Nantucket will be holding a second town meeting this year, a Special Town Meeting on October 22, 2012 beginning at 6:00 PM. The Full Warrant was recently approved by the Board of Selectmen. Also on the warrant are numerous CITIZEN’S ARTICLES. Some of the more controversial articles are likely to be Article 5, Appropriation: Madaket Landfill Wind Turbine and Article 11: Home Rule Petition: Amend the Historic District Commission Act. Article 11, if passed, would give the HDC the right to preserve “places of historic interest”, including historic brick paved street and ways in town. Currently the HDC has the authority to approve or deny applications for changes to the exterior of structures on Nantucket that can be seen from a public way. There is a guidebook, called Building with Nantucket in Mind, that explains what the HDC mandate is. The proposed article would broadly expand the powers of the HDC and the article is generating lively discussion island-wide.
Nantucket is one of few communities in the Commonwealth that still have a town meeting form of government. Make your voice heard or do not complain about the results.