Despite a clash of personalities and differing ideas about how repairs to the Oak Bluffs waterfront should proceed, improvements are underway at the old Pay Beach and Inkwell Beach along Sea View avenue, including the addition of much-needed sand and a new drainage system for an outfall pipe.

Oak Bluffs wastewater superintendent Joseph Alosso said this week the town may need to spend $350,000 to dig up a portion of Ocean Park and replace several failing septic grids, partly to satisfy orders from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The landmark park has been plagued by problems with effluent seeping to the surface.

And solutions to the problem keep changing.

Aquinnah selectmen voted this week to seek the advice of town counsel over the failure of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to clean an area of Menemsha Pond left heavily littered by an abandoned oyster propagation project.

The latest in a series of deadlines passed Wednesday to clean the waters and beach around two groundwater lots leased from the town by the tribe.

At a Tuesday meeting selectman Camille Rose said she had visited the pond site recently and saw the cleaning job was yet to be completed.

Please Adopt Us

The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has one cat available for adoption this week. Owl is a lovely white seven-plus-year-old spayed Persian. She’s very gentle and a bit shy, needs a soft lap and someone to cuddle with. Please come to the shelter to see her, Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The shelter needs volunteers! Call 508-627-8662.

Barkentine Tours

The 130-foot three-masted barkentine Peacemaker is tied up in Vineyard Haven through the weekend. Daily free public tours are available from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, tomorrow and Sunday. The vessel is on its way to participating in the Tall Ship parade in Boston in July. Last week she was in Hyannis. She leaves on Monday and heads to Provincetown, then on to Plymouth and finally Boston. She hails from Brunswick, Ga., and is owned by Twelve Tribes, a religious organization.