By Peter A. Sutters Jr. and Peter Brace
Independent Staff Writers

 

The first night of what could be a lengthy 2008 Town Meeting has begun. 

The Nantucket Independent will provide regular updates on the approvals and denials of articles as they happen. Check back often for updates.

The final number of voters in attendance for the first night of town meeting was 600.

On the first vote of the 2008 Annual Town meeting residents passed article 11, giving the town the authority to borrow $27.5 million for the construction of a joint public safety facility at 2 Fairgrounds Road.

Voters approved article 20, a collective bargaining agreement with the union representing employees at Nantucket Memorial Airport, going against  the Finance Committee recommendation to not approve the contract agreement reached by the union and the Airport Commission. 308 voted to approve the contract and 185 voted against it.

By near unanimous voice vote, Town Meeting voters adopted Article 27, which approved $3.6 million for the construction of four new playing fields on 18 of 31 acres at 81 Milestone Road owned by the Nantucket Islands Land Bank. Article sponsor Steve Theroux amended his motion to require to a committee be formed to study and oversee the installation of the two artificial turf fields. Additionally, he added the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Board of Selectmen, Land Bank Commission and town administrator, which would all have to sign off on the new fields. A special election would be needed to approve the expenditure of these funds.

Article 30 - implementation of the commercial district, Commercial Industrial for the airport and Bunker Road is adopted unanimously. Article 31 is withdrawn, as 30 took care of it.

Article 35, that changes 11 lots on the northwest side of Somerset Road from RC-2 to R-10, was adopted 172-58

 A total of 41 articles were called by voters to be discussed on the floor of town meeting. The articles called are as follows; 11, 20, 26, 27, 30, 31, 35, 40, 41, 42, 44, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 61, 62, 64, 70, 71, 73, 75, 76, 78, 80, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 119, 120, 122, 123 and 124.