HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2342        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3792

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Dylan A. Fernandes and Julian Cyr

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act amending the charter for the town of Nantucket.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2342        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3792

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act amending the charter for the town of Nantucket.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 2.1 of article II of the charter of the town of Nantucket, as established by chapter 289 of the acts of 1996, as amended, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended as follows:

1. Striking out the first sentence of the second paragraph said section 2.1 and replacing it with the following:

Notwithstanding the foregoing, certain powers of Town Meeting as to real estate acquisitions and funding of capital projects at Nantucket Airport shall also be vested in the Select Board, as specified in

Sections 3.3 and 3.6, subject to the voters' right to petition, as specified in Sections 2.1(b), 3.3, and 3.6.

2. Striking out section 2.1(b) and replacing it with the following:

To veto any real estate acquisition voted by the Select Board pursuant to Section 3.3 or any vote regarding funding of capital projects at the Nantucket Airport pursuant to Section 3.6; provided, however, that a petition proposing such veto in the form of a Town Meeting warrant article is signed by at least ten registered voters and provided that the petition is timely filed with the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk shall then present the petition to the Select Board within the time permitted for inclusion of the article in the next Annual Town Meeting or Special Town Meeting warrant. The Select Board or the Nantucket Airport Commission, as applicable may proceed with the real estate acquisition or use of funding of capital projects to benefit the Airport unless a petition to veto such acquisition or funding is filed with the Town Clerk within 15 days of the public notice provided for Section 3.6 of this Charter.

SECTION 2. Section 3.1 of article III of said charter is hereby amended by adding a new section 3.6 as follows:

Section 3.6 Funding for the Benefit of the Nantucket Airport

At the request of the Nantucket Airport Commission, the Select Board may, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, vote to appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds any sum of money to be placed in the Airport enterprise fund, or any other fund established for the benefit of Nantucket Airport, in order to permit the Nantucket Airport Commission or the Nantucket Airport to qualify for available grants and loans; provided that the amount of such appropriation or borrowing shall not exceed the total cost of the Capital Project for which the appropriation or borrowing is authorized pursuant to Section 2.1(b) of this Charter; and provided further that any amount authorized to be appropriated, borrowed or transferred by the Select Board shall, subject to any applicable grant or loan requirements and applicable laws, be reduced by the amount of any such grant or loan funds received prior to the issuance of bonds or notes or the expenditure of funds by the Nantucket Airport Commission.

The Select Board shall publish a public notice of such vote in a newspaper having general circulation within the Town. Any such vote shall be subject to veto by Town Meeting if a petition as set forth in Section 2.1(b) is filed with the Town Clerk within 15 days following the date such public notice is published.

Nothing in this section of the Charter shall affect the acceptance of gifts pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 53A of the General Laws.