Editors, Vineyard Gazette;
In a recent Vineyard Gazette article, “Edgartown Town Meeting to Consider Boys & Girls Club Purchase” (April 9), town administrator James Hagerty made an observation that deserves broader attention.
He noted that Edgartown “hasn’t restructured since the 1990s,” even as its population and budget have grown significantly. He also pointed out that the town’s year-round population continues to increase, placing new and sustained pressure on services.
That pressure isn’t just about population. High-speed internet, remote work, and the post-Covid shift toward year-round living have fundamentally changed the Vineyard. Seasonality is less predictable, demand is more constant, and the complexity of serving the community has increased.
Hagerty went on to say that “this is the time” to look at how high-performing communities organize themselves — how they define roles, responsibilities, and efficiency.
He’s right. But that conversation shouldn’t stop at town hall.
It should also include the systems the town relies on every day — especially the Chappaquiddick Ferry.
The ferry is not just a convenience. It is the only connection between Chappaquiddick and the rest of Edgartown. It supports residents, workers, local businesses, emergency services, and tourism. Whether you ride it or not, its impact is felt across the entire town.
Yet the framework governing the ferry — the town-issued license — was written in 1993.
That was more than 30 years ago, before today’s population levels, before today’s cost structure, and before the kind of demand the town itself is now acknowledging.
With a public process beginning May 11 regarding the potential transfer of the ferry license to a new owner, the town has a real opportunity in front of it.
This isn’t just about who operates the ferry. It’s about the rules that will govern it for years to come.
If this truly is the moment to rethink how Edgartown is structured and managed, then it’s also the moment to modernize how we oversee one of its most essential services.
Updating the ferry license isn’t about fixing something broken. It’s about making sure a system that works today continues to work tomorrow — with clear expectations, transparency, and accountability.
Peter Sliwkowski,
Edgartown Resident, owner, Larry’s Tackle, president, MV Beachgoers Access Group
This article appears in April 24, 2026.