<p>The Tisbury selectmen voted not to support the school building committee in its bid for more time after the failed vote on the new school last week.</p>
The Tisbury selectmen voted Thursday not to support the school building committee in its bid for more time to sort through options after the failed vote on the new school last week.
But building committee chairman Colleen McAndrews said despite the lack of support from the selectmen, her committee would still send its request to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
The events added another twist to the aftermath of the vote by the town to reject a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exemption question for a $46.6 million new school.
The school building committee is required to send a letter to the MSBA by May 8 outlining its plan following the vote in order to keep the possibility of $14.6 million in state reimbursement money on the table.
As explained at a packed, emotional meeting Monday, there were only three options:
• Revote the project before a mid-June deadline, believing that the plan could be approved by the town the second time around;
• Request an additional two to three months to explore whether the town would consider a revote;
• Withdraw from the process, forfeiting the opportunity to get $14.6 million in state reimbursement money.
After three hours of discussion, the school building committee voted to take the middle course and ask for more time.
But on Thursday the selectmen took a different tack. All three said they looked forward to starting over on the school plan, but that they could not support the vote of the school building committee.
“I don’t think time so far has been wasted if we say no,” selectman Tristan Israel said.
“I’ve felt and still do feel that that’s the wrong way to go,” said selectman James Rogers.
“We need to work harder to develop a project more people can really be enthusiastic about and support,” said selectman Melinda Loberg, who also sits on the school building committee.
Speaking to the Gazette by phone after the meeting, Mrs. McAndrews said Vineyard schools superintendent Matthew D’Andrea would still be sending the original letter — only without the selectmen’s signature.
“I felt very disappointed,” she said in part.
It all capped a tumultuous week for the town which has been deeply divided on the new school question.
Comments
The headline should read
Nancy In a Tizz-buryThe headline should read "Tizz Selectmen reject everything". Killed Stop and Shop, killed Main Street, tackled Boch, wrestled Santander, buried a new school. Back to the past.
A fitting tombstone for them
Looking to the future VHA fitting tombstone for them would be one that's sorta falling apart and dingy that says "But I kept taxes a little lower". Hopefully the Fincom tombstone will be over to the side with an arrow pointing at it saying "We told them we could do it." Maybe the teacher tombstone could say "Taught kids in trailer in town with some of lowest taxes in the state." The Planning Board one could say "Don't expand this overcrowded cemetery no matter what the engineers say. Just renovate."
And that's the future of Tisbury apparently. Looking forward to it.
" sorta falling apart "
Isllander Too" sorta falling apart "
That is self-inflicted by the School Committee. Strategic neglect.
The taxpayer's tombstone
Max TisburyThe taxpayer's tombstone could say "I was taxed to death while paying a 25% higher cost of living than my counterparts on the mainland."
Isllander Too it's a 90 year
Looking to the future VHIsllander Too it's a 90 year old building. Nobody at town meeting was trying to give the principal more maintenance money and nobody will try to give more to him now. And there was absolutely maintenance done. A new roof for example. I'd say it's in better shape than a lot of things in Tisbury.
No. You weren't taxed to
LTTF VHNo. You weren't taxed to death. The town has one of the lowest tax rates in the state. If you are having such an incredibly hard time living in one of the lowest taxed towns in the state that's on you.
I’ll back that , been here 18
H.K. VhI’ll back that , been here 18 years as a business owner on Main Street seems to be the going way for selectmen! It’s exhausting trying to better our community with
So little support from our town officials.
The decision on a revote
Islander TooThe decision on a revote rests with the selectmen. They have decided.
There is really no point in "sorting through options" because the MSBA does not really allow that at this point.
It is sad that the School Committee and its TSBC cannot accept the results of the ballot.
Moldy schools here are a
lisa nagy MD TisburyMoldy schools here are a danger to health. These kids will have impaired lives for ever form their exposures here in substandard buildings. ADD, allergies, depression and addiction can be related to these sick buildings. If any school here is old and moldy then they should measure the toxins at realtime labs in the dust of the school and urine of the teachers and children (paid for by blue cross) and determine with a medical professional if the school is an unsafe building and if this is so there is no question that a new school must be built whatever the cost - it is not fair to poison the staff and kids - it is a no brainer.
Aha, so this is the source of
Islander TooAha, so this is the source of the "sick building" rumor!!
Evidence, please.
Actually, new buildings are major locuses of air quality issues (Legionnaire's Disease, anyone?). Poor air quality is one of the reasons that the renovation of hte (relatively new) Falmouth High School was so expensive. With the cost overruns the bill was somewhere around $110 million.
Thanks Tisbury voters &
Thanks Voters Vineyard HavenThanks Tisbury voters & selectmen. A ballot vote is a vote and the sore losers will once again whine & cry until the next vote / election.
However in the mean time fix up and try to beautify our port area and beach road where visitors arrive and many get their first impressions and where we have to drive by daily year round.
The people with deep pockets are letting 5 corners properties look like parts of Detroit along with that disgusting looking Ghost Ship at Packers that has been moving from place to place along beach road looking terrible, worst and worst after each storm. The time limit that guy gave for permission
to build it was a joke from the start.
That is where to spend some time and money and for those who lost I say suck it up you lost!
So you recommend spending
Huh? VHSo you recommend spending taxpayers money to fix private owners property on the waterfront to make it beautiful?
The sky is not falling! We
Grace TisburyThe sky is not falling! We can and will fix the Tisbury School and get rid of the trailers. Lots of good ideas are being discussed. Lots of pent up conversations are waiting to be held.
Thank you, thank you, Tisbury Selectmen, for taking a stand, at last. I'm going bald tearing my hair out over this. I'm sad that the Tisbury school building committee didn't get what it wanted and is now intent on thwarting the town.
Time to look at
Paulli D EdgartownTime to look at regionalization of all public services and education. As SERIOUSLY States in the first comment, the islanders can absorb the tax increases. Also, the selectmen for all towns have to start to look at how the recent tax laws will impact the summer house people now that they can not deduct the state and local taxes and have a cap on their mortgage interest. We will see sales of the summer homes increase has they look for lower cost options. In other words, lower tax base. It's already happening.
Good for the Tisbury
Susan Desmarais Oak BluffsGood for the Tisbury Selectpersons. You stood your ground and respected the will of the voters. I wish other politicians did the same.
Regional, Regional, Regional.
Really?! Vineyard HavenRegional, Regional, Regional..........show me a plan that does not include building a new school and not still needing to renovate the Tisbury School. There is no building big enough to put all middle school student in. Maybe grades k-1 in OB, 2 and 3 in Tisbury and 4 and 5 in WT and expand Edgartown to accomodate the middle school kids. This still needs an expansion that we have to charge all towns to accomplish, still needs a reno to Tisbury. Maybe that way Tisbury could charge other towns to renovate the building and spread the cost around. Awesome plan and super easy to convince people to bus their kids all over the island. Again, all you selectmen/women out there, please get together and report back to us how this discussion went.
Regionalization would
deshandra brown EdgRegionalization would basically be a way for Tisbury to have other towns bail them out...as you stated. ...NO THANKS.
Total BS. Voting out current
Wow! Vineyard HavenTotal BS. Voting out current selectman ASAP.
You gotta wonder how legit
Home Rule Dude Next DoorYou gotta wonder how legit the vote was. Not casting shade on the town or vote counters in any way. But these seasonal residents, a small number but enough, sure do like to lie about their domicile. They do it all over the island to get local status for steamship passes, personal property exemptions, and for sure in Tisbury for residential exemption. "My wife lives there and I live in NY/Florida (where they get a healthy tax break for being local)." Overwhelm the local staff and set their lawyers on it when they get legitimate pushback. These people do it for sport. Husband and wife, domiciled together, laugh and toast champagne while enjoying their view over the ocean. (Please forgive the gender specific traditional marriage example...it is just my experience...I am sure there are a population proportionate number of life partners who are just as willing to be cheats)
I invite you to go to the
Islander TooI invite you to go to the MVTV website and watch the video of April 2016 Town Meeting.
Pay attention to the number of voters who attended, to reach a quorum.
Now pay attention to the number of "no" votes (voice vote).
The Yeas on that vote is how many people voted for the $825,000 appropriation in the first place.
A tiny portion of Tisbury voters.
Now compare that to the stampede for one-issue voting this year. And teh stampede out of the gym with high fives once "their" vote had been taken.
The Gang of 567 was the most valid vote of the lot.
Let me remind you that no
No Action Oak BluffsLet me remind you that no action, backstabbing and backdoor out of the public plotting is not leadership. You have been absent of leadership in VH for so long you think inaction is celebratory.
One commentor said the SCHOOL
charlie callahan so boston/edgartownOne commentor said the SCHOOL SHOULD BE BUILT WHATEVER THE COST. That's easy to say if you have a high 6 figure income,don't care what your taxes are and are loaded. But for REAL people who can barely sustain themselves on what they make,have trouble paying their taxes now, it's a foolish thing to say
I have been doing some
Really?! Vineyard HavenI have been doing some thinking. It appears there must be quite a few, large capital expense projects weighing on the minds of the planning board and selectmen/woman. Could they/would they tell the voters what the rank order of those projects are in an open and transparent forum? We should know the direction the town is heading. I have one of those lists for my home improvements and vehicles. Is it town hall, then school, then police station? Some other order perhaps? Please don’t make us guess!
Here is the thing Really?!
Transparency needed VhHere is the thing Really?! Tisburys lack of leadership and transparency is amazing. I hear 18,000 square foot town hall is being planned for approx 23 town employees. Say What!!! It's time to put a list out there and let the town decide where to go next. I say trailers for all. If they are good enough for 20 years for kids they certainly are good enough for our adults who work in town hall. By the way I like town hall employees. This is not personal.
Would it be possible to
Lots of complaints; not so many suggestions for solutions. EdgartownWould it be possible to incorporate some type of robust elderly support within a new school building?
Food pantry/resource center for financial guidance for elderly/community gathering space?
"Food pantry/resource center
Tisbury Voter 2"Food pantry/resource center for financial guidance for elderly/community gathering space"
Do you live in Tisbury?
Ever heard of the Tisbury Senior Center?
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