Buildings audit to start soon
By Sam Bari

The Jamestown Buildings and Facilities Committee reviewed and discussed the upcoming audit of all town-owned or managed buildings and sites at its Dec. 12 meeting. Committee Chairman Duncan Pendlebury passed out a matrix to committee members of all town-owned buildings and facilities as well as a list of building features that needed to be fulfilled to satisfy the requirements of the audit.

Pendlebury said he would compile a list for the first meeting of the new year on Jan. 23 that prioritized the order of the audit. After discussing the list at length, the committee decided that the first three tours will include Ft. Wetherill, the Town Offices on Southwest Avenue, and possibly the Community Center. These sites will probably be audited before the January meeting. The suggested dates of Jan. 12 and 19 are pending depending on availability of personnel.

Vice Chairman Nick Robertson emphasized the importance of inspecting and maintaining all rights-of-way to beach areas. He said that the rights-of-way should be high priority items because of encroachment by landowners attempting to block access by planting vegetation and even placing boulders on the pathways to discourage use. Robertson mentioned that one right-of-way was recently lost due to lack of use and an abutting landowner claiming adverse possession.

Town Council Liaison Bill Kelly suggested using public works department employees with their new equipment for maintenance. He said that the heated backhoe allows maintenance personnel to work through the winter. The new backhoe is also equipped with a brush cutter with an extended boom as well as a clamshell loader for removing brush and picking up rocks and boulders. Pendlebury asked Town Planner Lisa Bryer, a committee member, to secure a list of all rights-of-way so they are included in the inspection.

Kelly also said that “the town has every intention of leaving the offices on Southwest Avenue by August of 2007.” The townowned facility should be used for affordable housing, Kelly said, and he asked for support from the committee in this regard. Robertson, who said he was a strong advocate of affordable housing, agreed, adding that “with escalating real estate values, purchasing new property was probably beyond their means.”

Pendlebury said that he will write a short report to the Town Council concerning attendance records and scheduled committee meetings for next year.