Oak Bluffs Balks at Funding Proposal for High School

Chilmark’s proposed alternative funding formula for the regional high school, while endorsed by Edgartown, has found no traction with Oak Bluffs officials.

Following a unanimous thumbs-down from its finance committee, the Oak Bluffs select board called Tuesday for a series of all-Island select board meetings where the six towns can work together to craft a mutually acceptable formula.

“I find it disturbing that this regional conversation is happening in such a fractured way,” board chairman Brian Packish said.

“It’s discouraging that Islandwide, we can’t sit at a table and have a conversation and discuss this,” Mr. Packish continued.

“Oak Bluffs is being seen as the problem [and] I completely disagree,” he said. “We’re willing to sit at the table.”

A meeting is in fact planned for next Monday with regional high school district committee and all six Island towns to discuss the funding formula.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. over Zoom.

On Tuesday Mr. Packish said the proposed funding formula backed by Chilmark and Edgartown is unacceptable to Oak Bluffs because it is based on population by town, rather than real estate values.

“Looking at the valuations of real estate, to me it’s a very realistic expectation,” he said. “This is a regional project and Martha’s Vineyard as a region needs a regional high school.”

Select board member Jason Balboni concurred.

“We need to sit down and have a discussion like adults and figure this out,” Mr. Balboni said.

“If we can’t figure this one out now, we’re just going to have a harder time in the future,” he added. “We’re going to have to think more and more as an Island as time goes on.”

The board agreed to have Mr. Packish and town manager Deborah Potter send a letter to the other towns requesting the meetings.

Select board member Emma Green-Beach suggested finding a mediator experienced with municipal negotiations to facilitate the discussions.

Also Tuesday, the select board reviewed warrant articles for the annual and special town meetings April 12; awarded a contract for the August 19 fireworks to the town’s longtime pyrotechnists, American Thunder; held a public hearing on replacing a power pole and heard a presentation on the town’s comprehensive wastewater plan.

Oak Bluffs leadership may have valid points. But they just lack the charisma and negotiating skills of Chilmark and Edgartown. And because of those factors the good leaders of OB are always afraid of being hoodwinked by the better, and big picture, leaders of Chilmark and Edgartown.

I suggest Edgartown Chilmark and other reasonable towns build their own school. It should be PER student. Why should Edg pay more based on real estate values? Sounds like 'class warfare' politics and it won't fly. If we don't get the money for a new school, thank your representatives in OB. Correct me if I am wrong, but is there a town that refused to also participate in the refuse district? Was it OB?

The "leaders" in OB are not their town residents' "representatives." We do not have representative governance in our towns. For hundreds of years and still today, towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are blessed with having direct democracy, a rare thing in the modern world. We vote on EVERYTHING, in theory, and it is glorious, or should be. Unfortunately, the select board of OB gets to pick and choose which items to bring to the voters at town meeting. Example: In 2019 the MVRHS asked the towns for $350,000 to pay for the "design of a track and synthetic field." OB select board didn't hold a special town meeting to allow the issues to be aired and voted upon by its taxpayers. By default, therefore, OB voted "YES." The select boards of Tisbury and Edgartown did the same thing. Two more default "YES" votes. In Chilmark, however, and all the up island towns, the issue was brought to the voters. In Chilmark only seven voters said "yes" and it was resoundingly defeated. In Aquinnah and West Tisbury the vote was close, but the spending was approved. (NOTE: The $350,000 has already been spent and the tally is now over $500,000 and growing, all of which we must pay.) By not bringing items to OB town meeting the select board is robbing you of your lawful voice, a voice you have had for hundreds of years. Residents of OB: You let your select board keep issues from you at your peril. You are being cut out of important and expensive decisions.

I posted the commentary below on another story, but it's seems more fitting for this piece... So let me see if I have this straight....current funding is by headcount by town - that would seem to make sense - if every town had their own school that's exactly how you would fund it - you would take your costs, create a budget and come up with a per student costs - you could then debate that cost per student and decide among your select board whether that's too high or too low. In this case, we have one town out of the six that decides it doesn't want to pay by that formula and would like the other five towns to subsidize their students because the school resides there - OK. But what intrinsic value DOES OB gain from having the school in it's confines - great athletic facilities for them to use, a decent performing arts center to utilize, students with the shortest bus ride to school, the island's emergency shelter? and the list goes on.... it seems to me that we are dealing with a recent phenomenon in our republic - it's not truly equitable if I don't view it as somehow advantageous to me(regardless of what the numbers actually demonstrate). That about cover it?

It should definitely be based on a per student basis. If not, I would have no problem of having an Edgartown High School. Even if it costs more money to Edgartown taxpayers. I am tired of towns wanting equal control and Edgartown footing the majority of the money. Definitely decide this before rebuilding the high school.

How can the funding formula come from Real estate values? too many factors come into play. use of population and or regional student data is the only way. It was in very good faith that chilmark offered to pay more!! wake up OB

If the island had unified government or if schools were run by the county as they are in most of the US, the cost would be distributed to all island real estate owners based on the value of their real estate. It is only the unique style of small town government that causes this issue, since now the costs has to be allocated across artificial divisions within the island. Ultimately there has to be a compromise but the ask from Oak Bluffs is not unreasonable.

You are wrong. Counties do NOT run schools "in the most of the US'. There are many cooperating regional high schools, but no county schools. Schools are run by local governments, hence many towns get a reputation for good schools based on state testing, and college acceptance of students and their real estate values increase according to that demand for excellence. Based on the history of our county government, its best to leave them to do their job, whatever that is. ( didn't we have a study recommended dismantling of county government a few years ago?)

Bottom line is 80 per cent of all taxes on island are paid by the summer home owners. Islanders have little skin in the game. Select Boards need to work it out realizing that few islanders will be truly effected.

why don’t they use some of the money from the short term rental tax?

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Comments (10)

Schools Out, Tisbury

March 10, 2022 - 2:17pm

just a thought, edg

March 10, 2022 - 8:05pm

direct democracy is a gift, island

March 11, 2022 - 9:25am

John, Edgartown

March 11, 2022 - 7:29am

William, Edg

March 11, 2022 - 9:32am

James, EDGARTOWN

March 11, 2022 - 10:41am

Len, visitor

March 11, 2022 - 1:19pm

no way, edg

March 11, 2022 - 4:07pm

BS, Oak Bluffs

March 11, 2022 - 9:16pm

jon, edg

March 12, 2022 - 6:21am

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Oak Bluffs Balks at Funding Proposal for High School

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