News
At their annual town meeting Tuesday West Tisbury voters knocked back an article that would let a minority dictate the pace of future meetings, using secret ballot voting. Then as if to prove a point, they dispensed with a 45-article warrant in a little under three and a half hours.
Voters also approved a $13 million town budget, granted two new special ways, and accepted a reduced cost of living salary adjustment (COLA) for town employees.
Having mandated health coverage for all Massachusetts residents, the state government now is preparing to remove funding from groups dedicated to ensuring it happens, including $50,000 from the Vineyard Health Care Access program.
The $27.4 billion budget proposed yesterday by state lawmakers makes no provision for ongoing funding for the MassHealth Outreach grant program, which previously provided some $3.5 million a year to aid the operations of organizations across the state, dedicated to steering people through the complexities of health insurance.
After a long and at times bumpy review process, the Bradley Square housing project cleared its final hurdle last Thursday when the Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals voted to grant a special permit for the plan.
The board voted 3-0, with two abstentions. Chairman Kris Chvatal and members Jane Lofgren and Peter Palches voted yes, while Gail Barmakian and Joseph Re abstained. Because the project was filed under Chapter 40B, the state affordable housing law, a simple majority vote was sufficient for approval.
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission last Thursday approved Donald Muckerheide’s plan to build a 12-unit condominium complex on Dukes County avenue in Oak Bluffs. The commission voted 8-1 to approve the project as a development of regional impact (DRI), with Andrew Woodruff casting the lone dissenting vote.
Trading democratic squabbles for efficiency, Edgartown voters marched resolutely through a 52-article annual town meeting warrant in just over two hours on Tuesday night, stopping briefly along the way to debate the merits of renovations to the free public library and adding a finance director to the town employee roster.
Voters said yes to the library improvements and no to the finance director.
Incumbent Gregory A. Coogan and challenger Kathleen A. Burton emerged yesterday as winners in a crowded race for two open seats on the Oak Bluffs board of selectmen, while longtime moderator David E. Richardson fended off challenger Jesse (Jack) Law 3rd to hold onto his seat for another year.