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Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
March 24 - March 30, 2005 Edition
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March 24, 2005 Bravo Hermine To the Editor: Having suffered through the dry spell when we in West Tisbury were columnless in your paper, it is a joy to open it now and find Hermine Hull’s chronicle of daily life in our town. She writes with warmth and wit about the people and places that make our town so unique. During this bitter winter, to read of her beach romps with her dogs and equally intrepid friends when most sane people were huddled by their wood stoves gave us indoor types vicarious pleasure. Her column is the first thing I turn to every Thursday. With the approach of spring, I look forward to discovering through Hermine who is on-Island to open their house, who has the best daffodils, and where to walk to see the most wildflowers. Because she is an artist, she gives us vivid word pictures as well as those in paint. Thank you, Hermine, keep up the good work. Cynthia Walsh West Tisbury What was the winning word? To the Editor: Just a suggestion. When you write a story about a spelling bee could you at least include the winning word. A lot of us poor spellers are courious [sic] about this. Thank you. Jim Pringle Tisbury Editor’s Note: The last word spelled correctly by Emelia Armstead, the winner of the Island spelling bee, was grotesque. One round earlier, when Ms. Armstead was facing off against Megan Mendenhall, who finished second, Ms. Mendenhall misspelled clarinet. The rules of the Scripps Howard spelling bee require that to claim first place, the surviving speller must correctly spell one more word chosen by the pronouncer, and not the one previously misspelled. If, in the final round in which Ms. Armstead stood alone, she had misspelled grotesque, then a new round would have started with both she and Ms. Mendenhall still in the running. Setting the record straight To the Editor: Leigh Smith’s letter to the editor (“ Hard Working Business Owners Appreciated”, March 17) is misleading in its assertion that the Black Dog Tavern Company is not a seven-day a week, year-round, local business. The Black Dog Bakery Café, The Black Dog Bakery, and the Vineyard Haven General Store are open seven days a week all winter. Jamie Douglas, whose absence Mr. Smith noted at the Tavern, manages The Black Dog Retail locations, not Black Dog Food Service. On the weekend in question, Morgan Douglas was the manager on duty at the Black Dog Tavern. I regret having to engage in this public forum, but the record must be set straight. Robert S. Douglas, Jr. CEO The Black Dog Tavern Company, Inc. Chorus for justice To the Editor: It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since my late husband, Art Naparstek, and my neighbor, Al Read, officially complained to the Oak Bluffs zoning board about an outsized, out-of-character and totally inappropriate structure that was being erected at 10 Seaview Extension, in dead of winter, looming over our homes at 6 Saco and 14 Seaview. Constructed by Joseph Moujabber, the three-story, flat-roofed, mini-motel of a building boasted four apparent apartment units, complete with balconies, sliding glass doors and accommodations for plumbing and electricity. In spite of its massive proportions and the fact that this eyesore violated our residential zoning code, destroyed the aesthetic of the neighborhood, degraded the shoreline views of Oak Bluffs from approaching ferries, and was certain to ratchet up noise to intolerable levels in our quiet little corner of the North Bluff, we had not been notified in advance of its construction. Instead, we only learned about it through several alarmed year-round residents, who called to warn us that this monstrous construction was being erected in our absence, and we’d best act quickly to protect the homes we’d loved and prized for a combined 110 years. The stunning arrogance of building a full-fledged apartment building on a permit that merely allowed for a modest expansion of storage space for a tiny garage next to the house, displayed a contempt for the neighborhood and a disregard for the rights of its inhabitants, as super-sized as the awful structure itself. In spite of the fact that my husband was dying of a very aggressive form of stage four lung cancer at the time, which left him quite weak, he literally used his last breaths to protect his family and his neighborhood. He found attorneys, mobilized neighbors, registered protests in the newspapers and filed a complaint with the zoning board of appeals. Thanks to an enormous outpouring of support, outrage, and disgust from the people of Oak Bluffs and all over the Island, the community became energized and mobilized to stand up for itself. A cease and desist order on March 28 was followed by a revocation of the permit on May 11, based on town counsel’s legal opinion that the building permit should never have been issued in the first place. Eventually a demolition order was issued. The Copeland Review Commission also rejected the structure, on the aesthetic grounds it was designed to assess and protect. Mr. Moujabber now has three different appeal processes underway to delay demolition of this building — appeals with Superior Court, the Copeland Commission, and the ZBA. This necessitates our paying our attorneys substantial sums with each month that this process drags on. Indeed, these legal expenses turned out to be even more necessary than we initially thought, since our building official is off-and-on forgetful about notifying us and several key voting members as to when a critical meeting has been scheduled. There have been a few occasions that we belatedly learned of a pivotal scheduling or rescheduling only because of a communication to our attorney. Without this information, we would have been faced with dangerously lopsided representation at some of these key hearings. As I promised my husband, we will do whatever it takes and pay whatever it costs to see this matter through. There are principles at stake here that are essential to our town and which define the way we treat each other in our community. This is not just about a hideous eyesore of a building endangering the quality of life in Oak Bluffs, although it is certainly that. More importantly, it’s about a dangerous sequence of contemptuous, illegal maneuvers, disappearing and reappearing documents, misuses of authority, perjured applications, and arbitrary, bullying of innocent citizens, undermining the democratic values of our town and destroying its very backbone of civility. So, at this anniversary time, I am expressing my gratitude and asking for a continuation of the wonderful, heartening support from the good people of Oak Bluffs and Martha’s Vineyard. We could not have gotten this far without you. Please stay with us on this issue. We need you at these meetings, registering your opinions and voicing your ideas. Legalities aside, there is no response more powerful than the democratic chorus of your combined, concerned voices. More than anything else, this is what has kept justice and hope alive during these past 12 months, and what will see us through to allow us to cherish and protect our historic, unique town. Belleruth Naparstek Oak Bluffs Thank you all To the Editor: The parents and family of David L. Welch Jr. would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who brought food, helped out, sent flowers and sympathy cards in honor of his passing. We would also like to thank the doctors and nurses at Rhode Island Head Trauma Intensive Care Unit. They also spent time with the family explaining his treatment and condition in a very sympathetic way. A special thank you goes to the Med Flight for transporting him to the Rhode Island Hospital. David was like an angel here on earth. He loved everyone and it gave him great pleasure to help out people. We know he is an angel above watching over everyone. Thank you all for thinking of his family at this time. David and Bea Welch Kathy Welch Beatrice (Welch) D’Angelo Diane (Welch) Gibson And family Embrace of friends To the Editor: On Feb. 19, about 250 people came to the Chilmark Community Center for a potluck supper and celebration of the life of Chris Burgess. On behalf of our friend Chris, our dear friend Kristin, and the entire Burgess family, we would like to thank everyone who selflessly offered their time, talents and donations to make the celebration a great success. Once again, this Island has embraced a friend during a rough time and shown its undivided support. We are humbly reminded of why we choose to live here. Chris managed to touch a lot of people, not only on the Island, but virtually everywhere he went. Even after the memorial celebration we continue to receive calls, cards and donations. The individuals are too numerous to thank personally. We do thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Please do not hesitate to call or write if there is anything you would like to share. If we all continue to cherish our memories of him, he will live on in our hearts forever. Jimmy and Nancy Benoit P.O. Box 436 Chilmark, MA 02535 508-645-2417 Praise for Island Health Care To the Editor: I want to praise the dedication and professionalism shown to me by all those at Island Health Care (IHC). I am a partially disabled, chronically ill woman and have been a patient at every major hospital and pain clinic in the Boston area. Mainland physicians, nurses, and their staff should use IHC as an example for proper patient care. The professionals at IHC make patient care and patient dignity their first priority. IHC is more concerned about their patients than their insurance cards. Health care of this caliber and quality is rare and should be praised. Although I still have access to mainland health care, I choose to make the trip to continue my treatment at IHC. Many thanks to Penny, Kathleen and Carol Anne. Laura Matthews Dedham and Oak Bluffs Old House rules To the Editor: As owners of five of the nine houses on Old House Pond (a/k/a Ice House Pond), the Ravitch-Schwentker extended family is now committed to working with the Land Bank to ensure appropriately conservative measures are put in place for the conservation of Old House Pond. We are one of the families who were misled into selling land without truthful information regarding the buyer, despite our numerous attempts to determine the buyer’s identity — including specific inquiries into whether it was the Land Bank. Our investigation led us to believe that the buyer was either an extended family or a developer preparing to build several houses. In any case, we felt it essential to protect the ecology of the pond by placing restrictions on the sale, included in the following article of the Purchase and Sale contract: (1) The covenants shall restrict the use by buyer, and buyer’s heirs, successors and assigns as owners of any part or all of the premises (collectively the “buyer”) of that portion of the premises fronting Old House Pond and extending 20 feet from the shoreline of said Old House Pond and onto or into all of the said Old House Pond as shown on the attached plot plan (the “plan”) (the “restricted area”) for the actual and substantial benefit of certain property owned by Edwards P. Schwentker and others (the “benefited parties”) more particularly described in a deed dated May 17, 2001 and recorded in the Dukes County Registry of Deeds in Book 864, Page 589, and registered in the Dukes County Registry District Office of the Land Court as Document No. 49276, and the successors, assigns and representatives of anyone now or hereafter claiming by or through the benefited parties, located adjacent to the premises and designated on the plan as the benefited property (the “benefited property”) in the manner set forth below. Also see petition of Nancy Ravitch Schwentker, et al. dated January 3, 2002, registered in the Dukes County Registry District Office of the Land Court as Document No.49274. (a) glass bottles or other glass containers, receptacles or other items made of glass or similar breakable materials shall be used sparingly on or about the restricted area, and buyer shall at all times maintain the restricted area free of trash and debris, including especially broken glass and related dangerous objects; (b) no alcoholic beverages shall be consumed on or about the restricted area; (c) no amplified music, and no loud, boisterous or disturbing noise shall be permitted on or about the restricted area or elsewhere on the premises so as to be a nuisance or annoyance to the benefited parties on the benefited property; (d) the restricted area shall only be used by buyer and buyer’s guests and invitees, during daylight hours and at no one time by more than a total of 10 adults and 10 children; (e) no motorized vehicles shall be used in the pond or about the restricted area; (f) no water shall be drawn from the pond for irrigation or other similar purposes; (g) no houses, sheds or garages shall be constructed so as to be visible from the pond during summer foliage (i.e. when the foliage is full); (h) no house shall be constructed with floor space greater than 4,000 square feet; (i) to the extent applicable, the restrictions recorded in Book 277, Pages 308-310 in the Dukes County Registry of Deeds shall apply to the property; and (j)) no water-soluble fertilizers or pesticides or herbicides shall be used in, on, or under the premises. (2) The foregoing covenants, conditions, reservations and restrictions shall run with the land and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of buyer and on all persons claiming under buyer, for the period provided in these covenants from the date set forth herein. These covenants, conditions, restrictions and reservations shall be enforceable by the then owner of the benefited property. We are particularly disturbed by the Land Bank’s stealthy approach for two reasons. First, in so doing the Land Bank, whose important conservation goals our family has always strongly applauded, traded integrity for imagined efficacy and thus made itself a target for wariness and cynicism among many of its supporters. Second, through its unfortunate choice of strategy it wasted an opportunity to co-operate with the current owners around the pond to agree on provisions in the sales agreement that would both protect the local ecology and provide for public access. Instead, it has left open the possibility for a unique Island treasure to be destroyed by irresponsible use. Clearly, that isn’t its intention, but a rush to open access to the pond too fully before the implications are understood could have exactly that result. For evidence, we offer below some of our thoughts, our experiences, our pond-friendly actions and self-imposed restrictions. With no disrespect intended to Land Bank ecologist Julie Schaeffer, it seems inconceivable to suggest that 30 swimmers entering in one location would not adversely affect this small Pond. The nine houses now on the pond may sometimes have a similar number of residents, but at no time in living memory have all the residents been in the pond at the same time. At peak usage, there may be a dozen swimmers. Furthermore, they are entering the pond from widely separated points. The Land Bank’s planned Ice House Pond Preserve beach on this jewel of a pond will be filled to whatever capacity is permitted all day every day that is “swimmable.” (Consider the morning rush to park at Long Point for a South Beach swim: if you don’t get there early the lot is always full.) Granted Ms. Schaeffer’s plan did include assumptions about swimmers urinating in the pond, but if it failed to assume non-stop full capacity usage, perhaps the full potential for such contamination was not considered. Similarly, one wonders if Ms. Schaeffer’s plan takes into account what effect the quantities of sun block and tanning oils that so many bodies, reapplying and re-immersing all day every day will have on the pond.) About six or seven years ago the pond was suddenly invaded by milfoil, severely choking most of the shoreline of the pond. Members of our extended family own and rent five houses with access to the pond. For ourselves and our tenants, we have insisted on a total restriction of our kayak and canoes to Old House Pond and we prohibit the introduction of any other watercraft to the pond. These rules were devised and are enforced to protect the pond from the transfer of invasive organisms. Since milfoil is not native to Old House Pond, it was certainly introduced in some fashion, and despite the comments of Mass Wildlife aquatic biologist Richard Hatley, quoted by The Martha’s Vineyard Times, no one was using boat trailers or bilge pumps. At about the same time, the bullfrog invasion completely overran the pond, water insects and pinkletinks disappeared, and the fish became aggressive in their hunger, nipping at swimmers. In response to all the changes in flora and fauna, those of us who are neighbors on the pond sought information and advice from many quarters and measured the pH and visibility of the water periodically to improve our understanding of what was happening. As a result, we all agreed to use only eco-friendly dishwashing and laundry products, to avoid all use of fertilizers, garden pesticides, etc., and, as stated above, to restrict watercraft to Old House Pond-only use. We were all thrilled, last summer, to note that the bullfrogs and milfoil were both greatly diminished in presence and the water insects had returned. Although we are hopeful that this happy change in direction will continue, we are also mindful of just how fragile the pond is. We share the Land Bank’s purpose to ensure the future health of the pond, both for conservation’s sake and for everyone’s enjoyment. We’d like to review the ecological studies done by the Land Bank, and we recommend that future monitoring be done to evaluate the effect of increased usage. Going forward, we, as a group, would like to be invited to participate in the development of policies and plans for the Ice House Pond Preserve. As the Land Bank prepares to share the details of its draft land use plan for the Ice House Pond Preserve with the public on April 4, we wish to reassert our commitment to work with the Land Bank to ensure that appropriately conservative measures are put in place for the conservation of Old House Pond. Nancy and Ned Schwentker, Myrnice Ravitch, Binnie (Mary Robin) Ravitch and the entire Ravitch-Schwentker extended family West Tisbury Boycott Edgartown merchants To the Editor: Perhaps the merchants in Edgartown should hear of a willingness to boycott all Edgartown stores, restaurants, and particularly grocery stores for the summer. Off-Island residents will need to mount a campaign to bring as many provisions as possible from off-Island before they come to Chappy. No movies, no meals out, and no purchases. If there is going to be a major inconvenience, then let’s buy staples in Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. The one place they are vulnerable is their respective businesses. Paul W. McClean Chappaquiddick Utterly opposed To the Editor: I am a 30-plus-year taxpaying summer resident of Chappaquiddick Island. During all of those years, the ferry line has been located on Simpson’s Lane. I am utterly opposed to moving this line to an off-site location. The taxpaying residents of Martha’s Vineyard have had to make many adjustments to accommodate tourists who come, enjoy the area, spend their money, and leave. We property-owning, long-term summer residents also come, enjoy the area, spend our money, and leave. However, we also pay hefty taxes on our three properties, belong to Island associations, pay attention to local issues and care about the short- and long-term local issues, because we are property owners. Although we are considered part-time residents, our extended family headquarters moves to Chappaquiddick from June to October every year. During this time, a minimum of four of us are in residence moving two household headquarters to Chappy complete with five-month postal forwarding, transport of office equipment, local medical records, family reunions, etc. Throughout the summer, 30 family members and at least as many friends rotate in and out of these properties. Our enjoyment and use of our properties is impacted in the high tourist season by sharing the ferry with the masses of tourists who also wish to cross over to Chappaquiddick. We wait in longer lines because of them, even though our use of the ferry, unlike theirs, is necessitated by day-to-day living needs. It is not fair to further reduce our enjoyment of our own properties by imposing unnecessary hardship on the bottleneck of crossing the channel by ferry. The line at Simpson’s Lane has functioned perfectly well for well over the 30 years we have been using that ferry. There is no reason to move it now. If the town is concerned about the ever increasing length of the ferry line, a simple solution would be to create an End of Line marker. No car is allowed to join the ferry line once the line has reached this spot. Only as the line moves forward would another car be allowed to join it. Cars seeking to join the ferry line and finding it full would have to move on and return later. It would also be helpful to make regular ferry line status announcements on the local radio, so that those who need to use it could plan accordingly. I respectfully submit my strong vote in favor of leaving the ferry line where it now is. Karin Murray Chappaquiddick Island Bad decision To the Editor: This is a copy of a letter addressed to Edgartown selectmen Michael Donoroma, Art Smadbeck, and Margaret Serpa: The Chappy ferry line is in need of a shorter-term and long-term solution. We respectfully differ on relocating the tail of the line further from Simpson’s Lane. This will add to the burden of users, residents, trades and support services, which already find it inconveniencing to use the ferry during peak periods. We have tried to work around the lines at both ends and have failed because: • The Edgartown Stop and Shop can not restock shelves until mid-morning and by beginning shopping at mid-morning we are virtually assured a mid-day line with the beach-goers. Late-day shopping means empty shelves. • We believe a serious alternative across Norton Point Beach, safe from piping plovers, this summer must made available including a paved road and bridge if necessary for the long term. • Failure to address this situation will lead to further business decline in Edgartown as summer rentals will move elsewhere and shops and restaurants will suffer. I note that Edgartown has not, nor has the Island in general returned to the peak activity before the last recession. • Edgartown is not tourist friendly. • Parking is impossible. • The daily trip to the Triangle post office adds only congestion • The harbor, while better than when Leonard Green ran things, took a turn for the worst by refusing anchorage last year. Moorings for seasonal residents are difficult. • Gas prices run $.50 higher than the Cape. • Prices in general exceed the Cape by 20-25 percent. Said another way the price-value of Edgartown as a tourist destination is declining, and relocating the Chappy ferry line beyond Simpson’s Lane will not reverse the business decline at Edgartown inns. Edgartown’s business policies resemble the Fortress Europe concept pursued within the European Union in the 1980’s. The EU was not rational nor have Edgartown’s issues been rationally addressed A flourishing Edgartown is desirable for all; however moving the Chappy ferry line off Simpson’s Lane is more likely to exacerbate the situation. Frank J. Partel Jr. Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Opposes Chappy wait line shift To the Editor: I am writing to express my strongest opposition to the notion being discussed about moving the Chappy Ferry line from Simpson’s Lane. My family and I are long-time summer residents (more than 30 years) and find the proposed solution to be lacking in many ways. I acknowledge that the waiting line is a problem for some folks, but the question remains as to alternatives, and how to minimize the problem for the fewest number of people. I’m reminded of Churchill’s line about democracy (which I paraphrase from memory)...”It’s not a great system at all... but it’s the best one in the world.” Moving the line to another location is an idea with significant problems. First, we are residents, who pay taxes — and certainly our fair share of taxes — and we should not be forced to wait in a far less convenient, and far less safe, position due to a problem caused primarily by short-term visitors. Second, many of us travel with children, and virtually always with perishable food supplies, and all of the proposed alternative plans will affect safety and transport issues. Third, elderly individuals, who cannot easily move out of a vehicle, will be at risk. I also question the appropriateness of having your meeting in the winter months, when many of us cannot travel to Edgartown (much as we would like to). As the problem seems to be mostly a summertime problem, then it seems most appropriate to have the meeting in the summertime, when the Chappy (and Edgartown) residents who will be most affected, pro and con, participate in lively debate. That is, indeed, Churchill’s democracy in action. Rick Murray Chappaquiddick Support the CPA To the Editor: We have an Island-wide opportunity to do something that will have tremendous repercussions for years, perhaps generations, to come. The Community Preservation Act, aptly named, is being put before Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury for a vote. I urge all voters to embrace this opportunity to do something that will help the Vineyard, even if it costs a little money. The people you are helping by supporting this are your friends, and who knows, maybe even your children or grandchildren. The CPA is the gateway to another large source of funding for affordable housing — the creation of the Housing Bank, which all Vineyard residents need. We need to know that 10, 20, maybe even 50 years from today there will be some mechanism working on behalf of the Islanders. If not, we will further lose what remains of our island to the second-house market and summer crowd, and also further erode our infrastructure, which is already breaking down and morphing around us. As a taxpayer and member of the Chilmark Housing Committee, I can tell you firsthand that the individual monetary costs pale in comparison to the benefits. With the local funds generated by the CPA since its adoption in 2001, doubled by the states matching funds, we have been able to help subsidize families that could not otherwise afford to stay in their rental houses. We have some funds available for mortgage assistance, and we are also hoping to allocate a significant amount of the CPA funds towards an affordable housing project in the pipeline. Our lack of foresight has created the problem we are dealing with. Had the CPA been around 10 or 20 years ago, many of our friends would still be here today, and the Island would have a different look. We need a forward-thinking solution, and while we can’t turn back the clocks, we can start to make a difference today. Jim Feiner Chilmark Don’t move the Chappy wait line To the Editor: I am adamantly opposed to moving the ferry line from Simpson’s Lane. Such a move will add considerable time to the “commute” back to our home on Chappy. This will make simple errand running an even bigger nuisance — spoiling groceries, hot car or wasting of gas to keep it cool for us and our dog, etc, etc. The Edgartown School option is particularly bad, and the other alternatives you’re considering don’t appear to be much better. These will surely require more police/traffic managers (at higher taxpayer cost), which is another waste. It certainly appears that a very few business people/innkeepers in the Simpson Lane area are getting much more consideration by your board than the several hundred homeowners that make Chappy home in the summer, let alone those that live there year-round. This is not a new issue to these business folks, at least some of whom I’m sure bought there fully aware of the situation. So, they knew what they were getting into from the start. Simpson’s Lane is just a much better choice for those of us who live on Chappy (shady, closer to the ferry, less energy waste, shorter waiting time than the alternatives, etc, etc.). It also appears that this is being railroaded through in the off-season when there will be less opposition because those of us that only reside in the summer can’t be there to attend the hearings. I would think (and would strongly urge for the future) that you would conduct a hearing on this matter in the summer to get the true picture before making any decision. This would seem reasonable as you are supposed to be representing all Edgartown residents, including those of us on Chappy, who pay a large percentage of the tax base for the town. We deserve fair representation. Finally, since a move will make it much more difficult for people to get to Chappy, our property values (and the tax base) will be negatively affected as more potential buyers will be turned off by the serious nuisance factor associated with traveling to Chappy. This will be a serious lose/lose situation for Chappy residents and for the town. So, again I ask that you do not move the ferry line from Simpson’s Lane. I appreciate your time, and I thank you for your consideration. Clark Sole Chappaquiddick Authoritative compliment To the Editor: It is not too often that a health-care provider finds himself in the role of the patient. One evening last week I became the patient. I was impressed by the professionalism and competence of all the EMTs involved with my care and transport. Our Island is fortunate to have such a dedicated group of individuals constantly available when needed. Michael Goldfein, MD West Tisbury |
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