Et Cetera

SSA BOARD ACCEPTS UNION CONTRACT The Steamship Authority board voted unanimously to approve a new union contract for its unlicensed deck hand employees in a special executive session last Friday. The two-year contract comes after four years of negotiations and delineates working conditions for approximately 220 people, the ferry line's largest bargaining unit.

The board's vote came one week after the contract was approved by the employees. The new contract requires the workers to contribute five percent of their medical insurance costs; to complete training courses before promotion to mid-level supervisory positions; allows the SSA to fill three day vacancies when employees call in sick; and reduces premium pay for some types of work. By June 2008 workers will gain a 15.6 percent wage increase over their last pay hike in 2002, will also receive some retroactive wage increases and, effective immediately, will have their health coverage continued for up to three years if they are absent from the job on medical leave or due to disability.

The SSA and its 30 licensed engineers have yet to finalize their contract which expired three years ago.

REPUBLICANS UNITE The Nantucket Republicans are having an organizational meeting and social gathering next Tuesday, August 21, at Kitty Murtagh's Irish Pub at 6 p.m. Any Nantucket Republican who wants to help the Mass. GOP rebuild is invited to attend. There will be free food at the event and Massachusetts GOP Chairman Peter Torkelson is looking to attend along with Massachusetts GOP Political Director Rob Willington. Any Nantucketer who has a question about the GOP social gathering can call Nantucket Republican Town Committee Chair Donna Hamel at 325-7743 or Doug Bennett at 774-236-1453, or via email at nantucketgop@yahoo.com.

SUSAN STOREY PROMOTED TO VP AT NANTUCKET BANK Nantucket Bank announces the promotion of Susan Storey to vice president. Storey heads up the Nantucket Investment Services department. She is an accredited Investment Fiduciary and certified Long Term Care Specialist and is responsible for helping islanders coordinate their financial affairs and manage their assets.

Nantucket Bank president Bill Hourihan commented, "Sue is a genuine asset. We have been delighted to have her as part of Nantucket Bank for the past 10 years."

Storey is also a director of Nantucket Community Sailing and Small Friends on Nantucket and a coaching assistant for the Nantucket High School sailing team.

COAST GUARD AIRLIFTS FISHERMAN Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod airlifted a 50-year-old man who was experiencing heart attack symptoms aboard a New Bedford, Mass.-based fishing vessel approximately 35 miles southeast of Nantucket, Mass. at about 2 p.m. on Saturday.

A crew member aboard the 88-foot scallop vessel, Miss Amanda, contacted Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England on VHF marine radio to request medical assistance. An HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod airlifted the man and transported him to Hyannis Airport where EMS were waiting to take him to Cape Cod Hospital.

ROTARY NAMES OFFICERS The Nantucket Rotary Club announces its 2007/2008 officers: Joel Brown, president; Jean Grimmer, president-elect; Chuck Gifford, vice president; H. Flint Ranney, treasurer; Bob Gardner, secretary, and Bill Larrabee, sergeants-atarms. This year's board of directors is: immediate past president John Stover, Ken Beaugrand, Mike Burns, Dual MacIntyre, Melissa Long, Norm Berthelette and Paula Leary.

"Every member of the Nantucket Rotary Club is committed to the cause of community service which will improve the quality of life not just in Nantucket, but also provide assistance to other countries and geographical areas in need. The following committee structure which is supported by enthusiastic committee members, will enable us to fulfill our Rotary commitments," said Joel Brown.

Under the direction of president Brown, committees were developed and chairpersons were named: administration - Karl Schulz; membership - Bert Johnson; public relations - Paula Leary; service projects - Debbie Dilworth, and Rotary Foundation - Barbara Gookin.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary's motto is "Service Above Self." The Nantucket Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at Faregrounds Restaurant, 27 Fairgrounds Road. I