Chilmark selectmen focus on Menemsha summer issues

A proposed beach path, no parking signs, and bus schedule were on the agenda.

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A sign on the corner of North Road and Tabor House Road directs vehicle drivers to the Menemsha shuttle lot. — Photo courtesy of Tim Carroll

Chilmark town treasurer Melanie Becker had good news for selectmen Tuesday night. The town has retained its Standard and Poor’s AAA bond rating.

“I just want to say that I sat in on the consultation with Standard and Poor’s for the review of our bond rating, and I thought that our staff and Melanie did a terrific job and presented the town very well,” selectman Warren Doty said.

Selectmen also approved the Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) proposed summer bus schedule. The Chilmark beach committee had asked the VTA to consider servicing the beaches, but VTA administrator Angela Grant said it would be “a waste of resources at this point in time.”

In July and August the VTA will operate between the town lot and Menemsha and back, a route which turns into the “sunset bus” at night. The last dedicated bus out of Menemsha will be 8:50 pm, but the Route 4 bus will service Menemsha at 9 pm and 10 pm to grab the sunset stragglers. “If we left behind a busload of people, the driver would be instructed to make sure they go back to clear it out,” Ms. Grant said.

Selectmen said they hope that Menemsha employees will use the town lot and bus system, rather than parking near the beach. Ms. Grant has promised a bench for the town lot, and selectmen will work on improving lighting to the area so people feel safe. “We can do a much better job advertising this year,” concluded Mr. Doty.

In related news, selectmen discussed a plan for a Menemsha walking path along the parking lot to the beach. A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18. The proposed path is about 395 feet long and goes from the Menemsha comfort station to the Menemsha Beach. “Aesthetically, this should fit in with what’s there,” Chairman Bill Rossi said.

There was also an extended conversation about making the “No Parking” signs more tasteful than the bright orange ones erected last year. Selectmen will review sign samples at a future time.

In other news, selectmen agreed that they must address the need to review nonprofit use of the Chilmark Community Center and see if they can develop a sliding scale of sorts for a usage-fee schedule, as not all nonprofits have equal types of use. Examples ranged from the Boy Scouts scheduling an overnight to the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival.

“We need to codify things in a way to accommodate the different entities that use the community center and other buildings,” Jim Malkin, a member of the facilities use committee, said, “People are using the facility under the existing codes for charges that are not really appropriate for their use.”

For example, Mr. Malkin received a letter from the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival which asked the town to charge them the “wedding rate for their days of showing” — which Mr. Malkin said does not seem appropriate. “I feel remiss in not acting on these recommendations,” said Chairman Rossi. “We fully intend to in the future.”