[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6162281,"mediaKeyId","5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9","parentId",5439628,"title","Contract review committee to use Council for Human Services work groups for deeper grant review, not to cede final decisions","audioSeconds",2478,"startMs",1434000,"endMs",3912000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9&start=1434&end=3912","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9/thumbnail_1434000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6162281/Nantucket-County/Massachusetts/Contract-review-committee-to-use-Council-for-Human-Services-work-groups-for-deeper-grant-review-not-to-cede-final-decisions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162281-2f52629dfbef3cc20650b2ad2f7a6147/orig.mp4?Expires=1771018500&Signature=Wqg6m8916cB~2H3WW3LhHvGhurvmXRPI8nk0ELE1CjYqWLwHODcVYy~aCYQOcXslEpvbEN6Dwxu4gOUOoudJtcTK9Al3AHoqdXDMU5t2IoYUD1K7Ua0JDmMpqhqaN0x0ZE6lcjnwgW3Aagy8Wz8X~VfllKcIQvMeEjHrtQFH~iLpQxezJJDRbdbeeoIYaJn11pmn73brtqdRr-Q9Z6DjO6uxm9igahkGg2FYA5oI5Vi9sLZjUcOoc1VHBQO5jhIM9HtdsWmYUXucvHUTbyrkJXP6~qtUvlNk-~3r9vDV54XiF06oAa2I2sQE2b1AtakH1dsEeJdH2JfZ6h5TbfA~rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town-County of Nantucket, MA","date","2025-07-21T13:02:22Z","article","The Contract Review Committee on July 18 agreed to pilot using Council for Human Services work groups to do deeper, sector-level fact-finding and to draft rubrics to assist the committee’s grant review, while maintaining the CRC’s authority over final deliberations and recommendations.
The move is intended to address heavier workloads and earlier deadlines: “We have additional manpower, additional resources, and additional expertise,” Chairperson Veronica Bolczyk said, arguing the extra work will let the CRC meet a new requirement to have recommendations ready by December.
Members said the proposed change is meant to speed initial review, not to transfer decision-making. “All deliberations, any resource setting, the final allotments of money that we recommend, all of that remains solely in the purview of the Contract Review Committee,” Bolczyk said. Under the plan, CHS would form smaller sector work groups (for example, behavioral health, housing, food security) to analyze applications and produce recommendations and rubric drafts that the CRC would review and may modify.
Some members pushed back strongly. Linda (surname not specified) said the CRC already has deep, granular knowledge of recurring applicants and worried the extra layer could become supervisory: “If we’re going to be told or overseen to that extent, why do we show up?” she said. Others, including John Delush, said the CHS work groups could bring a broader community perspective and identify gaps CRC members might not see.
CRC and CHS members described the proposal as operational, not structural: a pilot that could later inform whether a formal merger of the bodies is warranted. Bolczyk said combining the two bodies would require action at annual town meeting and that the town’s charter dating from 1986 originally separated these functions. “We cannot do that though without annual town meeting,” she said.
Committee members also noted open-meeting-law constraints and said CHS work-group meetings would be posted, minuted and transparent; the town attorney and staff have been consulted about procedures. Several members emphasized that the CRC would retain final recommendations to the Finance Committee and that CHS would be an advisory resource.
Members agreed to proceed with a phased approach: CHS will create sector work groups to draft rubrics and perform supplemental reviews; those products will be delivered to CRC for final scoring, deliberation and vote. The committee will monitor duplication of effort and report back before any structural change is pursued at town meeting.
The group did not vote to merge the two bodies and said any change to the charter or formal consolidation would require an annual or special town meeting and explicit action by town governance bodies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Contract Review Committee - 7/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Contract Review Committee on July 18 agreed to pilot using Council for Human Services work groups to carry out sector-specific reviews and help craft rubrics to speed grant intake, while keeping final grant recommendations and allotments with the CRC.","taxTitle","Nantucket County, Massachusetts","taxId",61456,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162262,"CRC schedules Sept. 12 awards ceremony; members seek accessible venue and possible fee waiver",61,5189000,5250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9&start=5189&end=5250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9/thumbnail_5189000.jpg","/articles/6162262/Nantucket-County/Massachusetts/CRC-schedules-Sept-12-awards-ceremony-members-seek-accessible-venue-and-possible-fee-waiver","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162262-9c13e2c34aa8fe8f4f7a01ebbf7ac080/orig.mp4?Expires=1771018500&Signature=UbYemEmK9lSfhXL800VOaWZTSkw5jamnAFBbNzhLu-CEQ6hZgHtx0oG1fClKEDRYIdkrcamEb~dYk8RPPeRJdrFaVa~gekCULe6hD-Xr-pgzG7juMITXmgfl862c2WwGYXYnJ7UYGvUaa2Rnkg8RnQGiMdh8WAYMP7eKCR~FBPUle-gpqPLXn8DMSNsUfFgLwoVKrVvcnPD2zteUNwJu3NNd2O9OWsFpCmEf8z~VJrth72j~GCyodqxLBxvbMn5qIAAMYC2jYZ4GFUA8LNnFBneLI21vlq~ueWMNqCnCVqcjKrkprFb0QOVIo~ttGeiYuWIQr9D84TBPcBbrd5GP3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Contract Review Committee set a provisional date of Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon for its grant award ceremony and discussed venue alternatives after staff raised concerns the previously considered property is not handicap accessible and may face a Conservation Commission notice.
Jerica Malin-Cousin summarized options: Sherburne Commons’ community room, the fairgrounds community room, and the Dreamland were among suggestions. “Sherburne Commons does receive grant funding through this. We could potentially — which is great — I actually quite like that space for that event,” a member said, citing parking and accessibility. The committee noted Sherburne Commons may charge a rental fee but asked staff to seek a fee waiver or funding help for catering.
The group agreed to investigate Dreamland availability and to ask Sherburne Commons whether a fee could be waived; the community room at the fairgrounds was identified as a backup if food service or hours are problematic at other sites. Committee members stressed the ceremony should be in an accessible, welcoming space rather than a small meeting room.
The committee also confirmed a 10 a.m. start time and that the item will be finalized after venue availability and cost questions are resolved.","Committee set a provisional date of Sept. 12 for its grant award ceremony and discussed venue options after learning the initially proposed site (front yard/tent) is not handicap accessible and has an outstanding ConCom (conservation commission) violation; Sherburne Commons and Dreamland were suggested as accessible alternates.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162267,"Committee selects vendor for comprehensive needs assessment; seeks extra funds to cover bid shortfall",202,5466000,5668000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9&start=5466&end=5668","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9/thumbnail_5466000.jpg","/articles/6162267/Nantucket-County/Massachusetts/Committee-selects-vendor-for-comprehensive-needs-assessment-seeks-extra-funds-to-cover-bid-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162267-12e11d4e6f2e7e3aafd597d53940853c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771018500&Signature=D0Em0Os0He8p4ckuUmlCIzeKu8MR36~rI9wKkXenphqlhlUqPzx5AcbVWLww0O9Bq-BVqoWBXmnv8-fDgn8hQQ-V5r3Lv53lbniFKXuedi4Kn7Vnof7qd6a9-JDO~VIr-oJW1vLLnqn6iO-azB3VykiOrZHiMbrthkL4FC8Dm2Jiiv-R~2-OiPRWpc7QqXQIUu2-2u4sCQ1rh32lULHlpJ3dlX2q8yC0tD2EM0WmrBlZlTuOTCp7cZrk3T6jjl3~klVnWu9O6e7VOTkqhcPOHqCPOjuLRXJR5b~lBPq7XlM~s8a3xL~XXswLk2snvFBo2pu2E5kPwVtJxbW2sdHLiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Contract Review Committee said on July 18 that it has reached an agreement with the vendor selected through the procurement process to perform a comprehensive needs assessment of human services, and that preliminary data collection is slated to begin after the contract is signed.
Jerica Malin-Cousin, Health and Human Services staff present at the meeting, summarized the timeline: initial work would begin roughly a month after contracts are finalized, with primary data collection and a community survey commencing around November; findings would be used to inform funding priorities for fiscal year 2028. “Following that, we’ll have shared terminology, sector identifications, and identification of gaps and needs,” she said.
Staff told the committee that the bids came in above the original estimate and that the selected vendor was the highest-rated bid; CRC staff are working to secure additional funds to cover the difference between the estimate and the selected contract price. The committee noted the needs assessment will not be complete in time to materially change fiscal-year-2026 awards; instead the work should inform allocations for FY28.
Committee members asked that the needs-assessment schedule account for the island’s shoulder season population and that stakeholder meetings include CHS, CRC, the Finance Committee and the Select Board as well as nonprofit and town staff. The committee also said it expects the study to yield sector-level recommendations and a shared data platform to guide annual prioritization of grant funds.","CRC reported a vendor was selected for a new comprehensive needs assessment, with data collection expected to begin after contract signatures; committee staff said submitted bids exceeded the estimate and staff are seeking additional funds to cover the shortfall.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162271,"New CRC member may participate but cannot vote until sworn; residency question pending",340,488000,828000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9&start=488&end=828","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9/thumbnail_488000.jpg","/articles/6162271/Nantucket-County/Massachusetts/New-CRC-member-may-participate-but-cannot-vote-until-sworn-residency-question-pending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162271-f8508409a060ca253564920699026013/orig.mp4?Expires=1771018500&Signature=b1F9faNQIaZYo3C6fbxiycFlhxhCnDqOP8G5UBkYxTPt0Ld3IMBhqZrsQx1hnMDp8gMYrvmZYLanYFZ~BljRnfBJ7FpoZ~hvt82S7t0E2YUTVFJTLjOjmX9zuZDZ8pykHQmsAIBFEWJthepa1HR7K0eqeh2MxEHzQtld1tccPWU9c3sJCHTKzdYMa~gdWYAkreF4nQitUHp91FTgIL0hBpXiIHf4AVg0OI1uyNw4tMQBRrkRsLkms3yT3iy5cKjhViXTV-0sMMvJ1oolo83MPgLKUd1mFW0j9EnMEHOeX8DsdgCn4ywHsjy4LbmoviwQQEeB-LgXzuoEEoHrZEWQuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lee Tessa, the committee’s newly appointed at-large member, was introduced at the July 18 meeting and allowed to participate in discussions but not to vote until the town clerk swears in the appointment and the committee receives clarification about residency rules.
Chair Veronica Bolczyk said the committee had established a quorum but noted that new appointees who were not on the rolls at the time of prior meetings cannot retroactively vote on previously held items. “Lee, you weren’t present for those meetings, so technically, you cannot vote on that,” Bolczyk said during the minutes approval.
Members discussed a pending question to the town attorney about whether the CRC requires members to be registered voters or merely residents/taxpayers. Bolczyk and other members said Maureen and Erica from town staff were coordinating appointment letters and instructions; Erica had sent an appointment email to Tessa. Meeting notes show Maureen will confirm the residency/voter requirement and that Erica is processing appointment paperwork; Maureen’s office will also provide open-meeting-law and conflict-of-interest materials.
Committee staff advised Tessa to delay formal swearing-in until the residency requirement is clarified; one member suggested not to be sworn in until the town attorney’s answer arrives. CRC members agreed Tessa can continue to participate in discussions but must not vote until the town clerk records the appointment and any voter-residency condition is satisfied.","Lee Tessa, appointed to the Contract Review Committee, may participate in meetings but cannot vote on past minutes or until sworn in; the committee asked town staff for clarification whether committee membership requires municipal voter registration or only residency/taxpayer status.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6162276,"Contract review committee to redraft funding request; pushes for select-board discussion on substance-misuse allotment",728,3824000,4552000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9&start=3824&end=4552","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5439628-06396ffee81771be4c4764d0183bebb9/thumbnail_3824000.jpg","/articles/6162276/Nantucket-County/Massachusetts/Contract-review-committee-to-redraft-funding-request-pushes-for-select-board-discussion-on-substance-misuse-allotment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6162276-3d61e5294696a8f5b5fcb8430612da7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771018500&Signature=iGGcsNEDuVzQPDUFND5XUEPHuhIdhroe4m3VLns~91Z4y65iHNvCY-Rjj-LC-rg9M4b80-z4db9hiLwLbZUF4lGoreo0zoRjEh7cRVFqGkcP4vrpQyb4s3nbq-uxbddpDBwFMe7wuCFhtzqqoIdKjKcLSOqssmK~q4xNA5o6GKVKWKsQEIi-ois9ZZa10TOsZ-Sp1vg7wvPD8E1XRIUF0OfnB~RhyLXIY1F-KW~tp3GfXcT~rQLybCEEMH8vOWy19y-7UuJphPHIfBEh-pZGYGejKkIGrRtTUGY7HacijpaTAiqIHmlZ1j7-OwkKdzTKUvM23c-n-SqPcrXJhq9uTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Contract Review Committee on July 18 agreed to revise a draft letter to the Select Board and town management to emphasize preserving substance-misuse funding and to request a mechanism for predictable year-to-year increases. Committee members said they will first meet with town legal or finance staff to clarify procurement and municipal finance constraints before finalizing the letter.
“We’re asking that $825,000,” Chairperson Veronica Bolczyk said of the broader funding request as committee members discussed funding scenarios and longer-term needs. Bolczyk and staff warned that, without a commitment, the town’s substance-misuse allotment could fall sharply: committee discussion estimated the allotment might drop to “about a third” of current levels — “between 50 and 65,000,” a participant said during the meeting.
Members proposed narrowing the outgoing letter to focus on two near-term items: (1) sustaining substance-misuse allotments and (2) a cost-of-living adjustment so recurring human-services allotments do not erode. Joanna Roach urged an early conversation with town counsel and municipal finance staff to determine whether some long-term recipients should be treated differently (for example, operational subsidies versus program seed grants): “I think the organizations whose budgets we largely make a contribution to should be excluded from this grant,” she said, arguing that organizations receiving substantial recurring operational support should not be forced through the same competitive program process.
The committee set a next step: invite town counsel/municipal finance for a procurement and budget “101” and brainstorming session to discuss options and any procurement or municipal finance constraints. Bolczyk proposed scheduling that briefing for August 1; if town counsel is not available, August 8 was offered as an alternative. After that meeting the CRC will rework the letter and seek a Select Board agenda slot for direct discussion.
Committee members also discussed public outreach: they preferred presenting recommendations in person at a Select Board meeting so the rationale would be on the public record. Members said they want to publicize the recommended grant total before publishing the grant RFP so potential applicants know the funding envelope.","Committee agreed to narrow a draft funding letter to focus on maintaining substance-misuse funding and a cost-of-living adjustment, and to invite town legal/finance staff to advise on procurement and structural options before sending the letter to town management and the Select Board.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Contract review committee to use Council for Human Services work groups for deeper grant review, not to cede final decisions

CRC schedules Sept. 12 awards ceremony; members seek accessible venue and possible fee waiver

Committee selects vendor for comprehensive needs assessment; seeks extra funds to cover bid shortfall

New CRC member may participate but cannot vote until sworn; residency question pending

Contract review committee to redraft funding request; pushes for select-board discussion on substance-misuse allotment