The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will resume its role as steward of the Gay Head Light, having outscored the Aquinnah-based Headers of the Light in a turbulent review process that began in February.
Following the relocation of the lighthouse last spring, the museum stayed on as steward for the summer season. But because it was a municipal agreement, the contract was later sent out to bid.
According to the contract approved by selectmen Tuesday, the museum will pay a $10,000 licensing fee to the town, plus all revenues over $80,000 or an amount to be determined.
Headers of the Lighthouse, founded by Aquinnah resident Macey Dunbar with a goal of becoming a nonprofit, was the only other bidder for the job, which includes educational, promotional and visitor services related to the lighthouse.
The town lighthouse advisory board, which vetted the proposals, was later advised by town counsel to let the selectmen make the final decision. A point system used to evaluate each applicant was the topic of intense debate at the selectmen’s meeting.
The system allocated up to 110 points for each applicant based on experience, a proposed work plan and other criteria. Six of the nine advisory board members had favored the Headers group, but an averaging of points for each applicant put the museum slightly ahead.
At the request of advisory board member Elise LeBovit, 10 points were available for in-town applicants, but on Tuesday Ms. LeBovit argued that some of those points had been unfairly allocated to the museum, whose board includes an Aquinnah resident.
“It was going to be impossible for a town applicant to compare to experience,” she said, explaining why she had pushed for the additional criteria. “It was to equalize out the vote.”
Michael Stutz agreed that the in-town points had been misused, and he challenged the scoring method itself, since other methods would have favored the Headers. He also believed the scores had been tallied in secret, although selectman Jim Newman said it was done at a public meeting.
Advisory board chairman Len Butler defended the process, “We did what we thought we were supposed to,” Mr. Butler said, adding that the selectmen would still have the final say.
According to the original tally sheets, the board had allocated a total of 815 points to the museum and 810 to the Headers, including 14 in-town points for the museum, compared to 83 for the Headers.
Betsey Mayhew of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum said Tuesday that she envisioned a partnership between the town and the museum, although past efforts to find local guides had fallen short. “The Headers group has reached out to several previous staff members, but we will need to hire more people,” she said. The request for proposals indicates, among other things, that the future steward should prioritize Aquinnah residents as visitor guides. But for now, the museum plans to hire its regular guides from out of town.
Ms. Dunbar said she had been motivated by the town’s enthusiasm for local applicants, and already had some local workers in mind. As with Ms. Mayhew, she envisioned a partnership, but with additional benefits to the town. “We really do want to make this something that the towns people all participate in and take pride in,” she said.
Selectman Juli Vanderhoop said she was happy with the outcome.
“They are both wonderful,” she said of the proposals. “I really do feel that we can move this forward from here.” She noted that the town had overcome obstacles to move the lighthouse last year, leading Mr. Butler to joke that moving the lighthouse was the lesser feat. “That was way easier than this,” he said.
In the end the selectmen used the same 110-point system to make their own decision, with Spencer Booker and Jim Newman favoring the museum, and Ms. Vanderhoop favoring the Headers. The final tally was 241-179 in favor of the museum.
The contract period will run from May 13 through November, with the possibility of being extended another two years.
In other business, the selectmen voted to appropriate $9,781.65 in free cash for expenses related to the upcoming shellfish season, including about $5,000 for the annual batch of steamer clam seed from the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group. Shellfish constable Brian (Chip) Vanderhoop said funds had been tight following budgeting problems last year and that the shellfish department had run out of money.
The selectmen also agreed to send a letter in support of Cape Light Compact, the local energy service provider, which is advocating for towns in response to a five-year, $496 million plan to modernize the energy grid. The plan is being reviewed by the state and would feature a gradual transition away from conventional power plants, toward more renewable and decentralized energy sources. Among other things, the plan could end up allowing only Eversource customers to have “smart meters” that can refine pricing based on the time of day or season.
Cape Light Compact has visited Island towns in the last year to introduce the new plan, along with its own plans for increased energy services in the region.
Aquinnah resident and Cape Light board member Michael Hebert said the grid modernization plan was “635 pages of technological rigamarole and political speak,” and he emphasized the importance of having Cape Light Compact advocate for the town. Chilmark has also agreed to send the letter, addressed to the Department of Public Utilities, which is accepting public comment through April 14, when it plans to hold a public hearing in Boston.
Comments may be sent to Secretary Mark D. Marini, Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110. The plan itself is available online at www.mass.gov/dpu.
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