Town of Aquinnah

Gay Head Lighthouse Advisory Board
Notes of Meeting 1/14/19
Aquinnah Town Hall Selectmen’s Meeting Room

Members present: Chairman Len Butler, Richard Skidmore, Jim Pickman, Renee Pianka (representing Condo Owners) *
*via phone
Members Not present: Bettina Washington, Kathy Rainey, Tom Murphy
Also present: Selectmen Gary Haley, Noli Taylor representing the Aquinnah Energy and Climate Commission

- The meeting began at 4:40pm

- First on the agenda was a review of the 11/26 minutes. Richard motioned to approve the minutes as presented. Motion was seconded by Jim. The Board voted 4-0, the motion passed.

- Under Old Business, Jim gave a review of accounts. Jim reported that there had been no change from the previous month. There is still $66,450 in the bank and $15,000 remaining in CPA FY’19 funds. Len noted that he received a final notice to renew the Lighthouse Society membership. He will forward it again to Jeffrey to pay for a 2-year renewal. There was brief discussion concerning a Lighthouse Society article on the Fresnel Lens. Richard informed the Committee that he is still waiting to hear from the MV Museum on when they can go and see the Fresnel Lens in its new location.

- Next, Richard gave a Lighthouse and Park report. Richard gave a brief overview of the New Year’s celebration at the Lighthouse. Jay, Aquinnah DPW, has added crushed stone to the gullies of the path to help stabilize eroded sections. The Committee reviewed photos of the park grounds showing areas that need to be leveled with top soil. The Committee discussed the fencing and whether certain sections need to be moved due to bluff erosion. Richard stated that he will talk with Jay about the fencing. Richard reported that approximately 8ft of bluff was lost last April.

- Next, the Committee discussed fundraising. Len reported that he has been in touch with representatives from Vineyard Power who are agents for Vineyard Wind, the developers for the offshore wind energy project near Nantucket. Vineyard Wind has created virtual images showing the impact of the wind project from the Lighthouse and Aquinnah Cultural Center vantage points. Impact on these places are subject to review by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), who is conducting the meetings between the developer and interested parties. Len has written to the director of BOEM, informing them that the Committee would like to be included in the discussion and discussion of any future projects. Len felt that the current project will not have a major impact on Aquinnah (project location is 24 to 26 miles away), but as a mitigation response for areas, the developer is offering grants. It was suggested that the Committee develop a “wish list” for the grant money and present the list at the next Vineyard Wind and BOEM meeting. The Committee discussed the following potential projects/ideas for the grant with Noli Taylor who represents the Aquinnah Energy and Climate Commission: constructing viewing platforms (two or three sites) in areas that people tend to gravitate towards and developing appropriate signage of historical and geographical visitor information (total approximate cost to be between $5,000 and $10,000); solar collectors to power the light; smaller restoration projects such as repair of the old exterior Lighthouse Keeper Passageway, interior brick repointing and addressing the deteriorating roof, which probably would not be covered by this grant but could be on the list (Len will get costs for these projects); and installing Wi-Fi and developing a visitor guide app (approximate cost to be $1,500). Gary suggested the Committee look into replacing the lights with LED lights to reduce energy costs. The Committee thought that was a good idea but that is in the Coast Guard jurisdiction. Noli noted that if she finds any information on LED lights, she will pass the information onto the Committee. Len will send pricing to Noli who will send a final list of potential projects to the Committee.
The Committee discussed the next rounds of MHC grant funding. Jim informed everyone that Gisele is willing to be the local project coordinator and is ready to begin work on the grant. In addition, Jim noted that CPC is prepared to put more money aside to build on the funds for the MHC grant. Len felt that the grant process was restrictive, difficult and very time consuming. He added that the largest grant MHC has approved has only been around $60,000. The Committee discussed whether it is worth applying for the grant again. It was noted that there is a preference given to first time applicants and the Town has already received the grant twice. There was brief discussion concerning the $300,000 State Bond Bill. Richard is waiting to hear from Kaley Moore on when the lobbying will begin. He will keep the Committee posted. After further discussion, the Committee agreed to pass on the upcoming MHC grant application. The Committee discussed contacting International Chimney and seeing if they could proceed with the lantern room work (approximate cost of $85,000), which the Committee has funds for. Richard stated that in February, he will be writing a letter to CPC requesting $20,000 and that money could go towards the lantern room work.

- Under New Business, the Committee discussed the $20,000 request for a sun shade at the Lighthouse. Len stated that he didn’t want to see anything permanent constructed. Len informed the Committee that after lengthy research he found a retractable 8ftx10ft water proof sail awning. Renee informed the Committee that she needed to leave the meeting for 5 minutes. The Committee asked if she or the Condo Owners had any concerns to discuss. Renee didn’t have any. The Committee scheduled their next meeting for February 19th, 2019 at 4:30pm. Renee left the meeting. The Committee continued discussing the awning that Len had found. Len noted that the angle of the awning can be adjusted and would require ground mounts. The Committee felt that a 10ftx10ft awning would be appropriate. After further review and discussion, the Committee approved a recommendation to reduce the article request from $20,000 to $10,000 and recommended that the Selectmen look into a securely mounted and retractable awning system (similar to what Len presented, if not that exact option).

- With no other business to discuss, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn. The Board voted unanimously in favor, the motion passed.

- The meeting ended at 5:53pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Sophia Welch
Board Administrative Assistant