Tisbury selectmen decline Oak Bluffs roundabout go-round

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Tisbury selectmen Jeff Kristal, left, and Geoghan Coogan accepted the gift of a framed lithograph that depicts Holmes Hole in 1856, from the estate of Basil Welch, the father of Tisbury animal control officer Laurie Clements. — Photo by Janet Hefler

The Tisbury selectmen declined a request from Clarence “Trip” Barnes to join a lawsuit filed by the Edgartown selectmen to challenge the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s decision to approve the Oak Bluffs roundabout.

Mr. Barnes, who owns a moving and storage business in Tisbury, has been an outspoken opponent of the project since it was first proposed 10 years ago.

“Edgartown, from what I hear, has filed an appeal,” selectman Geoghan Coogan told Mr. Barnes. “It would be my thought not to jump ship with them. Let them spend the money; it will be heard.”

Mr. Coogan said he and selectman Jeff Kristal would not discuss or decide the issue since selectman Tristan Israel was absent from the meeting.

In other business, at town administrator John Bugbee’s request, the selectmen voted to approve a fuel-efficient vehicle policy for the town.

Mr. Bugbee said the approved policy completed the requirements for Tisbury’s application to be designated a Green Community, which he planned to submit Friday for the first round of Green Community grant awards. Mr. Bugbee said his hope is that Tisbury will receive $200,000 to $300,000, which would be spent to upgrade town equipment.

On another green energy topic, Mr. Coogan signed a post-closure use permit application for the landfill, near Tisbury’s Park and Ride lot. With that done, Mr. Bugbee said contractor American Capital Energy can move ahead with the approval process for a project to install ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at the landfill.

Tisbury is one of seven Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative member towns in which the project’s solar PV systems will be installed.

The selectmen also approved the extension of a preliminary denial of a proposed contract with Comcast from November 13 to January 13, 2012. Department of public works director Fred LaPiana, who serves as Tisbury’s representative to the Dukes County Cable TV Advisory Committee, recommended the extension as a tool to continue negotiations.

At Mr. Bugbee’s suggestion, the selectmen agreed to change the dates of next year’s special town meeting to April 3, the annual town meeting to April 10, and elections to April 24, to avoid conflicts with school vacation week.

The selectmen also accepted the gift of a historic lithograph that depicts Holmes Hole in 1856 from the estate of Basil Welch, the father of Animal Control Officer Laurie Clements.