News Briefs
Be at the spelling bee
Top spellers step to the podium at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School's Performing Arts Centers on Thursday, March 19, at 9:30 am, to compete in the 18th annual Island-wide Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Martha's Vineyard Times. The public is invited.
The winner will go on to compete in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in late May.
Finalists were selected in school-based competitions for students in grades four through eight.
The seven finalists who will compete March 19 are:
Jared Bardwell, grade 4, and Lily Lubin, grade 7, Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School; Alice Keenan, grade 7, Edgartown School; Russell Shapiro, grade 6, Oak Bluffs School; Willow Wunsch, grade 6, Tisbury School; Timmy Roberts, grade 6, West Tisbury School, and Franklin Pilcher of Edgartown, a home-schooled sixth-grader.
The Martha's Vineyard Times underwrites all of the costs associated with the school spelling bees, including the week's trip to Washington, D.C., for the winner and a chaperone to attend the national competition. All of the contestants receive gifts from The Martha's Vineyard Times, as well.
West Tisbury ponders cost of COLAs
Following months of budget cutting and public discussion, West Tisbury is close to completing a proposed fiscal year 2010 operating budget, that is lower than the current fiscal 2009 spending plan. Fiscal 2010 begins July 1.
The one unanswered question is the level of cost of living adjustments (COLA) for town employees, which will be approved by voters at annual town meeting on April 14. Town accountant Bruce Stone said the amount of the budget decrease from FY 2009 would depend on the COLA percentage that voters approve.
As it stands, the finance committee recommends a two percent COLA that places the FY 2010 budget at $12,972,112.
The personnel committee has recommended a 3.6 percent COLA. That would push the total to $13,000,356.
Depending on which number is used, the savings would be $57,000, or $85,000, a difference of $28,000. Each percentage point of COLA increase represents about $19,000, Mr. Stone told The Martha's Vineyard Times.
The personnel board COLA figure will appear as a warrant article. The budget as presented will reflect the finance committee recommendation and a budget calculated based on the personnel board number. Voters will have the final say.
West Tisbury selectman Dianne Powers told The Martha's Vineyard Times that COLAs present a difficult question. "Do our people deserve a raise? Of course they do," she said. "Can we afford it? Our residents are dealing with financial difficulties of their own. Given what the taxpayers are going through, it is a difficult decision."
West Tisbury selectmen to review chief's contract
West Tisbury selectmen planned to meet in executive session yesterday to review police Chief Beth Toomey's contract. One topic is expected to be a provision that would allow the chief to collect more than $50,000 for unused compensatory time.
The contract automatically renews every three years and provides for payment for a portion of earned compensatory time, should her employment end.
Town policy allows payment of 25 percent of accumulated sick time and one year of accrued vacation, in addition to current year vacation, accountant Bruce Stone said this week. Chief Toomey is the only town employee with a contract.
According to town records, Chief Toomey has earned about $25,000 worth of compensatory time off, $10,800 in sick time and $14,400 vacation time totaling more than $50,000 after 15 years in the department, 12 of which are covered under the current contract.
Selectman Richard Knabel raised the issue last week, following receipt of a letter on February 26, from Chief Toomey, indicating her records showed 297 days of compensatory time,
"We haven't reviewed the contract, and we need to in order to understand it, so we are not surprised with a $50,000 bill some day," Mr. Knabel said, noting that the review is not related to job performance or any expectation that Chief Toomey is leaving the department.
From left: Kendra Mills, Sadie Dix, Ruby Dix, and Kristen Kinser.
Photo by Lynn Christoffers
Warm temperatures inspire icy dip
Sunny skies and temperatures that approached 60 degrees Saturday inspired a group of friends to don bathing suits and plunge into the approximately 40-degree water at Lambert's Cove Beach in West Tisbury.
Upscale property pushes Chilmark's real estate value
Owners of Chilmark houses with water views will pay more in 2010, while owners of houses with less spectacular views - about half the residences - will pay less in 2010, as a result of valuations slightly lower than projected, assistant assessor Pamela Bunker told selectmen last week.
Still, total value of real property in Chilmark for the 2010 fiscal year rose 6.4 per cent to $3.1 billion, from $2.9 billion in 2008, according to the new valuations.
Ms. Bunker reported at the Tuesday selectmen's meeting that the median assessment for a residence declined more than $37,700, about three percent, to $1,241,200, from $1,278,900 in 2008, based on the town's comprehensive revaluation, just completed.
The tax bill for a single family home valued at the median is expected to decrease from $2,506.64 to $2,457.20 or $48.06, Ms. Bunker said. She projected the final tax rate at $1.98 per thousand, up from $1.96 in 2008. The final tax rate will be set after the town receives approval form the state Department of Revenue.
Of Chilmark's 2,400 parcels, 1,592 declined in value, including about 350 beach and beach access lots. Of the 808 parcels that increased in assessed value, about half have significant waterfront or water views, Ms. Bunker reported.
The average value of a three-acre lot declined about 10 percent, to $625,000 from $700,000, in 2008, Ms. Bunker said. She estimated that more than 60 property sales between January 1, 2006, and October 27, 2008, were included in the analysis on which valuations were based. "We actually went 10 months beyond the required period, because of the current declining real estate value environment," she said, adding that sales of water view properties continued to increase dramatically, despite the flagging U.S. real estate market.
Island Grove sewering may be delayed
A plan to install sewer lines in Edgartown's Island Grove development may be delayed, while the town seeks funding from the federal government's economic stimulus plan. Edgartown wastewater plant manager Joe Alosso said it is the intention of the wastewater commission to include a warrant article on the annual town meeting warrant, asking for funding. Selectmen agreed to the delay, to see if the federal government will pay for the project.
At a special town meeting in December, voters approved $70,000 to create engineering plans for the 148-home subdivision, which lies within the Edgartown Great Pond watershed. The cost of construction is estimated at $840,000. Mr. Alosso says the sewer project will contribute significantly to reducing nitrogen loading which is damaging the brackish pond.
Also, selectmen endorsed a new plan to accommodate charter boats this summer. They chose one of two plans submitted by the town's marine advisory committee. This summer, for a fee of $300, charter captains can pick up and drop off passengers at one slip in the town's waterfront piers. Harbormaster Charles Blair said over the past two years he had to keep several slips clear for charter captains, at times turning away transient boaters looking to rent slips. He said the new plan will accommodate the charter boats, and allow the town to increase income from the harbor by renting out the remaining slips.
In other action, the selectmen approved a permit for Eco MV and Sharky's Cantina to host a Patriots Day charity walk from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown. The board denied a request from Camp Jabberwocky to stage a charity road race beginning at Katama Road and Herring Creek Road. Police Chief Paul Condlin said a large race at that site would require as many as ten police officers to control traffic and insure the safety of the runners. Selectmen asked the chief to return to the sponsors and select a better site.
Fingerprints, please
Cronig's Market has notified customers that the grocery store is moving to a fingerprint identification system for its house accounts.
As a courtesy, Cronig's offers charge accounts for customers such as restaurants and catering businesses. Those businesses can authorize up to 10 persons to charge purchases.
In order to charge, those authorized for house accounts will now need to identify themselves, using a small, electronic fingerprint reader at the registers.
Owner Steve Bernier said that as the number of accounts has grown, it has become harder to keep track of who is authorized to charge purchases. He said he has experienced losses, when people who no longer work for a business continue to charge on the businesses account.
"We're in a different climate," said Mr. Bernier. "It's not the place it was 30 years ago."
Mr. Bernier said there has been some resistance to the system from long-time customers. He said his stores are among a few left in the country that still offer house accounts as a convenience for customers.
Fingerprint checks are not required for the vast majority of transactions, which are completed as usual with cash, check, debit, or credit cards.
Hunter course postponed
The basic hunter safety course held for a number of years in the spring has been moved to October. Certified state instructor Jeff Day said a combination of scheduling difficulties and the unavailability of the Rod and Gun Club led to a decision to postpone the class.
The course is a prerequisite to obtain a hunting license and qualifies a person to obtain a firearms license. For more information or alternate class locations, refer to masswildlife.org or contact the Hunter Education program at 978-632-7648.
Weather buoy is now operational
Congressman William Delahunt announced Tuesday that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has installed a weather buoy in Nantucket Sound.
The Steamship Authority, fishermen, and local mariners have long sought a weather buoy in the middle of Nantucket Sound to improve navigation during inclement weather. Mr. Delahunt secured the funding for the buoy last year, according to a press release.
For current reports go to: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_ page.php?station=44020
Martha's Vineyard Democrats discuss platform
The Martha's Vineyard Democratic Council (MVDC) will hold a platform hearing for voters who would like to influence the Massachusetts Democratic party platform from 10 am to noon Saturday at the Howes House on State Road in West Tisbury opposite Alley's Store.
"Anyone can come to talk about what they would like to see included in the Democratic Party Platform," said Paddy Moore, MVDC part vice chairman in prepared remarks.
The current platform can be found at massdems.org/about/platform.htm. Ms. Moore urged attendees to read it and bring their copy to the meeting.
Recommended changes will be submitted as testimony at the 2009 Massachusetts Democratic Convention scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.
Town committees elect Martha's Vineyard's convention delegates.
The process of applying as an add-on delegate is open until March 17. For more information on the Platform Hearing, contact Paddy Moore at mooreii@aol.com or email info@mvdems.org. The MVDC normally meets at 9 am on the second Saturday of the month at the Howes House in West Tisbury.
Saturday's meeting will include the election of the MVDC chairman. Registered Democrats who have attended one council meeting in the past year may vote for chairman.
Corrections
The caption with a photo published in a story in the March 5 issue of The Martha's Vineyard Times, "Dueling divas at MVM," incorrectly identified the woman at right as Paula Lyons. She is in fact Ann Carol Grossman, co-producer with Arnie Reisman (shown at left in the same photo) of the documentary, "The Powder and the Glory." Also, the author of "War Paint" was incorrectly identified as Lindy Woodbridge. Her name is Lindy Woodhead.
A story in the March 5 issue of The Martha's Vineyard Times, "Criminal records follow two men to Martha's Vineyard courtroom," incorrectly described the status of William F. Campbell. Mr. Campbell is on probation, not parole. In a telephone call to The Martha's Vineyard Times, Mr. Campbell said he no longer lives at 1 Llewellyn Way, the address listed in court documents.
