News

Posted on behalf of Martha Polachi, President of the 'Sconset Civic Association.

I went before the Traffic and Safety Committee a couple of weeks ago to let them know what we had done this summer in the village to slow traffic in Sconset and ask for their help with this issue.

Recently there was a Municipal Modernization Bill that gave authority to all of the towns in the state of Massachusetts to set enforceable speed limits of 25 MPH and they also gave authority to towns to set safety zones and post signs in those areas with a speed limit of 20MPH which is also enforceable.

The town of Nantucket will be voting on accepting this authority in April at our town meeting. I plan to attend and vote in favor.

I have drafted a letter to the Selectmen on behalf of the Sconset Civic Association and the village of Sconset in support of accepting this authority and asked that they designate the village of Sconset as a safety zone so that we will have an enforceable speed limit around the village of 20MPH by summer of 2017.

A Message from the President of the 'Sconset Civic Association

With the summer coming to an end, this seems like a good time to reflect on what the 'Sconset Civic Association accomplished in 2016 and some of our ongoing projects for the benefit of the 'Sconset community.

Help us help you.  If you're not already a member of the Civic Association, please join us to help protect the interests of 'Sconset residents and businesses. Together, we can make a difference!

2016 Accomplishments

• Launch of Website

With the guidance, tech support, and countless volunteer hours of Civic Association member Gail Walker, and the assistance of myself and Board members Kate Stahler Starret, Gene Hilzenrath, and Mary Lathrop Will, the Civic Association launched this website in September. It’s very exciting for all of us on the Board to now be able to communicate via the website about all things 'Sconset in the off-season as well as during the summer months. The website will also make it easy for new members to join and for current members to rejoin - dues can now be paid online! This has been quite an accomplishment to pull together in a few short weeks. We hope you will access it often and let your 'Sconset friends and neighbors know about it.

• Safer Streets
  

Our main focus this summer was on traffic speed remediation all around the village of 'Sconset. The problem was brought to the attention of the Nantucket Police Department and they responded immediately by sending an officer in a cruiser regularly to tag traffic violators in the village and by sending the radar trailer to Sconset for a couple of days. This helped immensely and police coverage was maintained throughout the month of August. I will be meeting with the Police Department and the Traffic and Safety Committee in the off season to make a future plan for slowing traffic next summer.

We also contacted the Department of Public Works regarding dangerous overgrowth of shrubbery on all of the corners of the streets feeding into Sankaty Road. They then trimmed it back to provide increased visibility and safety to pedestrians, bikers and drivers.

• 'Sconset Rotary Landscaping 

We hired a local 'Sconset landscaper to water the plants, prune the hydrangea and roses, and take care of the new grass planted at the Grey Memorial Rotary early this summer. There will be a more comprehensive garden planted after the rotary project has been completed.

• Scholarship Awarded

Each year the 'Sconset Civic Association chooses a worthy Nantucket High School student who lives in 'Sconset to be the recipient of our scholarship. This year, Elizabeth Eldridge, daughter of Earl and Amy Eldridge and granddaughter of Nelson (Snooky) Eldridge, was our recipient. Elizabeth is attending Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA and majoring in Fire Science. If you are interested, or know a student who qualifies and is interested in applying for a scholarship, please request an application by emailing sconsetcivic@gmail.com.  

• Tribute to 'Sconset Firefighters

In honor of all the firefighters who have served 'Sconset over the years, we donated funds to the Nantucket Firefighters Association for a plaque with the names of all those who have served. This plaque will be mounted in the lobby of the 'Sconset Firehouse for all to view.

Current Ongoing Projects

• Renovation of the David Grey Memorial rotary and flagpole.  We will continue to stay in touch with the Director of the Department of Public Works, Kara Buzanoski, to try to keep this project on track.

• Fire Department Coverage of 'Sconset. We have expressed the concern of 'Sconset residents to the new Nantucket Fire Chief, Paul Rhude, about the fire department coverage in 'Sconset since the mandatory retirement of our local voluntary firefighters in January of 2016. We will be in contact with Chief Rhude during the winter months to address these concerns and to support his proposal to renovate and expand the 'Sconset Firehouse so that it can have full-time firefighters on duty during the summer months when calls are the highest.

• Bicycle Safety Program. The Bike safety program that was held for many years, until 2015, will be reinstated during the summer of 2017, led by Board member Lynn Filipski and assisted by the Nantucket Police Department. The program will be held in July of 2017.

• 'Sconset Pamphlet.  For next summer, we have ordered 500 pamphlets with a map of 'Sconset and its history, always appreciated by visitors to the village. These pamphlets will be available at the 'Sconset Market at no charge.

Hope to see you next summer!

Best regards,
Martha Polachi
President, Siasconset Civic Association