The West Tisbury town meeting started on a fiery note Tuesday evening, as voters opted not to approve its portion of the regional high school annual operating budget to protest the school board’s lawsuit against the Oak Bluffs planning board over the turf field. Later, voters unanimously approved the town’s share of a $2 million feasibility study to upgrade or replace the high school.
In Oak Bluffs, voters also easily approved that town’s share of the high school feasibility study. Oak Bluffs voters also said no to ‘nips’ with no discussion and only three people opposing the measure to ban the miniature liquor bottles that have come under scrutiny across Massachusetts. The vote was greeted by a round of applause.
Edgartown voters unanimously approved their portion of the high school feasibility study and after some discussion followed Oak Bluffs in agreeing to ban nips.
Edgartown voters also overwhelmingly approved their largest spending article: $21.5 million for a proposed fire station rebuild.
In West Tisbury, the meeting began about 20 minutes past the appointed time of 6 p.m. as moderator Dan Waters waited for a quorum of 140 voters. The gavel came down at 6:21 when 141 voters were counted as present.
With town poet laureate Tain Leonard Peck down with a cold, last year’s poet laureate Spencer Thurlow stepped in to read Mr. Peck’s poem Barnyard Emperor, which ended with a powerful few stanzas relayed from the animal kingdom: “I am goose / none may stand against me / look on my works, ye mighty/ what do I care / in my supreme kingdom of wrathful down and dark waters.”
Mr. Waters then read the names of community members who had died in the last year, which was followed by a moment of silence.
West Tisbury’s share of the high school’s budget is $3.4 million. When the line item came up for discussion as part of the town budget, objections were raised to the school board’s recent decision to continue litigation with the Oak Bluffs planning board. Select board member Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter noted that even though the objections related to the legal budget, the only way to lodge a protest was to amend the entire school budget line item to zero.
School superintendent Richie Smith urged the crowd to approve the school funding, saying voting no “would impact programming.”
But former school committee member Kate DeVane said: “This is the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard of... the school can’t keep shoving it down our throats.”
West Tisbury voters voted nearly unanimously by a show of hands against approving the money.
“It takes four out of six towns to approve the budget,” Mr. Manter continued. If at least four towns vote to approve their portion, he said, West Tisbury “will pay the assessed amount whether we like it or not.”
A plan to overhaul the high school athletic fields using synthetic turf remains in legal limbo, two years after the Martha’s Vineyard Commission approved the project in a split vote. In May 2022, the Oak Bluffs planning board denied the school’s plans, citing concerns over the effects of PFAS chemicals (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the town water resource protection area.
The school district sued the planning board in June, arguing that the school is exempt from certain local zoning restrictions because of the so-called Dover amendment, which gives broader latitude for school land used for “educational purposes.” Last week, a divided high school committee voted to authorize continued legal spending to pursue its case.
“If we don’t get four towns, we will have to go back with our school committee and try to address some of the reasoning and have that reflected in our budgets," Mr. Smith said on Wednesday. "I also believe that West Tisbury is not looking to harm anyone. I do believe they have the best interest in kids.”
"If school budget does receive its four town approvals, any town that did not approve will have to hold a special town meeting and approve the budget," Mr. Smith continued. "That’s by law."
In Oak Bluffs, the quorum of 50 voters was easily reached at the performing arts center at the regional high school, and moderator Jack Law kicked the night off with the pledge of allegiance. The room then shared a moment of silence for town members who have died in the past year.
Oak Bluffs voters quickly passed all eight articles on the special town meeting, including money for the annual summer fireworks display.
In addition to approving the town’s share of the high school’s feasibility study and a ban on nips, the town voted to restrict Oak Bluffs select board members from holding other elected town positions. If approved by the attorney general’s office, the motion will not impact anyone currently serving.
Voters then sped through the evening, approving all warrant articles and concluding the town meeting at 8:41 p.m.
In Edgartown voters had to wait nearly 30 minutes at the Old Whaling Church for its quorum of 210 voters to be reached. Moderator Steve Ewing blamed the Bruins game for poor turnout.
“Call your friends we’re 12 short, call your enemies it doesn’t matter,” Mr. Ewing admonished the crowd, before picking up the phone himself and calling The Wharf to look for errant voters.
The quorum was met at 6:28 p.m. and town meeting began with a pledge of allegiance and then a moment of silence for former moderator Jeff Norton, who died in November of 2022.
All articles in Edgartown’s special town warrant passed unanimously except for a floodplain bylaw, which went to a vote and passed 178 to 6.
Chris Edwards of the board of health announced Edgartown health agent Matt Poole’s retirement after over 25 years. The crowd responded with a standing ovation.
Mr. Poole thanked the audience for the acknowledgment. “I’ve really enjoyed working for the town and I’m thrilled we’re handing off the department to the next generation,” he said.
Edgartown voters then got down to business, making up for the late start by quickly approving a flurry of articles, including the high school feasibility study. Voters also approved $720,000 for the demolition of the current animal control facility to make way for a new building, and $50,000 to conduct an analysis of chappy ferry ownership options. Two voters opposed the measure.
The warrant article for a $21.5 million proposed fire station rebuild prompted discussion, beginning with fire chief Alex Schaeffer making a motion to amend fire station warrant article to clarify it will be funded through property taxes.
The motion passed but then attendees asked Chief Schaeffer to reread the amendment for clarification, with one voter suggesting that a project of this size should include some affordable housing.
Chief Schaeffer responded that they looked into that option but found that the space wasn’t sufficient. The article passed easily, 189-7.
Voters also approved unanimously $2.6 million for the north wharf restoration, and after some discussion $1 million to build a playground and outdoor learning space at the Edgartown School.
During the discussion over the proposed nip bottle ban, several business owners spoke up, including Julia Tarka, owner of Rosewater Spirits, who proposed amending the article to say “miniature plastic single use containers.”
That motion was denied and voters approved the nip bottle ban.
With just a few articles remaining, all of which were approved, Edgartown adjourned its town meeting at 10:14 p.m.
Earlier in the evening, West Tisbury adjourned at 9:24 p.m.
“Thank you all for coming and for staying a little late,” Mr. Waters said. “Until we meet again.”
Thomas Humphrey, Brooke Kushwaha and Riis Williams contributed reporting.
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