Chilmark Select Board Member Won’t Run for Reelection

Chilmark select board chair Marie Larsen will not be running for reelection this spring, she announced at the board’s meeting Tuesday evening.  

“It’s been an unbelievable learning experience, and I am so grateful for everybody in town, especially the women in this town,” she said at the meeting. “[Everyone] has been so helpful, and it’s just been a pleasure to serve the town, but I feel like it’s time to step aside.” 

Ms. Larsen has served on the select board since 2023, when she beat Russell Maloney in a two-way race for the seat that was long held by Warren Doty. 

Previously, she was a school administrator at Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School and has been an Island resident for over 40 years. She also opened Edgartown Seafood with her husband Daniel. 

Though she has only been on for one term, she is the most senior member on the board. Select board member Jeffrey Maida was elected in 2024, and Matt Poole was voted in last year.

During her tenure, she is most proud of guiding the board through the process of assessing management of the Chilmark Community Center, bringing handicap accessibility to Lucy Vincent and Menemsha Beach and spearheading PFAS testing for the town’s residents. 

“Having that Chilmark Community Center open this summer and having this open and fair process to finally get to this point has been a huge step forward for this town and I am glad I was part of it,” she said in an interview with the Gazette.

She shouted out the women in town who have helped her in her role, such as planning board member Ann Wallace and the late Susan Murphy. 

“I really feel like I’ve been strong in making sure that women are represented and respected in town,” she said. 

Ms. Larsen always knew that she was only going to serve for one term, despite comments from residents encouraging her to run for another term. She hopes that a younger person will step up to take over her position.

“I think all of the politics on this Island need more younger people,” she said. 

The Chilmark annual election will be held on April 29. Nomination papers are currently available at town hall, and must be returned by March 11. Other positions on the ballot include seats on the board of assessors, board of health, library trustee, cemetery commission, finance committee and three planning board seats. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the select board denied a request from Verizon to install 14 small cell nodes on existing town utility poles, in hopes of getting a more holitics solution. Discussions have been ongoing for a few months as town residents have raised concerns about poor cell service in town.  

Earlier this month, the select board asked the planning board to reopen discussions about installing a large cell tower in town. Verizon presented their plan on Jan. 6 to break away from the current distributed antenna system, which holds service from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.  

The select board voiced concerns about cluttered poles and favoring one carrier over the other.  

“I do not think that it is the best interest of all the people in this town,” Ms. Larsen said.  

Select board member Matt Poole added that the process of installing a tower is the best way forward, even if it is years away. 

“What this [process] absolutely has done is motivated me to give thought to revisiting a macro tower solution in town. Granted, that’s time measured in couple years or more, but I think ultimately is we’re probably headed in that direction in some form,” he said.