On the second night of Tisbury’s annual town meeting Wednesday, voters passed a $43.6 million budget for the coming fiscal year, approved a $1 million override and agreed to begin a year-long process of expanding the select board from three members to five.
By the time moderator John Schilling adjourned the meeting shortly before 11 p.m., voters had spent nearly seven and a half hours on town business over the two nights.
The $1 million override, which passed on a voice vote, still must be approved again by the voters at the town election May 12.
Voters split on the proposal to enlarge the select board. Proponents Lynne Fraker and Bernadette Cormie said it would lead to more effective leadership, while others expressed concern about whether the town has enough qualified candidates.
“We’ve been prone to uncontested elections,” said select board member John Cahill, who had no opponent when he ran for reelection a year ago.
Russell Hartenstine, of the finance and advisory committee, said that elected body has struggled to establish a quorum for meetings.
A standing count found 62 voters in favor of expanding the select board and 51 against.
This wasn’t the final word, however. To change the make-up of its select board, Tisbury must submit what’s called a home rule petition to the state legislature in Boston and then bring the question back to town meeting voters to confirm they want to go through with the expansion before the new seats are added.
If all goes as expected, the new seats will be on the town election ballot next May, Ms. Fraker said.
Voters also agreed to spend up to $250,000 on a comprehensive study of Tisbury’s financial practices.
Town administrator Joseph LaCivita said the study, recommended in a recent review of Tisbury’s debt capacity known as the Collins report, will delve deeply into processes, procedures and internal controls to identify areas of weakness.
“We’re on the right track to making change in a lot of other departments. This is no different,” said Mr. LaCivita, who came to Tisbury from a New York State township last March.
The town election will take place on May 12 (not May 20, as misprinted in the town meeting warrant books) with voting from noon to 8 p.m. at the emergency services building on Spring street.
This article appears in May 1, 2026.
“Voters also agreed to spend up to $250,000 on a comprehensive study of Tisbury’s financial practices.” – I’m sorry but this is beyond terrifying.
The actual article is more comprehensive then that and supported by fincom. Tisbury had to move away from pencils and ledgers. and there is a strong training component here to train new staff.
ARTICLE 12 MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL RECOVERY AND REVIEW SERVICES
To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Unreserved Fund Balance the sum of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand
Dollars ($250,000.00) to engage qualified professional services for: (1) municipal accounting remediation, financial
system stabilization, internal control implementation, review and revision of financial policies and procedures, staff
training and audit readiness; and (2) a comprehensive review of the Town’s tax structure, including analysis of the
residential exemption and tax classification options, and a review of all municipal fees and revenue sources for
potential adjustments and/or implementation of new revenue tools permitted under Massachusetts law; and to
authorize the Town Administrator to enter into one or more contracts for such services; or take any other action relative
thereto.
Submitted: Select Board
The Finance and Advisory Committee Recommends Passage of this Article. (5-0-0)
Less than 3%, 113 out of 3,800 registered voters, decide regularly at town meeting on all fiscal matters of the town. That should be very concerning to the population of over 5,000.
Most recently:
$43.6 million budget and
$1 million override
I can’t think of 10 people I would trust with $100 of my money, nevermind $43.6 million.
The budget most definitely included raises for Town personnel. I’ll venture a guess that most in attendance (or not) never see or read a line item budget that reveals this. Yet, Tisbury needs an operational override? Also, let’s not forget these same 113 people (assuming that all or close to it voted yes by voice count) give themselves the home town 22% residential tax discount. The other 900 that get it that sat at home owe them a big thanks.
To sum it up, everyone will pay more to support a town that overspends and counts on non residents to subsidize them living in Tisbury yet the bickering goes on on how to wrangle more money and control from vacation rentals.
Tisbury has a spending problem.