The Martha’s Vineyard political season kicks off tonight with four annual town meetings, marking a return to a schedule that has been disrupted by the pandemic for two straight years. Voters will gather in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury.
Regional expenses and human services make up more than a dozen articles on each of Tuesday’s annual town meeting warrants, continuing a trend toward cost-sharing across Island municipalities.
Four of the six Island towns will take the first steps next week in deciding the pivotal question of whether to ask the state legislature to allow creation of a Martha’s Vineyard Housing Bank.
Island towns are busy preparing for an annual town meeting season unlike any other, putting up massive tents, paring down warrants and looking to pass historically austere budgets.
Faced with the prospect of declining revenues and tax shortfalls, Island towns are putting long-term capital projects on hold and giving up salary increases nearly across the board.
All Martha’s Vineyard towns have postponed their annual town meetings and elections this year. Rescheduled dates are tentative, town administrators said, and subject to change.
Oak Bluffs, annual town meeting May 12, annual town election May 14.
“To be or not to be” - stock or no stock - railroad or no railroad - was the principal question before the community last Saturday, and the town and its “dependencies” (?) turned out en masse to meet the emergency. Every able-bodied voter was in attendance, and the people seemed determined that the matter shouldn’t go by default.
Hon. J. T. Pease was chosen moderator.
The second article of the warrant, “To see if the town would subscribe to the stock of the Martha’s Vineyard Railroad,” &c., coming up, Mr. Samuel Osborn submitted the following resolution:
Edgartown and Oak Bluffs voters defeated the controversial housing bank question Tuesday night, while in West Tisbury the question won approval. Tisbury voters take up the question tonight.
