Resident urges commission to accept public materials after town meeting petition reaches state

A resident told the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission on Tuesday that she had submitted a letter about a town-meeting petition to staff but it was not distributed to commissioners before the meeting and asked how members of the public should share information with the commission.

Ray Spork, who identified herself during the public-comment period, said she had “sent it to Leslie and Megan, and copied the chairs,” and that the letter was not distributed. “I sent my comment in on Friday morning with a letter, and I asked that it be distributed to the commission,” she said.

Spork said the letter addressed an ongoing petition that passed town meeting by more than 70% and is now being discussed at the State House. She said the petition had been presented “collaboratively and openly to town meeting” and that petitioners had tried to avoid a contentious state hearing by asking the county commissioners and the commission chairs to meet; she said the chairs declined the county commissioners’ invitation.

“If a member of the public wants to distribute information to the commissioners who are serving the public, how can that be done?” Spork asked. She said she had requested the county commissioners’ help earlier and that “the county commissioners invited your chairs to a meeting and the chairs did not accept the meeting.”

Spork asked the commission to accept a compromise proposal she said she had circulated since December and to include it “as part of your information packet” for commissioners and staff to digest. She also asked that, going forward, the commission inform the public how to submit materials in a timely way so staff and commissioners can research and respond.

Commission staff responded that late submissions generally do not get placed on the same meeting’s posted agenda and explained there are deadlines for agenda items; the staff member said that is why Spork’s letter was not on the current meeting’s agenda. The commission did not take formal action on Spork’s request at the meeting; staff agreed to accept the physical letter and to ensure Leslie receives it.

Spork also said she attended a State House hearing and was pleased “the senators correct[ed] that Town Meeting is a collaborative open process,” and she urged the commission to pursue cooperation among town, county and state representatives rather than allowing the dispute to return to town meeting.

The meeting record shows no further formal action or vote on the petition or Spork’s compromise proposal; she said she would like staff to advise how to submit materials in a timely manner in the future.