Town Meeting 2008

The Vineyard election season is nearing an end. West Tisbury plays its final game tomorrow – the Town election. There are eighteen openings, but only two contests, which, I think, is a sad commentary on the democratic process on this Island in the 21^st century.

The Election

The contests are for Selectman and Library Trustee. Richard Knabel, Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, is trying to unseat Glenn Hearn, the incumbent Selectman. It seems to be a close race. Hearn is pushing the idea that the Town is in good shape and he will continue to keep it there. Knabel argues that more planning and leadership is needed. We’ll know what the voters think tomorrow.

There are two openings for Library Trustee and four candidates. Cynthia Riggs, who has sought office several times, is running as a team with Greg Orcutt, a political newcomer, to unseat Hermine Merel-Smith, long time Library Board Chair, and Linda Hearn, wife of Glenn and current trustee. My sense if that Orcutt and Hearn will win.

The Meeting

This year Town Meeting lasted two nights; this was only the second time this has happened in the past eighteen years. Most meetings have been one night affairs. There were fewer in attendance this year, about 220 vs. 300+ last year. Attendance at the second night was even lower, about 125. Again, the low attendance is not what makes democracy great.

There were two articles attempting to increase attendance and/or participation. Article 34 attempted to lower the number of voters needed to request a written ballot from a majority to twenty. The theory here was that some people don’t come or refuse to stand and be counted because they don’t want to ruffle the feathers of a relative or friend. The second article proposed having next year’s meeting on a Saturday morning, so that older people who tend to stay home at night and young people who work would be able to attend. Both articles failed, the latter one abysmally.

The Finance Committee did better this year than last in that all but one of its recommendations were followed. It lost a close vote on the adoption of a new wage scale for Town employees.

The Paths by the Roads Committee, which has built a couple of paths thus far, lost big time. It was refused funds to start on its next path. And, strangely, was also refused a tiny amount of planning money. I say “strangely” because the refusal to fund the next path was based on the poor planning of the committee. Why the Town refused to give the committee the money to do a better planning job is a mystery to me.

The big issue at the meeting was the renovation of Town Hall. This project has been in the works for at least eleven years. The Town has rejected a couple of proposals. But, finally, the latest – and most thoroughly developed – proposal was accepted even though a new and less expensive Town Hall could have been built. The Town likes the old building in its current location. C’est la vie.

Considerable money was spent on affordable housing projects. Half of the money came from the state, so it’s a good financial deal for the Town.

The final article caused the most stir tonight. It has become a perennial – “Shall the Town of West Tisbury withdraw from the Up-Island Regional School District?” This year, again, the Town answered “No”.

I must say that I am glad the West Tisbury season will be over in a matter of hours. This year’s game went into extra innings.