Special Election on Island Spirits purchase Tuesday
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Nantucket High School next Tuesday, Sept. 18, to see if voters will approve or deny a single ballot question asking for a tax override to help the town buy 10 and 12 Washington St. from the Reith family for use as a shuttle bus hub.

COURTESY TOWN OF NANTUCKET A draft rendering of the potential site plan for 10-12 Washington St.

The override question does not list the amount of money sought, but it is to be $1 million. That sum would be added to $2.5 million

the town will receive from the

Land Bank for that agency's purchase of 30 acres off South Shore Road leading to the beach. The combined sums will make up the $3.5 total asking price for the Washington Street property.

At the July 26 Special Town Meeting, residents narrowly passed the article relating to the purchase by a hand count of 216 to 106. The article required a two-thirds approval of 214. While that outcome sent the proposal on Tuesday's ballot, some residents, including selectmen Michael Kopko and Whitey Willauer, oppose the purchase because of potential ground pollution remaining from the site's former use as a garage and gas station.

The purchase, spearheaded by selectman Brian Chadwick, would result in the current Island Spirits building and small stand-alone shed being taken down so that seven NRTA shuttle buses can park on the lot and free up 10 parking spots along Washington and Salem street where buses park now. In Chadwick's thinking, if the town later decides on another location for the buses, the Reith property could be sold. Kopko and Willauer, as well as other citizens including Curtis Barnes and Rachael Dowling, have expressed concern that the environmental issues with the land could interfere with that possibility.

"I would ask that we proceed with caution here," Dowling said at last week's selectmen's meeting. "I wish you all would slow down with this to make sure we're not getting into a big mess at the cost of many people who live here."

At that same meeting, Kopko, who with Willauer cast dissenting votes against executing a purchase and sales agreement for the property, spoke out. "I'm not convinced the environmental issues have been addressed and may tax the town in the future," he stated, also questioning whether the price was too high. "If we are going to be big boys and girls getting into the real estate market we should do due diligence on the property."

Selectman Allen Reinhard, who with Chadwick and selectman Patty Roggeveen supported the purchase and sales agreement, said, "We have a need for a place to put the buses, and at some point in the future the town could sell it. I have no problem at all with a $3.5 million price for something the town has a need for. I feel the town, in its wisdom, in the future will

be glad to own the property." I