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March in Town From the Desk of Town Manager Libby Gibson.

What's up in Town Administration?

2022 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) May 2, 2022

The warrant for the May 2, 2022 Annual Town Meeting with Finance Committee motions and comments; Planning Board motions and comments and Select Board comments, is complete (pending the possibility of Technical Amendments to be addressed at Town Meeting). The document has been sent to the printer and is expected to be mailed out to registered voters at least two weeks prior to May 2nd. Some of the warrant articles are contingent upon the passage of ballot questions. Those may be found at the very end of the warrant document using the link above. The Nantucket Civic League’s annual “Meet the Articles” program is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 9th. We are working on our annual Voter’s Guide to the warrant articles along with some videos to explain the articles that are contingent upon ballot questions.

Other activities that Town Admin has been busy with include:

Spring & Summer planning: A “COVID work group” that Town Administration assembled in 2020 to work on outreach for COVID measures has been re-worked into a “summer issues team”. The team includes representatives from Town Admin, Police, Fire, DPW/Park & Rec, Licensing, Public Outreach, Culture & Tourism, Health Department and the Chamber of Commerce. We meet about once a month and have been discussing Fourth of July prep, other summer events and ways to get the message out that while this summer is expected to be extremely busy, the Town and other employers are going to be stretched with staffing, housing issues, cost of living, and supply chain difficulties. Since all of these issues are in the news constantly we hope that people are mindful and will adjust expectations accordingly. Nantucket is not exempt from these world-wide problems and if anything, those are exacerbated here.

Assistant Town Manager Gregg Tivnan and I met with DPW management last week to go over spring and summer DPW prep, including annual tasks such as line, crosswalk and street markings painting (scheduled for early April); “trash” plans for the summer; summer employee (and year-round employee) housing; street sweeping schedule; vehicle and parts delays that are having an impact on operations; summer shrub and vegetation maintenance along streets and sidewalks; concession prep; playing fields prep; encroachments*; road paving and sidewalk improvements – you name it, we discussed it. As with many towns in New England, we are currently plagued with potholes. See here for how potholes form and why this year is a particularly bad year. It’s not just a Nantucket problem (anyone been on Route 3 lately?). DPW is getting around to them as best they can.

*a word about encroachments: we find it is a common practice of property owners to install stakes (or other means to block parking, such as large rocks) along their frontage – in the public right-of-way - to prevent parking on the side of the road or onto grass areas – even when parking is allowed in these areas. We are working to address such situations by providing a notification letter to the property owner to remove the stakes/barrier. If they are not removed, the Town may remove them. Please be mindful of the public right-of-way.

Coastal Resilience Plan: In January, 2022, the Select Board endorsed the Coastal Resilience Plan developed by the Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee, with professional assistance from Arcadis. We subsequently engaged Arcadis to help us determine next steps through a process called “Design Thinking”, with a 2-day workshop involving staff and representatives from regulatory and policy-making boards, as well as the Conservation Foundation and Land Bank (owners of large parcels of coastal property around the island). It was a great exercise in team building, creative thinking and idea gathering. Arcadis is scheduled to present the outcome of the workshop at the Select Board meeting of April 6th.

Solid Waste Long-term Planning: the Board’s next solid waste long-term planning workshop is scheduled for Monday, April 25th at 4pm. Staff meets at least monthly, sometimes more, to review progress with the Board’s Strategic Plan as it relates to Solid Waste (Environmental Leadership Goal); plans for solid waste facility operations once the current Waste Services Agreement expires on 2025; and ways to address the reduction of material going into the landfill.

Housing: It is no secret that the Island’s housing crisis is worse than ever. Employers and employees, including the Town, are scrambling to secure housing. Over the last 3 years, voters have approved over $40,000,000 in funds dedicated to affordable, community and employee housing (click here for more information). The Town, as the largest employer on the island, and the responsibility to maintain a variety of critical and required services, must find a way to attract, recruit and retain qualified employees – secure housing is a necessary component. We are going to have to get creative. A number of initiatives are in progress, including:

  • A proposal before the 2022 Annual Town Meeting for the construction of dormitory-like housing at the 2-4 Fairgrounds Road campus, which would be primarily for seasonal employees; however, we are now considering adding year- round units as well.
  • Preparation of a proposal for the appropriation of $1,000,000 that would be granted to a non-profit (potentially the Community Foundation of Nantucket) for allocation to Town employees who meet specific criteria which we are in the process of developing, to help offset housing costs.
  • Searching out and securing rental property that the Town would rent from the property owner and then turn the lease over to an employee(s) for the duration of their employment with the Town, so that at least we could have more secure and long-term location(s). We issued a bid for this a few months ago, with unfortunately, no bids submitted.
  • We are constantly researching how other municipalities with similar economies, unique geographical location and seasonal nature are handling employee housing. We have not found a “template” for this but we are working through it in the hope that we can come up with something to at least reduce some of the pressure.

Baxter Road Erosion Control Project: this issue could be its own newsletter; however, at the risk of oversimplifying: have mistakes been made (and violations committed) by the proponent, Sconset Beach Preservation Fund (SBPF)? Yes. Could the Town have done better to oversee the activities of SBPF? Yes. Are those issues in the process of being corrected? Yes. Town Administration staff, the Select Board, professional consultants, lawyers, the Conservation Commission, various stakeholders and others, have spent more time on this project than possibly any other. It is contentious, time-consuming and important. This is the first large-scale coastal resiliency project that the Town is having to tackle. It’s a good example of some of the decisions that will have to be made with other areas of the Island, and we may not get it 100% “right” the first time. To be clear, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Town and SBFP (approved at the Board’s March 23rd meeting) is meant to put forward the conditions of the Select Board’s agreement for a portion of the project to take place on Town-owned property. The Conservation Commission’s authority remains intact. Select Board Chair Jason Bridges captured the essence of the issue with this quote:

“This isn’t a time where indecision can be a decision. We can’t sit back and let the bluff fall apart. We have obligations for that road, the people who live there and the utilities on it. The Select Board has to look at the whole picture. Our purview is different than any other regulatory board.”

Miscellaneous:
  • The Select Board has gone back to meeting in person at the Community Room at the 4 Fairgrounds Road Public Safety Facility. The meetings are “hybrid” so that people can either attend in person; or, register as Attendees and participate remotely.
  • Rick Sears, Assistant Finance Director, has been appointed Assistant Town Manager for Administration, replacing Rachel Day who left the Town last fall to become Executive Director of Sherburne Commons. Congratulations, Rick!

Personnel:

New Employees

Patrick Reed started with the Town on March 7th as the Transportation Program Manager. He worked for the Montgomery County Planning Department in New Jersey as a Transportation Planner Coordinator and has 12+ years of experience in the public sector. Welcome, Patrick!

Transportation Program Manager Patrick Reed.
Promotions

Esmeralda Martinez has been employed with the Town since 2019 as an Administrative Specialist at PLUS, and she was recently promoted to Land Use Specialist. Congratulations, Esmeralda!

PLUS Land Use Specialist Esmeralda Martinez.

Donald Whittaker was recently promoted to Facilities Maintenance Manager within the DPW. Donald has been with the Town since 2019! Good luck in your new role, Don!

DPW Facilities Maintenance Manager Don Whittaker.
Retirements

Jeffrey Johnsen started work at the Wannacomet Water Company in September of 1976 when it was owned by American Water Works. Jeffrey’s life-long knowledge of the island and plumbing experience served him well in his 46-year career. He worked under three general manager/directors: David Worth, Bob Gardner and Mark Willett. When Jeffrey started there were 31 miles of water mains and over 2,300 services, hydrants and valves. Since then it has tripled to over 95 miles of water mains and over 7,000 services. Jeffrey took pride in his work and was always there ready to help.His knowledge of the distribution system will be missed. We wish him well and thank him for his service.

Wannacomet Water Company employee Jeffrey Johnsen.

Culture & Tourism

Rock Solid Grant Program - Spring Applications Now Accepted

The Rock Solid Grant program was launched in 2020 to help Nantucket based businesses become more resilient and contribute to the island economy. To date, nearly $200,000 has been granted to local business owners in all sectors. The Spring 2022 application process is now underway, with $50,000 in new funding available to for-profit businesses, both existing and those planning to launch in 2022. The application deadline is April 4 at 5:00 pm. Visit NantucketChamber.org/Grants for more information about eligibility criteria, and to download the application and fact sheet. Thank you to the Town of Nantucket and ReMain Nantucket for their sponsorship of this important program.

Fourth of July 2022 Activities

This year’s Independence Day activities will see several new features and some old chestnuts – there will be plenty for all to do! Several organizations and offices are collaborating to bring back a new and improved July 4th for 2022: Culture and Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Nantucket Fire Department, the Boynton Fire Lane Reserves, the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, NISHA, the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce, the Nantucket Dreamland, Sustainable Nantucket, and the Nantucket Community Music Center.

Child-friendly programming will begin at Children’s Beach at 10:00 am including the Matt Fee Tea Toss, a photobooth, beach games, Nanpuppets, a cornhole tournament, a bike parade, and activities hosted by NISHA.

Meanwhile, visitors will find food trucks serving breakfast items on Federal Street, Sustainable Nantucket’s Farmers’ Market on Cambridge Street, and an Entrepreneurs’ Showcase in the Atheneum Garden sponsored by the Nantucket Island Center for Entrepreneurship (NICE).

The reading of the Declaration of Independence will begin at 10:00 am at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House on Orange Street with a simulcast showing at the Nantucket Dreamland. (More information about acquiring tickets will be coming from the UU Meeting House later this spring.) Immediately following the reading, events will begin to occur on Main Street including the singing of the National Anthem and other musical performances near the horse fountain organized by the Nantucket Community Music Center.

The morning activities will end with a water contest between the Nantucket Fire Department and the Boynton Fire Lane Reserves. The contest will take place in a defined area near the top of Main Street and will be limited to participants from the Fire Department and the Boynton Lane Reserves. The contest will involve observing and cheering for the respective fire departments as they attempt to fill a 55-gallon drum near each other’s vehicle. Members of the public are invited to observe the contest. No water toys (super soakers, water pistols, water balloons) will be allowed on Main Street. This does not mean the crowd will stay dry; there is always the errant hose stream to share in the fun with the crowd. The changes to the water contest are to provide for the safety of all attending the Main Street activities while still enjoying the traditional Main Street contest between the fire departments.

The Fireworks Display will begin at 9 pm at Jetties Beach, weather permitting. The rain/fog date is July 5th at 9 pm.

Nantucket cobblestone streets.

Coastal Resilience

Coastal Resilience Workshop March 7 & 8 – issues and implementation

On March 7 and 8, Town staff and some regulatory board representatives attended a "Design Thinking" workshop on the Coastal Resilience Plan. Over the two days, there were some 33 attendees each day. Boards, committees and commissions represented included Select Board, Finance Committee, Historic District Commission, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Shellfish and Harbor Advisory Board and the Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee. We wish to extend thanks to all volunteers who serve on these boards. The attendees also reflect the boards with involvement or interests in the coastal zones, planning for the future and how to legally and financially accomplish the recommendations in the Coastal Resilience Plan. Similarly, Town staff with responsibility and knowledge in infrastructure in these areas as well as administrative oversight were also present and included Town Administration, Natural Resources Department, Planning and Land Use Services, Finance Department, Department of Public Works, Sewer Department, Wannacomet Water Company and Nantucket Memorial Airport. Nantucket Land Bank, Commission and Nantucket Conservation Foundation representatives also participated as the largest land and coastal owning groups. This was a substantial time commitment. Many thanks to everyone who attended, participated and helped look for a way forward for the Coastal Resilience Plan!

Coastal Resilience Workshop March 7 & 8 (photos courtesy of Arcadis).

Several hours were dedicated over the two days to understanding the issues at play. Presentations on the Coastal Resilience Plan to have all present on the same page were followed by a large group exercise to understand the issues. During the remainder of the first day and all of the second day, participants were broken into two groups. Each group talked about the same topics and then both groups reported their findings to each other to compare and contrast results.

Coastal Resilience Workshop March 7 & 8 (photos courtesy of Burton "Spruce" Balkind).

The 40 CRP recommendations, the staff and Town departments with involvement, and the boards, committees and commissions that will have these topics before them, were some of the most positive things to see discussed to see over the two days. Some of the other key outcomes were to understand the issues the Town faces in implementation from staffing shortages to how to finance projects. We also agreed that promoting the projects, the benefits and the “wins” along the way is a necessity in project success. Coastal flooding, erosion and sea level rise do now and will keep affecting everyone on Nantucket, and preparation and planning is key.

Coastal Resilience Workshop March 7 & 8 (photos courtesy of Arcadis).

Special thanks to the six facilitators at Arcadis who provided this event gratis to the Town for a greater understanding of the work needed. Thanks also to the Nantucket Hotel for the venue and the members of the public who popped by to observe occasionally.

Water Is Coming.

PAL architectural historians on-island from April 4 through April 8

Under contract with the Town of Nantucket, through the Planning & Land Use Services Department and the Nantucket Historical Commission, the Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. (PAL) of Pawtucket, RI is conducting a Historic Architectural Survey of selected properties in the "Fish Lots" neighborhood. This is a Town survey project, funded by a Massachusetts Historical Commission grant that is the first, pilot phase of a prioritized and phased comprehensive island-wide historic resources survey program.

PAL architectural historians will be conducting the field survey of the Fish Lots neighborhood in the first weeks of April 2022. The field work will include photographing and taking notes on selected historic properties from public ways of Charter, Darling, Eagle, Fair, Farmer, Judith Chase, Lyon, Orange, Pine, Rays Court, School, Tattle Court, and Twin Streets.

The PAL team has a good working knowledge of the community and welcomes any questions you might have about their survey work and the historical background of the surveyed properties. We look forward to the opportunity to work with PAL on this exciting project. In addition, we encourage you to welcome these consultants while they are walking the neighborhood.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Holly E. Backus, preservation planner at hbackus@nantucket-ma.gov.

The Town of Nantucket is excited to announce that the Massachusetts Historical Commission has awarded the Town a FY2022 Survey & Planning Grant to continue the “Nantucket Historic Resources Survey Plan.”

The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) Survey & Planning Grant Program is a federally funded, reimbursable, 50/50 matching grant program that is created to support historic preservation planning activities throughout the state. Under federal law, MHC is required to grant 10% of its total annual federal funding allocation to Certified Local Governments (CLGs.)

The Town of Nantucket is a member of the US Park Service Certified Local Government program and together the Nantucket Historical Commission (NHC) and the Historic District Commission (HDC) comprise the Certified Local Government Commission. Therefore, the Town of Nantucket’s grant application falls into the CLG category, and is one of seven (7) CLGs in the state that were invited to submit an application for consideration. This grant award will allow the NHC to proceed with the implementation of the prioritized and phased comprehensive island-wide historic resources survey plan, currently underway by PAL with a FY2021 MHC grant award. Subject to final recommendations in the survey plan, to be completed this summer, the NHC and the town’s Preservation Planner look forward in continuing this important initiative. Each phase to be completed within the survey plan will provide updated or new survey inventory forms, using the current MHC methodologies, and update any current HDC Inventory Surveys that were last conducted in 1989. Both the HDC and the NHC are very appreciative of receiving yet another MHC competitive grant!

Cybersecurity

Baker-Polito Administration Announces 2022 Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program Awards

On March 8, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the award recipients (including Nantucket) for the 2022 Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program. This in-person event in Haverhill was hosted by Haverhill Mayor James Fiorenti along with Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) Secretary Curt Wood. You can view the full press release about the event here.

“Today’s announcement represents a significant step forward in the Commonwealth’s ability to resist cyber threats,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

“Cybersecurity is a growing issue that should not be ignored,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.

“I thank Governor Baker for his leadership on cybersecurity, as executive buy-in is critical to making this issue a ‘kitchen table’ topic,” said Secretary of Technology Services and Security Curt Wood. “I am thrilled at the response to this year’s grant program, with executives from across the Commonwealth’s cities and towns stepping up and making cybersecurity a priority.”

The Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program provides training to municipal and school employees to better detect and avoid cyber threats. Both town and school employees will be participating. We are extremely pleased to be able to engage in this high-quality training program for the third year in a row.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Actions

March is Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month - The celebration and observation of women’s contributions, successes, and plights in the United States, past and present. For more information, check out: https://womenshistorymonth.gov/International

Women’s Day - March 8th was International Women’s Day, “it is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.” For more information, check out: https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day

Equal Pay Day

Did you know that March 15th was Equal Pay Day? “Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men’s and wages. It was original called ‘National Pay Inequity Awareness Day’ and changed to Equal Pay Day in 1998.” Check out this U.S. Census Bureau website for more information and statistics on the equal pay for equal work movement: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/equal-pay-day.html

Who was Eunice Ross? By Barbara Ann White

By: Barbara Ann White (Reprinted with author’s permission)

Eunice Ross was instrumental in the integration of the Nantucket school system. The town’s refusal to admit her to the high school in 1840 led to the first law in the United States to guarantee equal access to education. Read more about Eunice Ross' life experience here.

Left: African Meeting House; right: Eunice Ross’ headstone at the Historic Coloured Cemetery.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Survey Coming to a Close on April 11th + Focus Group Being Held on April 5th

The Town’s diversity, equity and inclusion assessments are coming to a close soon. We have been working diligently with our partners at Tangible Development to hear from as many residents as possible. The community survey launched on March 23rd and will run through April 11th. Click here to go directly to the survey. Click here to go to our DEI website for more information.

In addition to the community survey, there will be a virtual focus group on April 5th at 6:00 PM EST for any resident over the age of 18. To ensure your confidentiality, Tangible Development will be managing the focus group from sign up to facilitation.

What to expect during the focus group:

  • A Tangible Development team member will facilitate the session. They will have some prepared questions, but participants are welcome and encouraged to come prepared with their own comments and feedback
  • You can have your camera on or off based on your comfort level
  • This is not a training or informational session, so participants should expect to hear from each other more than they hear from the facilitator

Sign up for the focus group here.

We are here to make this as easy and as comfortable as possible for everyone who wants to participate. If you have any questions you can contact me at krmccarthy@nantucket-ma.gov or (508) 228-7200 ext. 7344.

Energy Office News

Nantucket Home Energy Assessments Available: April 4 - 8 and May 23 - 27, 2022

In-Home Energy Assessments are back! After a two-year long hiatus, sign-up now for a no-cost, Mass Save energy assessment this spring and receive free LEDs, smart thermostats, 75% off insulation work, and a customized list of recommendations to reduce your home’s energy usage this summer and save all year long. New incentives for 2022 available, including increased incentives for air-source “minisplit” heatpumps!

To sign-up for your free home energy assessment, please visit: ngrid.com/nantucket or call 1-844-615-8316. Questions? Contact Lauren Sinatra, Energy Coordinator, Lsinatra@nantucket-ma.gov or 508-325-5379.

Sunsets at Steps Beach.

Housing

Nantucket's Housing Bank Bill at the State House

The support for a statewide Transfer Fee bill continues, with some powerful op-eds making their way into major Massachusetts news outlets like the Boston Globe, the Cape Cod Times, and Banker & Tradesman. Voices from all industries are making themselves heard and much of the rallying cry has come from the belly of the beast – right here on Nantucket.

Last month, the Housing office launched a project to collect letters from island residents which shared unique housing stories as well as statements of support for the Transfer Fee bill itself, Bill H.4201. These letters are being sent up to the state house to make sure our legislators, as well as others who have crucial influence over the passage of this bill, hear our voices from across the ocean.

If you’d like to share your story, please visit this link. Every voice counts and deserves to be heard. No story is alike and it’s important that the state house to hear them all. The Transfer Fee would give Nantucket, and all towns across the Commonwealth, an incredibly powerful tool to help solve our unique housing crisis as we, as a community, see fit.

Human Services

Behavioral Health Gaps IV: Treatment

When most people think of Behavioral Health, they’re thinking about treatment. Treatment takes place after an intervention and involves the sorts of behaviors we all associate with mental health, like psychologists, therapy and medication. In the Continuum of Care framework currently used in behavioral health fields, treatment is one of largest and most daunting components, with a number of exacerbating local complications.

The core gap that magnifies the rest are the difficulties in staffing. Therapists are in high demand, and the island’s economic and social structure make it difficult to recruit and retain talent. This is a primary cause of the first treatment specific gap: difficult in accessing existing services. There are always more patients than providers, providers have difficulty scaling up operations due to logistical issues endemic to the island and the difficulty in recruitment/retention has knock on effects, also highlighted by the assessment.

With difficulty in recruitment, providers have limited diversity in their staff, which can complicate outreach and communications with non-majority language speakers or those with cultural or other complicating factors. With the low number of providers, all focusing on emergent treatment needs, prevention and resolution take a back seat to acute crisis management.

Treatment is a core component of the Continuum of Care, possibly the sharpest spear in a community’s behavioral health system, and one that benefits from improved performance in areas of the continuum. When prevention or early intervention is limited, this puts more strain on treatment as a first response to crisis, and obviously increased prevention will head off many of the crisis that now require treatment, but the core issues around reimbursement, staffing and retention will need to be addressed by the roadmap to ensure a responsive treatment system for the island.

Jerico Mele, Human Services Director

Natural Resources Department News

NRD Recipient of Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation Grant

NRD has been the recipient of a grant from the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation for the FlowCam Cyano which is a tool that will serve as an enormous benefit to the Department of the Natural Resources. This piece of equipment is a flow imaging microscope and cytometer which is also capable of image analysis. It is able to:

  • Quickly enumerate and categorize the phytoplankton and algae communities of Nantucket;
  • Decrease the time required to identify target Harmful Algal Bloom forming species;
  • Decrease the time between town-level monitoring surveys and state-level actions;
  • Decrease the time required to enumerate Hatchery algae and larvae;
  • Enhance the ability to monitor shellfish larvae recruitment associated with larval releases.

The Town is also gearing up for Spring Pond openings with Sesachacha Pond opened on Monday, March 28 and Hummock Pond being scheduled the first week of April!

News at Brant Point Hatchery

The Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery conducted its first spawn of the season on March 22, 2022. At of last Monday, there were around 15 million 6 days old larval quahogs. This batch of quahogs will be grown out at the Brant Point Hatchery this summer until they are planted in the fall in various recreational areas accessible from shore. The next spawn will be the first week of April, switching species to bay scallops for commercial and recreational stock enhancement.

Aerial view from Tom Nevers Park.

Sewer Department

No Sewer News is Good News!

Now that it is officially spring, the Sewer Department is in full-fledged “spring cleaning mode” - the crew is busy performing seasonal tank inspections and cleanings, deep cleanings of sewer mains, and various other important projects to prepare for the upcoming season, all while simultaneously maintaining the upkeep and regular maintenance schedules that last throughout the year.

Construction is well underway for the South Shore Road gravity sewer main project, and other substantial projects will be starting next month, including the third force main project. Details and updates for each project may be found on our dedicated Current Projects webpage.

Surfside Road Area Sewer System Improvement Project

Excavation work within the roadways remains on hold until the new pump station is operational. Delivery of some critical pump station components has been delayed until late spring or summer. While all force mains and gravity sewers within the public right-of-way have been completed, final connections to divert flow to the new station at Vesper Lane and Miacomet Ave, including service reconnections from properties between Vesper Lane and Anna Drive, are scheduled for late spring or possibly fall of 2022.

Since the last monthly newsletter update the contractor has continued to work on constructing the new sewer pump station at #53 Surfside Road. In addition to the on-site drainage infrastructure, the contractor has installed all electrical conduits, pulled wires, and begun connecting the controls and other components inside the station.

The public is urged to visit the project webpage (www.nantucket-ma.gov/SurfsideRoadSewer) for more information, including weekly schedule updates, crew location, road closures, and detour plans when the final connection phase of the roadway work proceeds. The Sewer Department can also be reached at (508) 228-7200 x7800 with any questions.

South Shore Road Sewer Extension Project

On March 10, the Town of Nantucket began the installation of a new gravity sewer line in S. Shore Road. The scope of this project includes the installation of approximately 5,500 feet of new gravity sewer, including stubs to adjacent streets and abutting properties for future connection. The contractor (Robert B. Our Co.) began at the Surfside WWTF and is advancing up S. Shore Road towards Surfside Road. To date, the crew has installed 800 feet of deep gravity sewer, and construction is slated to continue through June 30th. Any work that is not completed this spring will resume on or after September 12th. Final pavement is tentatively scheduled for the Spring of 2023.

The new gravity sewer is being installed “dry”, which means that there will be no house connections allowed to the sewer at this time. A future pump station will need to be installed at the WWTF site to pump the future flow to the WWTF headworks. The new gravity sewer in S Shore Rd is being installed now so that S Shore Rd can be repaved one time, with construction of the Sea Street Force Main No. 3 and an extension of the water main to the Surfside WWTF also taking place this year in S. Shore Road. This new gravity sewer will provide service to properties within the Miacomet Needs Area, as defined in the 2014 Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, and gravity service previously unavailable to properties already located in the sewer district. Additionally, this new gravity sewer line will ultimately allow for the abandonment and removal of the existing Sachem’s Path and Sherburne Commons pump stations, while also providing a new discharge location for the Abrem’s Quarry pump station and removing all three station’s flows from the Surfside Road pump station.

Local businesses and homes will remain accessible during construction hours. Police detail officers will be on site to assist with traffic management and access to local homes and businesses during construction activities. The public is urged to visit the project webpage (https://www.nantucket-ma.gov/2388/South-Shore-Road-Sewer-Extension-Project) for more information, including weekly schedule updates, crew location, and documents for abutters. The Sewer Department can also be reached at (508) 228-7200 x7801 with any questions.

Public Works Department

This month, with assistance from Victor-Brandon Corp.,the stump of a large tree at 141 Main Street, which came down in a winter storm, was removed and the sidewalk repaired. Much better!

Nantucket Litter Derby
  • Dates and Times: Teams can pick up Litter all day Saturday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd until NOON.
  • Litter drop-off will be ON SUNDAY the 3rd at Nantucket Recycling Center after 1 pm.
  • Teams will be scheduled into time slots for drop off on Sunday.
  • $1000 CASH for 1st place team, fabulous prizes for 2nd and 3rd place teams.
Roadside Litter Drop-Off locations

DPW staff will stop by on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and remove consolidated, bagged ROADSIDE litter from the following bike path drop-off locations (look for the signs). Please call DPW at 508-228-7244 for special pickup of large items found.

The locations are:

  • Milestone Bike Path near Polpis Road
  • Milestone Bike Path at Tom Nevers Road
  • Polpis Bike Path at Don Allen Ford Crosswalk
  • Madaket Bike Path at Eel Point Crosswalk
Thank you for reading the Town of Nantucket March e-News!
Town of Nantucket - 16 Broad Street Nantucket, MA 02554

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