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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
March 17 - March 23, 2005 Edition
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March 17, 2005 The county manager's OpEd spin won't hide facts of county, not airport, mismanagement To the Editor: It was interesting to read the hyperbole E. Winn Davis, our county manager, offered in his Op Ed piece published in your newspaper on March 10. It is obvious that spin doesn’t stop at the county administrative offices. Mr. Davis, the county’s paid spin-doctor, forgets that county and Airport Commission meetings are telecast locally and reported in the local print media. His comments were an insult to the intelligence of all our taxpayers who are attentive to these matters. This case should never have gone this far. The expenses should never have been incurred. But, as they were, it wasn’t enough to let this case be decided in the courts. After the trial and ensuing public scrutiny, Mr. Davis felt it necessary to reposition himself and the county commissioners in the arena of public opinion, using distorted data to make their case (spin). I and many others familiar with the case were willing to let the courts decide the issues; however Mr. Davis chose a different path. He should spend more time on issues important to the community rather than defending policies and actions, which by their very nature are defenseless. If he lived on the Island, he might be able to focus on what is important to taxpayers. Voters should question how their taxes are spent by the county, not the airport. The airport is not funded by local taxpayer money. Mr. Davis, using the county crystal ball, maintains that “it is highly foreseeable that the airport may have a deficit again.” The airport is a well-managed, financially secure governmental body, which has not drawn on county funds for years. How can he make such an outlandish statement without justification? Taxpayers should question the funds aggressively spent for all legal matters the county is involved with, not just what is being spent on the airport case. I agree with the county manager, however, on the importance of this case. It is this lawsuit that exposes the cavalier approach the county takes toward spending local taxpayer dollars. It is interesting to note that on the days of trial not one current county commissioner or any of the past or present county managers testified on behalf of the county. The only county official to offer testimony was the county treasurer. Does it not seem strange that county policy makers and county administrators would not testify under oath? They preach their doctrine everywhere else; why not in court under oath? It may have taken time, but the county financial advisory board seems to be taking an interest in this matter. It will remain to be seen how much further they will allow good programs to be set aside for bad judgments by county officials. To continue to throw local taxpayer money after bad decisions is an injustice to hard working taxpayers. The attempt by county administration to control the airport is nothing short of a grab for power and control in order to justify their existence at the expense of the taxpayer. Don’t be fooled by rhetoric. When the chips were on the table, your commissioners and manager were either absent or watched the court proceeding rather than testify in a “lawsuit important to taxpayers.” As it pertains to this lawsuit, don’t be fooled by Mr. Davis’ six-step cumbersome policy for expending airport funds. His opinion and the opinions of his predecessors are the basis for the lawsuit. Let me give you some facts. 1) Local taxes (assessments to Island towns) have not been used to fully or partially support the airport during the tenure of the present airport management. 2) Martha’s Vineyard airport commissioners executed employment contracts with airport manager(s). 3) Airport, not county, funds were and are available to pay the contracts. The county administration and county treasurer refuse to issue checks. 4) All money received by the airport from all sources, by law, must be spent on the airport, a fact the county acknowledges. Airport funds cannot be used for any other county projects no matter how worthy. 5) County commissioners and the county manager have executed legally and binding documents which prevent them from interfering with the airport commissioners duties of managing the airport. These documents are binding on all successor officials in perpetuity by case law. The blatant injustice to the facts perpetrated by Mr. Davis in his OpEd does not deserve a line-by-line response by me. Suffice it to say that county commissioners, of which I was one, appoint the airport commissioners, of which I was one. The airport commissioners are charged with the care and custody of the Martha’s Vineyard Airport. They hire manager(s). They allocate funds for airport projects. They oversee the administration and operations of the airport and perform other airport-related projects all in accordance with state and federal laws. As previously stated, all money received by the airport, by law, must be spent on the airport, which makes this money, in the first instance, airport funds not county funds, as asserted by Mr. Davis. The county cannot spend airport money. Only the airport can spend airport money. That’s the law, and it was affirmed by the county when they signed contracts and mortgages with state and federal governments. Oversight of airport funds is the responsibility of the airport commission, not the county manager. Mr. Davis is too quick to subordinate the statutory function of the airport managers and the airport commission to his domain by a stroke of his pen rather than sound legal principles coupled with a dose of common sense. What a slap in the face it must be to some of the dedicated airport commissioners to assert that they are not responsible enough to perform their statutory function. Remember, airport commissioners are appointed by the county commissioners, and there are two county commissioners on the Airport Commission. All public agencies are required by statute to have annual audits performed by outside agencies. The state has a constitutional office of auditor. Any mismanagement or diversion of funds would be found by them and promptly and properly corrected. What better oversight can there be? It appears the county manager is looking to justify his job at the sacrifice of a well-managed, financially independent branch of county government. If you see him, ask him how much control and oversight he has over the sheriff’s department and their budget. You may be surprised. When I was a county commissioner, we funded many needy and deserving Island social service programs which are no longer funded by the present board. We need to get back to basics. If the county manager and county commissioners are not willing to control their frivolous spending practices and properly prioritize the spending of taxpayer money, then the county financial advisory board must step up to the plate and rein them in. The alternative is to eliminate the current form of county government in the County of Dukes County, as has happened to several counties in Massachusetts, thus saving millions of dollars in local taxpayer money. It’s town meeting time. Ask how much money your town gives to fund the county and their lawsuits. Dan Flynn Oak Bluffs Dan Flynn is a former county commissioner, airport commissioner, and Martha’s Vineyard Commission member. He is the father of Sean Flynn, the assistant airport manager and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Business needs leadership’s support To the Editor: Congratulations to The Martha’s Vineyard Times on the new Doing Business quarterly. As an owner of a Main Street business, Mansion House, I find the number of empty storefronts and closed signs in the “year-round” town distressing. Daisy Kimberly, the owner of Alley Cat, closes briefly in winter, but her window front is a yearly work of art. The great renovations of the late Travis Tuck and Michael Kidder and his family give a strong look to Beach Road. Bryan Walker is rebuilding a distressed Main Street storefront, and many other owners are making structural and cosmetic improvements. The Tisbury Business Association encourages its members, and Ann Nelson, as always, leads the way with Bunch of Grapes Bookstore.
We are making great progress. The board of health’s decades-long effort for a sewer system has eliminated odors and health dangers while protecting our harbor, Lagoon, and shellfishing industry. The Main Street Beautification Plan and the burying of utility lines along with the wonderful efforts of Henry Stevenson and the Tisbury planning board’s draft ideas for public access to the harbor, smoother traffic flow, improved parking and transit opportunities are a few examples of the kind of leadership that can improve the quality of Main Street and all of Vineyard Haven. However, our selectmen have to drive these ideas forward to insure an economically healthy downtown. What is being done about the Boch Park? Why are we being told by the Department of Public Works that the new sewerage treatment plant is “underutilized” and requires more flow to be cost effective and then are told not to bother applying for an upscale tenant because of limited sewerage capacity? Why didn’t the selectmen allow the TBA initiative concerning limited beer and wine sales to go on the town floor? What is being done so a policeman directs traffic on inclement days at the Main Street/Beach Road intersection? And parking, the terrible challenge of parking needs imagination, the increased involvement of the selectmen in support of the planning board, and improved signage indicating where the Park & Ride is on upper Main Street. Many of us who came to the Vineyard in the 1960s and 70s reflected the values of that generation; the very word “business” appeared to contradict community needs. Today, we know better. As your statistics clearly show, a healthy Vineyard economy is essential for continued support of many community services and healthy diversity. All of us who live on the Vineyard rely on the tourist economy to support our lifestyle, whether we are in retirement or a young adult struggling for affordable housing. If it’s August or January, we want to be able to enjoy Main Street: get a cup a coffee, a glass of wine, go to a movie, the theater, shop for clothing or art, fill a prescription, work out in a gym, or buy a book. We depend on th selectmen. Let’s not lose Main Street. Susan Goldstein Vineyard Haven Hard working business owners appreciated To the Editor: In your new quarterly Doing Business, the article about Tisbury businesses was of interest, noting many closed in winter. Peter Cronig’s comments seemed to me very much on the mark, especially regarding landlords living elsewhere. Jamie Douglas’s complaints may have some validity, but one wonders why his fine waterside restaurant is open only on weekends this winter, and why on a busy Saturday when a small staff is trying to keep patrons happy, he is nowhere in sight. The owners of Zephrus and Nicky’s are providing meals six or seven days a week, year-round, and 90 Main, the Bagelry, and Louis’ Take-out are among other six- to seven-day options much appreciated. Leigh Smith Tisbury Not every deal is at the asking price To the Editor: This letter is in regards to your recent article on Vineyard real estate, which appeared in the Doing Business section of The Times on March 10. To quote your lead paragraph, “However desirable Vineyard real estate may be, buying in is not for the faint of heart. You’ve got to have the big bucks and be willing to pay the asking price or more.” I’m sure you did some in-depth research before making such a bold statement, a statement that from a professional’s viewpoint is obviously more fiction than fact. May I ask where this piece of information on paying the asking price or more came from? One has to only look at the Real Estate Guide to see the same properties listed for sale for two to three years. There are dozens upon dozens of owners who have had their properties on the market for this length of time who are awaiting those full-price offers. In order to prove my point, we need to look at the statistics as provided by the Link listing network of Martha’s Vineyard. Link provides member firms with quarterly statistical updates of all sales on the Vineyard. In the 4th quarter of 2004, a total of 176 properties changed hands. Of these 176 properties, land accounted for 25 sales, homes and condos combined accounted for 151 sales. Of the properties listed with Link, two land parcels sold for full price or more and 28 out of 151 residences sold for full price or higher. This does not take into consideration properties that were not listed in the system. These are listed as NLP’s (Not Link Properties) and could include sales to relatives, friends, abutters, or other private inquiries. To summarize, 30 out of 176 transactions listed in the Link system sold for full price or more. This gives us a grand total of 17 percent of the total sales that sold at full price or higher in the fourth quarter of 2004. No one system is going to be 100 percent accurate, but you get the idea. I have been a full-time real estate broker working six days a week in the office of Cronig’s Real Estate since 1982. I have sold approximately 400 properties in this time. In an extremely competitive marketplace, I pride myself on providing my clients with accurate information. Statements like yours only further confuse the sellers and buyers who are constantly given conflicting information from many different sources. Property values are very high and the Inventory is low to moderate at best. Yes, full price and above offers do occur. I was involved with two transactions last year where the buyers made full price offers and lost out to higher offers. This activity occurs, but this is the exception and not the rule. If you are going to make a statement that thousands of your readers could believe, perhaps you should first take a look at the facts. Neal Stiller Vineyard Haven Wonderful support To the Editor: Thank you to the people of Martha’s Vineyard. What wonderful support you have shown for my quest to be superintendent of the Martha's Vineyard Public Schools. Special thanks to all of you who wrote letters, sent cards, spoke with me at Linda Jean’s, the post office, Cronig’s, etc. Thank you. I truly believe, probably since I'm a diehard Democrat, that if the choice had been based on the popular vote, I would have been a finalist, but since it was based on the “electoral vote,” it just didn't happen. Soon, we will know who has been selected as our new superintendent. Please join with me in welcoming him. We need to assist him in learning about us and our wonderful Island so that our excellent school system will continue to grow. Marge Harris Oak Bluffs For many, Vineyard Youth Tennis, is needed To the Editor: I was surprised and sorry to read last week that Ms Phyllis Kugler took my letter in support of the Vineyard Youth Tennis program as a personal attack on the Vineyard Tennis Center. For many years, I have been a member of the Vineyard Tennis Center, where I’ve made many friends including, I like to think, the staff and owners of the club. It’s a beautiful facility with a friendly staff and a gifted teaching pro. I play tennis there as often as I can afford to do so. But that’s the point, I can afford to join and go to a private tennis club, while many of the families whose children learn to play at Vineyard Youth Tennis are not so lucky. What I was trying to say in my previous letter, without specifically mentioning the Vineyard Tennis Center, is that it’s a shame when for-profit businesses perceive non-profit efforts to provide affordable alternatives as threatening. It’s not just a local issue; a web search turns up references across the country to private clubs, sometimes with help from the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, trying to squelch community efforts to open public pools, gymnasiums, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the like. On the facts in the Vineyard case, Ms Kugler may be technically correct that no one from the Vineyard Tennis Center spoke at the meeting she referred to, but a letter from VTC in the commission’s public record, dated Feb. 16, 2005, outlines major objections the club has with the charter changes that Vineyard Youth Tennis is requesting. I stand by my previous letter and still urge the commission to approve the minor changes requested by Vineyard Youth Tennis. But I apologize to Ms. Kugler for the offense she took. That was not my intent. As someone who loves the game now but never had the opportunity to take lessons when I was young, I simply hoped to influence a public agency regarding a decision that will impact the quality of life of the children of Martha’s Vineyard. Paul Schneider West Tisbury Housing shortage can be addressed To the Editor: I write this letter out of deep concern about the future of the Vineyard. The simple truth is that we are rapidly losing the community of people who provide the infrastructure on which our lives depend, because they can no longer afford to live here. Unless drastic steps are taken, in five or 10 years we will have no nurses, teachers, policemen, retail store clerks, mechanics, bank tellers, landscapers, plumbers, electricians; and the next generation of Island young people will have left us in order to find affordable lives. The exodus has already begun: simply look at the dramatic decline of six percent in school enrollment on the Island since 2000. In my lending role at a local bank, I daily see young people who leave my office in utter dejection when I have to tell them that they cannot afford even the most simple starter home, which costs in excess of $400,000 today. Their only alternative is paying sky-high rents or leaving the Island. Too many of them are responding by taking that last, final boat trip. This is not an insurmountable problem. A big step in the direction of resolving this difficult and costly issue is to vote for the Community Preservation Act and the proposed Housing Bank, which will be presented to you at this spring’s town meetings and ballot voting. More than 1,000 Vineyard voters have already voiced their support of these initiatives, and everyone who cares about the future of the Island should be in favor of them also. The cost per person is small, and the benefits are huge. Nothing less than the maintenance of our lifestyle and our property values. The day of “bake-sale financing” for affordable housing is over; the need is simply too big. If you care about these issues, vote yes on ballot questions number one and two. Robert N. Wheeler Vineyard Haven Chappy wait line has its charms To the Editor: This is a copy of a letter to the Edgartown selectmen: As a resident of Chappaquiddick for the last 10 years, I have witnessed a number of controversies impacting our way of life here. In most instances it was a call to improve our daily life and enjoyment of an island we so cherish and want to preserve for our future generations. Being slightly isolated from the rest of the Vineyard, at times there are many inconveniences we have to put up with on a day-to-day basis. So far, those inconveniences could never outweigh the positive aspects of being a resident on this little piece of heaven. However, it seems as though we now face a challenge that will not only inconvenience us but serve to limit the precious minutes of every hour we have during the hectic summer when tourism balloons. For years, I have never considered the wait and queue at Simpson’s Lane an inconvenience. Quite to the contrary, because the On Time Ferry does such a good job of controlling wait times, it would always feel like a short wait even with such rare times when the line extended to the end of the block or around it. I say short, because passengers could get out and wonder at the beautiful sights surrounding Edgartown Harbor with it’s wondrous ships, and watch children as well as adults enjoying a day of fishing off of the pier. Fifteen minutes goes very fast when you can take in so many pleasures of our Island on tiny Simpson’s Lane. Now, we are looking at, for no positive reason I can understand, moving the staging area to the Edgartown School parking lot. The only things I see this will accomplish are confusion, more taxes to pay for personnel to monitor the staging area, less time to enjoy Chappaquiddick, and a wait in the sweltering sun of an open school parking lot without the cool breezes, shade, and scenery Simpson’s Lane inherently has. On top of all of this, we would be faced with the environmental impact of more gasoline consumption and pollution from the extra driving each car will make to get to the Edgartown School. I implore our selectmen to reconsider any further actions that will cost Edgartown taxpayers more money to implement and control the staging lines, and take away a part of life we have enjoyed on Simpson’s Lane during our wait there in the summer. The improvement in the flow of traffic will be miniscule compared to the huge burden of inconvenience all will suffer if the line moves to the Edgartown School. This plan will benefit a handful of people at the expense of thousands. James H. Recht Chappaquiddick Bring the troops home To the Editor: The yellow ribbon magnet on my car reads, “Bring the Troops Home Now.” The war drags on, with more than 1,500 US dead and countless Iraqi citizens/insurgents killed because of US presence. Our military should have devoted its energies solely to the capture of the mastermind of Sept. 11, instead of a search for illusionary WMDs and the imposition of democracy in a country ripe for religious civil war. Bring the troops home. Two years ago, I marched in Washington against the invasion. Last year I was in New York, protesting the war. This Saturday, March 19, the peace vigil at Five Corners will condemn continuation of the war. Stand beside the brave men and women who support our troops, because we want them brought home. Now. Tom Dresser Oak Bluffs Question, we must To the Editor: Unquestioning obedience and loyalty to government is a privilege reserved for folks in the military. It falls to the rest of us to question the worthiness and loyalty of our governors. No one else can. R.K. Brown Oak Bluffs Competition helps To the Editor: Lately, the issue of business competition seems to be a recurring theme at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and other permitting boards. We currently are experiencing tensions between tennis centers, formerly between food markets and gas stations, and I suspect this competition issue will continue to be revisited with other businesses. The MVC’s and other permitting boards’ primary concern should be the ultimate welfare of the majority of Island residents that reside here year-round, not selectively supporting any favored business or favored personality. Martha’s Vineyard has one of the highest cost of living quotas of any community in the USA. Our basic essentials, such as gas, food, shelter, and recreation, now all have an unnecessary high per capita cost as a result of the lack of competition, and not, as many want you to believe, because we are an Island. I suggest business competition ultimately helps residents of this Island, and the MVC and other permitting boards should not attempt to over-regulate this positive influence to a growing community. Paul D. Adler West Tisbury Our energy future To the Editor: To all who attended The End of Oil, thank you all for coming out on a snowy March night to hear Paul Roberts speak. Paul gave us a glimpse at the enormity of the energy challenge. But what can we do here to work on this? For those of you wanting to know more about possible local initiatives, please come on Saturday, May 7, from 10 am to noon at the Grange, to the Energy Forum sponsored by the Vineyard Energy Project and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Our energy planner, Christine Donovan, will present a draft of an energy action plan for the Vineyard, and Sen. Rob O’Leary has been asked to present policy options that would allow us to support a sustainable energy future for our Island. Come hear how we can use our Island’s unique resources to begin to tackle this global issue locally and participate in the discussion. Thanks again for your support of our Island energy efforts. Kate Warner, Chairman Vineyard Energy Project West Tisbury |
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