Tisbury Voters Choose Thomas Pachico

By MAX HART

Tisbury voters chose the familiar over the untested
and handed selectman Thomas W. Pachico a third term in the annual
town election on Tuesday. Mr. Pachico beat challenger Jamie M.
Douglas 520-315.

And in a strong show of support for two affordable housing
initiatives, voters said yes to adopting the Community Preservation
Act as well as the creation of a Martha's Vineyard housing bank. The
legislation passed in a 503-319 vote, while the housing bank was
approved by an almost identical margin, 509-315.

Over 32 per cent of registered voters - 869 out of 2669 -
turned out on a bright, warm spring day.

Voters also elected John Bacheller to a three-year term on
the school committee. Mr. Bacheller, who is a retired teacher and
vice principal, easily defeated Maura M. Valley 539-207.

In the only other contested race, Leo P. DeSorcy (578 votes)
and David J. Ferraguzzi (448 votes) won three-year terms as public
works commissioners, edging out Timothy S. Stobie (347 votes).

But all eyes were on the race for selectman. Mr. Douglas, 32,
who has twice run unsuccessfully for a spot on the board in the past
two years, was seen this year as a legitimate threat to Mr. Pachico's
seat. But while Mr. Douglas did gain a significant increase in votes
from last year's election, voters preferred the status quo.

"I am putting this in a positive light," Mr. Douglas said by
phone yesterday. "I got about 100 more votes than last year, so I
feel my campaign is gaining momentum. I am in this for the long haul,
and I will continue to stick by my belief that this town needs
serious change in order to make progress."

Mr. Douglas said he will continue pursuing his goals through
his post on the town planning board and will most certainly run for
selectman again next year.

Mr. Pachico was vacationing in Florida and could not be
reached for comment on his election victory.

With Tisbury's affirmative vote on Tuesday, every town has
now adopted the Community Preservation Act, which calls for a three
per cent surcharge on property taxes to be put toward affordable
housing projects, open space and historic preservation. That opens
the door to millions of dollars in matching funds from the state,
which will match, dollar for dollar, the total amount of fees raised
across the Island.

"If I could only use one word, it would be satisfying," said
Abbe Burt, an advocate for affordable housing who spearheaded the
public relations campaign for the two initiatives. "I am very pleased
that Islanders have stepped up to the plate and recognized the
serious problem in housing that we are facing. That all six towns
have joined in this effort together and decided to contribute in
addressing this issue is huge. Now we really have more of a chance to
do something positive for our community than ever before."

The four Vineyard towns that passed the Community
Preservation Act this year will start collecting fees beginning July
1. Chilmark and Aquinnah adopted the act at their town meetings four
years ago. Tisbury's vote also nudges the concept of a housing bank
closer to reality. Modeled after the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, the
idea calls for generating money through a one per cent seller-paid
transfer fee on real estate transactions.

"Now the towns can move forward in planning how to use that
funding, and that's exciting," Ms. Burt said. "The great new reality
is that at town meetings next spring, voters will be able to actually
start using their share of the CPA money for housing and preservation
projects in their towns. And if all goes well in Chilmark and
Aquinnah, we can start to work on drafting legislation for the
housing bank this summer and fall, when there will be many public
input sessions on how to to start down this new road."

Elected without contest on Tuesday were:

Deborah Medders, moderator, three years; Marion A. Mudge,
town clerk, three years; Roy Cutrer Jr., assessor, three years;
Herbert F. Custer, board of health, three years; David J. Schwab,
water commission, three years; Thomas M. Robinson, land bank commission,
three years; Sandra A. Johnson-Pratt, Judith S. Miller and Marilyn P.
Wortman, library trustees, three years; and Larry J. Gomez, Muriel L.
Mill and Antonio D. Texiera Jr., finance advisory committee, three
years.

Robert W. Doyle won a spot on the finance advisory committee
as a write-in candidate with 76 votes, and Robert Aldrin was elected
to the planning board as a write-in candidate with 21 votes.