The Martha’s Vineyard Commission will have at least one new face on the regional planning board after Tuesday’s election.
Ten candidates were running for nine positions in the tight race. But there can only be two people elected from each town, making for contested seats in Tisbury and West Tisbury.
In Tisbury, incumbent and Tisbury planning board member Ben Robinson was reelected with 5,112 votes; Bernadette Budinger-Cormie beat out fellow newcomer Bill O’Brien by a vote of 4,669 to 4,086.
Ms. Cormie, who previously ran a protest campaign for select board, was motivated to join the commission after a housing redevelopment was proposed in her neighborhood. The 97 Spring street project has been controversial and Ms. Cormie felt the commission needed a stronger voice of preservation.
“I can’t wait to get started,” she said. “I’m excited to be part of the process moving forward.”
The 97 Spring street parcel is currently before the commission, with commissioners considering if they want to review the project.
Clarence “Trip” Barnes, who had been on the commission since 2013 as a Tisbury member, didn’t get his nomination paperwork in time to put his name on the ballot. He did receive write-in votes, but not enough to muster a real challenge.
Mr. Robinson lamented the loss.
“I think Trip Barnes is going to be missed,” he said. “I think he understood Tisbury and he had a [good] view of the Island.”
Mr. Robinson said the commission is at a crossroads and he wished to see the regional organization take a more proactive planning stance to deal with housing, climate change and other issues.
“It’s in a place where it has to define where it’s going to deal with the future of the Vineyard in a better way,” he said.
In West Tisbury, Linda Sibley and Doug Sederholm won the town’s two seats, fending off a challenge from West Tisbury planning board member Amy Upton. Ms. Sibley received 5,482 votes, Mr. Sederholm had 5,346 votes and Ms. Upton had 4,965.
Ms. Sibley and Mr. Sederholm are the elder statesmen of the commission. Ms. Sibley has been on the MVC for 36 years and is the longest serving member in commission history. Mr. Sederholm has been attending meetings at the commission’s Stone Building headquarters for the last 22 years.
“I appreciate the support of the Island and will keep trying to do good work,” he said.
Seats on the commission are voted on by all towns. Jeff Agnoli, a retired high school teacher, was the highest vote getter, with 5,825 votes. He was followed by Ms. Sibley and Mr. Sederholm, and then by Mr. Robinson.
Ms. Upton placed fifth, but because she was the third candidate from West Tisbury, she won’t make it onto the commission.
“I’m so proud to be a solid runner up to the West Tisbury incumbents whom I respect and admire,” Ms. Upton said. “I wish I could join them, but I am patient and will run again in two years. I am moved by the positive response to my candidacy for the MVC in the lead-up to yesterday’s vote and at the ballot box.”
Jay Grossman returned as the Chilmark representative, Brian Smith was elected for Oak Bluffs and Michael MacKenty, who was filling in for the late Christina Brown, retained his seat.
There were no candidates on the ballot for Aquinnah, but Jannette Vanderhoop earned a spot on the commission by receiving 57 write-in votes in her hometown, and at least 100 more votes in the other five towns. Ms. Vanderhoop, who runs a gardening business and recently ran for select board, was not immediately available for comment.
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