Tisbury assistant fire chief Greg Leland has been tapped to replace chief John Schilling when Mr. Schilling retires at the end of June. Selectmen voted this week to offer Mr. Leland the position, which he is expected to accept, creating a vacancy for assistant chief.
“He’s acquitted himself very well in the position he’s in now,” board chairman Melinda Loberg said at the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday.
Also this week, the town hired Justin Lucas as the local building inspector and appointed Brandon Smith an associate member of the zoning board of appeals.
Selectmen also agreed to postpone to June 30 the deadline for businesses to apply for common victualler’s and lodging licenses, in order to allow proprietors more time to have their premises inspected.
“This is usually the time they come before you with their inspections completed,” administrative assistant Alex Kral told the board.
The time extension could be lengthened if necessary, Ms. Loberg said.
Also selectmen joined the town planning board Wednesday night for a discussion of food trucks at the 61 Beach Road property owned by the Sawyer family.
The former site of paint and hardware stores gained its first mobile restaurant last year when Amy Johnson built and installed her Chef Amy trailer. Kyleen Keenan, of Frankie’s Flatbread and Not Your Sugar Mama’s, is currently seeking a permit to set up her vegan flatbread truck on the property as well.
“The idea is to have more food trucks, like a marketplace,” Ms. Keenan said.
Planning board member Ben Robinson said a site plan submitted by the Sawyers proposes up to four food trucks at 61 Beach Road. Selectman James Rogers vehemently opposed the concept.
“As a lifetime resident of the town of Tisbury, putting food trucks in our main downtown area is contrary to everything this town has ever done for zoning bylaws and the look of the town,” Mr. Rogers said.
“Why don’t we put a tent city down there? Why don’t we put a bunch of tents down there and make the town really look honky tonk? I don’t think this is a good look for the town of Tisbury,” he said.
Selectman Jeff Kristal said he supports food trucks like the one at nearby Artcliff Diner, which operates on the same property as the owner’s freestanding restaurant.
Ms. Keenan also has a restaurant on Beach Road, inside Tisbury Marketplace, but said putting the truck on the Sawyer property would provide much-needed visibility for her business while keeping her staff employed.
After some discussion, board members agreed to continue Ms. Keenan’s application hearing on May 6 at 5:45 p.m.
On the same date, at 7 p.m., the planning board will continue a hearing on plans by Patient Centric of Martha’s Vineyard to establish a medical and adult use marijuana dispensary on Mechanic street. Issues remaining to be resolved include traffic, parking and the width of the privately-owned street.
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