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Westport Island select board approves warrants, updates permit process and authorizes paving bids
Summary
The select board approved multiple accounts-payable batches and payroll, accepted the warrant record and minutes, approved a policy on warrant signatures, advanced land-use application process changes (fees deferred), and authorized RFPs and bids for a Main Road paving project tied to a $750,000 package.
The Westport Island Select Board on July 13 approved several warrant and payroll payments, accepted the warrant record and minutes of its June 29 meeting, and approved administrative changes to town permitting and bidding processes.
Chair (S2) moved to accept accounts payable batch number 114 for $87,589.66, noting roughly $21,000 of that amount covered fire department needs and about $25,000 was for grading work; Committee member (S3) seconded and the motion passed. The board subsequently approved additional accounts-payable batches and payrolls, including payroll number 1 for $6,765.48, and accepted the minutes of the 06/29/2026 select board meeting.
The board voted to renew a state-based warrant-signature policy that allows staff wages and benefits and certain fees to be processed when only one signature is available in limited circumstances, while reaffirming the typical practice that three signatures are used when possible. "If there aren't at least two signatures, then we can't pay other bills," the Chair said while explaining the need to align local practice with state rules.
On land-use matters, staff (S4) presented a revised application and a draft fee schedule. The board approved changes to the application process and administrative sections but deferred finalizing price amounts for several permit types so staff can confirm appropriate fee levels. S4 said the intent was to make forms easier to copy and to add a date/version to the bottom of forms to avoid multiple circulating copies.
The board also approved requests for proposals and a request for bids to prepare and pave Main Road from Upper West Shore Road to Lower West Shore Road. The work is being advanced as part of a larger $750,000 package previously approved by the board; a pre-bid meeting was set for the 22nd and bids are due on the 27th to support the bond bank application. "Hopefully that $750,000 will get us what we need," the Chair said.
The meeting concluded with routine scheduling: the board confirmed meetings on Aug. 10 and Aug. 24 and reminded members that Wednesday workshops (4–6 p.m.) are for discussion only, and not for making formal decisions.
The board did not set final fee numbers for the land-use schedule and will revisit pricing with staff at a future meeting. Bids for the paving work will be opened after the pre-bid meeting and before the next regular session.
