Tisbury selectmen this week vowed to take both short and long-term steps to correct drainage problems near Hillside Village, the elderly housing complex in Vineyard Haven, after hearing from residents and advocates who said the standing water has an oppressive stench and provides a nesting ground for mosquitoes.

“It smells like sewage. It smells like a septic tank that overflowed,” said Betsy Fitzpatrick, who lives in the apartments on Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road. Much of the drainage material in the area is runoff from the road and is considered hazardous waste, department of public works director Ray Tattersall said. Ms. Fitzpatrick said she has recently begun to suffer headaches and thinks they may be due to the smell. “I can’t open the back windows of my apartment because the stench is so bad,” she said.

Hillside Village, which has 55 apartments, is one of four affordable housing campuses managed by the nonprofit Island Elderly Housing. All residents either have a disability or are over the age of 62. On Tuesday evening, board chairman Simone DeSorcy reminded selectmen that a mosquito carrying West Nile virus had recently been discovered in Tisbury [link: https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2018/08/30/west-nile-virus].

“We believe that it’s a health hazard,” she said. “We need to find a solution to this continued standing water in the drainage ditches.”

Greg Monka, maintenance director for the housing community, said the drainage area was established in 1981 and the system is no longer functional.

“Over the last August, we had less than an inch of rain. At the time of the last scheduled selectmen’s meeting, there were three inches of standing water in there over a solid four inches of mud, so it’s just not draining,” he said.

Town administrator John (Jay) Grande said he had visited the site to assess the situation with Mr. Tattersall and a representative from civil engineering group Environmental Partners. Mr. Grande said the system does not appear to have been maintained since it was installed. Mr. Tattersall said they plan to ask the town for roughly $25,000 at town meeting in the spring to resolve the issue.

But Mr. Grande also said the town is not underestimating the urgency of the situation.

“I know the residents have kind of reached that I’m-fed-up point, and understandably,” he said. “There’s a lot of work here, and it’s not inexpensive work.”

Mr. Tattersall said he will look into clearing the drainage material while the town finds a longer-term solution. Mr. Grande told the Gazette he expects the issue to come up again at Monday’s infrastructure meeting.

Ms. DeSorcy also asked that the VTA bus stop outside Hillside Village be made accessible for older people and people in wheelchairs. She said residents are also concerned about the speed of cars along road and lack of visibility at the crosswalk.

In other business, Beach Road property owners returned to petition against the state’s proposed improvement plan for the thoroughfare.

Debbie Packer, manager of the Shell gas station on Beach Road and daughter of business owner Ralph Packer, advocated for a plan that stays within the existing right of way. The existing plan would move the road closer to the gas station, requiring the Packers to give up a portion of their land, likely through eminent domain. Ms. Packer also expressed concerns that the plan would be unsafe for cyclists by giving them a false sense of security in a busy, industrial area.

Selectman and board chairman Tristan Israel had drafted a letter to send to the state opposing the project as proposed and advocating for an alternative plan. But selectman Melinda Loberg said she would not vote to send the letter. That left selectman James (Jimmy) Rogers to cast the deciding vote. Mr. Rogers said he would like to wait to see the latest version of the plan and consult the planning board.

“I hear you and I’m sympathetic to your concerns and everyone that’s on Beach Road. I really am,” he told property owners. “I’m just personally not ready to make a decision.”

Mr. Grande updated selectmen on the herbicide home rule petition the town passed at town meeting this year. The legislation would require the utility giant Eversource to seek approval from local authorities before using herbicides to control growth near power lines. Mr. Grande said later that town clerk Hillary Conklin had formally submitted the petition to state Rep. Dylan Fernandes and state Sen. Julian Cyr as a first step.

Mr. Grande also said the town had received a $20,000 grant to develop a municipal vulnerability preparedness plan with the help of a consultant. He said the plan will inform preparedness priorities in the future and help the town secure other grants.

Selectmen went into executive session twice to discuss personnel issues and contract negotiations for the police chief-elect Mark Saloio.

They also approved a license agreement with the Martha’s Vineyard Museum for a walkway on Lagoon Pond Bridge pending additional review. The walkway will allow pedestrian access to the new museum from Lagoon Pond Road.

They also discussed early planning to mark Tisbury’s 350th birthday, which approaches in 2021.