News
Correction
A feature in last week’s Gazette incorrectly reported Ali Berlow’s full first name, which is Alice. The Gazette regrets the error.
Aquinnah Schedules
Special Town Meeting
Aquinnah selectmen have set a special town meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at old town hall to discuss funding remaining 2007 projects.
Agenda items include wage and salary levels, engineering for a distributed antenna system base station at the town landfill to enhance up-Island cell phone service, and several cultural programs.
The Steamship Authority appears likely to go to court to stop a Vineyard barge operator from bringing rental cars to and from the Island for the summer tourist season.
SSA general manager Wayne Lamson told a meeting of the boat line governors on Tuesday that repeated warnings to the barge operator had gone unheeded, and that any further shipments would bring legal action.
Ralph Packer, who owns Tisbury Towing and Transportation, said yesterday he believed the company was entitled to continue the practice.
There was good news and bad news this week for Vineyard home insurance customers who already pay some of the highest premiums and deductibles in the nation.
A well-known Rhode Island insurance company announced Tuesday it will expand coverage to include long-neglected markets like Cape Cod and the Islands. But also this week came bad news; the state’s top court last Friday upheld a 25 per cent increase to the rates of Cape and Islands homeowners covered under the FAIR plan — the state-backed insurer of last resort and provider for most Vineyard homeowners.
Following months of negotiations and an hour-long executive session on Tuesday night, Chilmark selectmen announced a plan to purchase a .72 acre lot off Tabor House Road. The purchase will allow the town to go forward with plans to build the Middle Line Road affordable housing project.
According to the plan, which is subject to approval from voters, the town will buy the lot from Beverly Gillis Jaksa for $275,000. The purchase will allow the town to create a new access road to the affordable housing project from Tabor House Road.
Erik Blake Takes Over
As Chief of Police Chiefs
Oak Bluffs Police Chief Erik G. Blake was sworn in Wednesday, Jan. 9 as the president of the Southeastern Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.
The organization consists of police chiefs and police excecutives from 96 cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts.
Chief Blake previously held the position of first vice president. He has been a member of the organization since becoming chief of the Oak Bluffs Police Department.