CAPABLE MR. BABSON

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I am writing about the resignation of David Babson, former manager of the Trustees of Reservations at Norton Point and on Chappaquiddick. I have read the previous letters and feel they were well written and each has had good points on this matter.

I have worked for the Trustees for five years, two years at Wasque and three years at Norton Point, as a visitor service representative. I worked for Dave Belcher for the first two years before he retired. I don’t think it would be possible to replace Dave. He was a quality person and treated everyone with respect. He was the ultimate manager and there was no one like him.

We had a period in the third year where the appointed manager didn’t work out, and after that season David Babson was hired to take over the manager’s job. At his introductory meeting with his staff he impressed with his enthusiasm and energy. Speaking for the experienced staff, he came off as capable and willing to handle any task. He worked hard to establish himself and make TTOR a better organization.

This past 2010 season he found himself with a 20 per cent decrease in staff. He lost his accountant and beach staff. It didn’t set him back from doing his best for the Trustees.

David always seemed to do the best he could with what he had. He designated employees’ work, managed stock and permit sales, performed carpentry work and was a problem solver on both beaches.

David took one vacation day this summer, to take his young son and daughter to the circus. Thursday evening of that week he was repairing a tire on a Trustees’ truck at Katama Farm. The next day he was issued an ultimatum to resign immediately or be fired the following Monday. He resigned reluctantly. The staff was totally surprised. What mistake could he have made that would cost him his job, home and livelihood? He and his wife had to take their two children out of the Edgartown school system and move off-Island one month before the start of the school year!

I think that the staff and supporters of the Trustees deserve an explanation of what caused this to happen. Management seems to be completely out of touch.

Richard Stanton

Edgartown

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GREEN-WASHED

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I found the recent article written in the Martha’s Vineyard Times on the Mansion House to be one of the most laughable collections of claims and irresponsible assertions I have ever read. I spent three months in an office space on the ground floor directly above the pool. In those three months, my coworkers and I experienced what I can only call an all-out assault to our respiratory systems and overall health. Water and glycol (antifreeze) routinely leaked and flooded our offices from the building’s faulty cooling system. Furthermore, during June and July our office was without air conditioning or the ability to even open any windows. Needless to say, our rainforest-like office was an indisputably horrific work environment.

There were times when the chemical mix was allowed to stand for 12 or more hours and soak into the floors and carpets. The air quality was so toxic that most of us were forced to work from home. Complaints to the board of health were flat-out ignored and numerous requests to the building’s owners to address our concerns were only met with hostility and outright refusal to admit that there was any problem at all. Requests to test the air quality were refused; requests for mold count tests were ignored and in the end we had no choice but to vacate an office that was slowly compromising our health to the point that one fellow employee was forced to go on a two-week course of Prednisone and Amoxicillin.

The final straw came in late July when I entered our office, on Monday, to find nearly an inch of water covering our floor. I immediately alerted the building’s owner and the Tisbury building inspector. While I was waiting for our first-responders, I noticed that two active surge protectors were submerged in the water. Fearing that a fellow coworker or tourist might accidentally walk into the hazard and electrocute themselves, I placed a small handwritten warning sign on entrance to our office. After more than an hour, the first person to respond to our flood was the Mansion House attorney. About an hour later one of the building’s owners and the building inspector entered our office. It was at that time that one of the building’s owners ripped my warning sign off the entrance and then proceeded to physically and verbally threaten me. His actions were obviously a reaction to the placement of the sign. It was at the moment crystal clear to everyone in the room that the owner cared more about the appearance of his building than warning the public about a potentially fatal accident waiting to happen.

But here is the real kicker: The same thing happened in 2004 and we were never told. That incident included several occupants with identical complaints except one of them ended up in the emergency room. Numerous complaints to the Tisbury board of health were ignored and even mocked, as those suffering from breathing problems were told over and over by the building’s owners and the board that it was the potpourri and candles that they sold in their stores and not the air quality. (Those mold levels would later test at approximately 130 times an acceptable level.) In a private correspondence one of the owners goes so far as to suggest that the entire episode was concocted so that the tenants could get out of paying rent.

Being “green” isn’t about cutting every corner, risking the health of others and thinking you can make it all okay by putting in a new geothermal ice maker. It isn’t about doing the bare minimum and ignoring complaints because fixing the problem is too much trouble or too expensive. This brings me back to preposterous notion of the Mansion House attempting to “green-wash” their image by holding a press conference.

Great people don’t have to lock you in a room and tell you how great they are.

Everyone already knows it.

Scott Condon

Edgartown

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SEPT. 11 REFLECTION

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Today’s Sunday paper of Sept. 12 is filled with divisive articles concerning the happenings of 9/11/2001. As I was reading, the thought came to me: why can’t we turn this around? Why can’t we turn this site of mayhem and death into a place of hope?

Perhaps we could construct a chapel at Ground Zero sponsored by people everywhere of all faiths, dedicated to world peace. A space created by hate, transformed to a gathering place to pray and contemplate a world at peace. A place that once was a living hell, turned to a place of love and understanding. This moment in time is an opportunity to turn mayhem and fear to hope and peace.

This is just the seed of an idea; it is for others to flesh it out. There is an opportunity to turn bickering into something good for all mankind. This is a wonderful opportunity and big enough to attract all people.

Don McGrath

Edgartown

SAFETY BARRIER

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The following edited letter is a response to a request from the Edgartown selectmen that the homeowner remove rocks from the edge of her property on North Summer street.

The rocks in question have been on the property approximately 10 years without a problem. They were questioned by the town at that time and I was told that the rocks can stay. Unfortunately, I do not recall who on the board I had contact with.

The Massachusetts General Law is ambiguous. I have seen rocks, larger boulders, fences right on the asphalt, stone walls, stone posts, signs, metal edging, dangerous high curbing where there is no sidewalk and other obstructions within the road layout of North and South Summer streets, Cooke street, Fuller street, Pease’s Point Way, Plantingfield Way and many other streets in Edgartown. Also, the placement of some of these obstructions are not a safety issue as is the case with me.

The rocks are a visual barrier that alerts the driver and keeps cars on the street away from me, my dogs and anyone else who may be walking or standing there. An instant distraction could cause a driver to veer right, hitting someone standing or walking in that area. The situation has not changed in 10 years but has become more hazardous due to the extension and change of position of the adjacent street parking space. I walk that section of grass with my dogs against oncoming traffic a minimum of three times a day. Also, myself and my landscapers use the area between the rocks to work on plants along the fence. There were many tire marks in the grass before the rocks were placed, which confirms my safety concern. It is not a safe place to be when cars and especially the larger trucks pass. They are very close to you.

The rocks are smooth and there are no sharp edges. They are evenly spaced and sized and serve the same purpose as metal poles with reflectors, which are an eyesore on residential property and can be a hazard, especially for bikers.

I would like to know if registered letters have been sent to the other residents in Edgartown with obstructions located on public property . . . or am I being discriminated against and harassed since this is the third time that I have been told to remove something while other properties are ignored.

I will willfully comply with your request when I receive evidence from you that you are not discriminating and you have also sent registered letters to the other residents in Edgartown with obstructions on public property within the road layout.

Virginia Probst

Edgartown

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LOCAL COLOR

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Zounds! Sounds! The Sunday evening concert on Sept. 5 at the Katharine Cornell Theatre was not to be missed. How fortunate those in attendance were. The local color performances of Joe Keenan, Kevin Keady, Nancy Jephcote, Tristan Israel and Paul Thurlow made is cry, laugh and marvel at the performers’ original compositions. Original was the song of the evening . . . the audience felt the passion of the sea, the sadness and joy of broken hearts, and blues found in memories. Thank you all for a wonderful evening. We have their CDs and you can too. The next time they appear, singly or collectively, catch their wave.

Maria and Gene Gilsenan

Edgartown and Cross River, N.Y.

Edwina and Don Amorosa

Sherman, Conn.

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MARTELL LAW

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Regarding events prior to Earl, I believe Peter Martell should resign his post with emergency management. When it was pointed out that it was illegal to close the roads by Chilmark executive secretary Tim Carroll, Mr. Martell’s reply was, “We’re lying,” according to the article in the Martha’s Vineyard Times. This statement certainly is grounds for termination of that post. I wonder how much he cost local business over Labor Day weekend. And the threats of arrest remind me of some foreign country! Get rid of this guy. Emergency management requires a levelheaded person with a feel for the Island. I’m glad up-Island police know the ropes and kept their heads. The Island has been through several hurricanes and each winter has three to four storms with winds in excess of hurricane force. People do have common sense. Stay calm folks, and remember this is still a free country. Police take notice.

Jon Vincent

New Bedford

and Vineyard Haven

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FRESH AIR

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

This year, 46 New York city children found out once again just how special summer is on Cape Cod. Fresh Air Fund hosts, volunteers and local supporters dedicated their time and efforts to help these inner-city youngsters experience simple summertime pleasures, including afternoons of swimming, fishing at sunset and roasting s’mores over a campfire.

None of this would be possible without Cheryll Sashin, your local Fresh Air Fund volunteer leader, who works throughout the year to make sure host families and children have the opportunity to enjoy memorable summertime experiences together. I invite you to join Cheryll and the local Fresh Air Fund committee to help spread the word about the wonderful opportunity of hosting next summer.

The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to over 1.7 million New York city children from low-income communities since 1877. For more information on how you can help to continue this wonderful tradition of volunteering, please call Mrs. Sashin at 508-566-0163 or visit freshair.org.

Jenny Morgenthau

New York city

The Vineyard Gazette welcomes letters to the editor on any subject concerning Martha’s Vineyard. The newspaper strives to publish all letters as space allows, although the editor reserves the right to reject letters that in her judgment are inappropriate. Letters must be signed, and should include a place of residence and contact telephone number. The Gazette does not publish anonymous letters.