of groundwork and talked to a lot of people throughout the process, so I think that must have helped.

"It was really a good experience working with the town and the planning board this past year, and I hope people feel encouraged to get involved," Hudson added. "Working together is a good way to get things done. I'm just grateful for all the people who did things to help out."

Hudson's article, originally submitted last year but tabled to fine tune its legality, forbids businesses with 14 or more outlets worldwide and that has at least three of four features such as a standardized menu or identifying symbol.

According to Town Clerk Catherine Stover, the article becomes effective the night of its passage, however

with one exception it is not enforceable until approved by the Attorney General. Following approval, the article text must be posted in five island locations and is then effective retroactively from the date of Town Meeting passage. In the interim, the only businesses falling within the formula guidelines that may open are those having a lease arrangement signed before the article's passage.

RATE OF DEVELOPMENT BYLAW STANDS, FOR NOW

Planning Board Chairman Don Visco tried to amend Article 44 by postponing it indefinitely to allow more time for discussion and to hopefully tie it in with the 41-81D Master Plan. But that amendment failed by a hand count of 223166. Seeking to perfect Nantucket's phased development section of its Subdivision Control Bylaw, Charity Benz proposed an amendment to put bac all the bylaw language that Visco sought to remove to keep it intact and add in a sunset date of Dec. 31, 2008. Benz said she wanted tie it in with the 41-81D Master Planning effort, and that she wanted more analysis of potential buildout of the island and impacts on infrastructure done before phased development is removed from the bylaw. That amendment passed resoundingly as a voice vote and the article then passed by a two-thirds voice vote.

While Parks and Recreation Commission Director Jim Manchester and others liked the idea of creating snow for sledding in town-owned Dead Horse on dry winter days, more than a few at Monday's meeting took issue with the proposal.

Under the Open Space Conservation category in its Article 24, the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) allocated $84,000 to Parks and Rec to buy two snowmaking machines. Barbara Joyce sought and won voter backing to pass Article 24 without the $84,000 appropriation. She based her position on concerns about environmental effects of the snowmaking process, machine noise and neighborhood impacts.

Though some backed Manchester's plan to create free, family fun, Jamie Cook argued that Nantucket's moderate climate would thwart snowmaking success and said the funds could be better spent on other community needs.

"To spend $84,000 blowing snow at a hill that has a southern exposure - it'll melt by noon. It's a bad, bad idea," said another citizen who explained that this was one Parks and Rec program he could not support.

Article 26 proposed that $50,000 be appropriated for the filming and broadcasting of eight local government meetings for a year, in addition to the selectmen's and school committee's meetings which already air. The FinCom, sensing the funds were inadequate and that government should not be in the broadcasting business, recommended that the town instead include this in cable contract negotiations.

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