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News in Brief
September 1, 2005
Tisbury selectmen end contract with chief of police
After negotiating for three months with Theodore Saulnier, TisburyÅfs chief of police, the Tisbury selectmen voted in executive session in June not to renew the chiefÅfs employment contract. The chief learned of the boardÅfs decision in a letter dated June 29.
ÅgThe bulk of the difference revolved around salary, and really, thatÅfs what the negotiations centered around, as we honed down the issues,Åh said John Bugbee, town administrator. According to the townÅfs 2004 annual report, the chief earned $78,249.60 last year.
Chief SaulnierÅfs three-year contract expired on June 30. Under its terms, the board was required to renew the contract or submit a letter of non-renewal before the expiration date. Chief Saulnier has up to a year to leave his position.
ÅgHe could come back and renegotiate during that time,Åh Mr. Bugbee said. ÅgWe could certainly open those negotiations back up, but as time goes by, it is more and more likely that will not occur.Åh
Chief Saulnier worked as a lieutenant in the Waltham police department before joining the Tisbury police department in 2001. He was promoted to chief in 2002, when former police chief John McCarthy retired.
Chief Saulnier said this week he had no comment regarding the non-renewal of his contract or about his future plans.
ÅgIf he decides to leave tomorrow, obviously we would have to ramp up the replacement process. Otherwise, we will probably begin to lay out a game plan in the winter sometime,Åh said Mr. Bugbee. ÅgThatÅfs where we stand right now. I donÅft anticipate him leaving tomorrow, but at the same time, he is working under an expired contract, and he has the right to leave whenever he wishes.Åh
Hurricane Katrina hits new SSA ferry builder's yard
The cleanup from Hurricane Katrina, one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States, is expected to cause a considerable delay in the construction of the Island Home, the $31 million ferry that will replace the Islander, Steamship Authorities (SSA) said this week.
The category four hurricane came ashore just west of the VT Halter Marine shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Wednesday morning, Wayne Lamson, SSA general manager, said there has been no contact with the boatyard, but given the images from the area and the size of the tidal surge, it is likely there has been considerable damage to the builderÅfs facility and surrounding area that would command the focus of the entire community.
According to one later report the shipÅfs engines and generators were waiting to be installed and may have suffered water damage in the main yard now under a considerable amount of water. The production yard responsible for Island HomeÅfs fabrication of metal work was also under approximately18 to 20 feet of water, according to the same report.
Marc Hanover, SSA Vineyard member, estimated that delivery of the Island Home, could be delayed by up to one year. The new double-ended vessel had been scheduled to be delivered in the spring of 2006.
The venerable Islander would continue to serve the public, said Mr. Hanover, who added that he was more concerned about the boatyard employees and members of the surrounding community than maintaining a schedule. ÅgI feel terrible for the nice people there,Åh he said.
Better Business Bureau warns against Katrina charity scams
Warning the charitably minded to Åggive wiselyÅh in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Better Business Bureau sent out a press release Wednesday urging caution on those wishing to contribute to relief efforts.
Kevin J. Sanders, executive vice president of the BBB serving Eastern MA, ME and VT said, ÅgWhile most charities are operating honestly, scam artists will use a natural disaster as an opportunity to take advantage of American generosity.Åh
The BBB recommends watching for red flags such as overly emotional or urgent appeals that are short on detail as to how the donated funds will be used. And giving on line is particularly fraught with fraud potential. Many web sites, according to the BBB, Ågimitate the name and style of a well known organization in order to confuse people.Åh
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance web site (www.give.org) details ways in which those wishing to help may avoid being duped by bogus organizations posing as charities.
The American Red Cross web site (www.redcross.org) is another place to visit before you decide to UPS that case of bottled water south. According to their site, ÅgUnsolicited, spontaneous donations of goods and services from individuals and community groups, although well intentioned, have hidden costs and pose a number of complications for initial relief efforts,Åh though such donations may be valuable to local relief organizations in the area affected. Those wishing to donate would be advised to peruse the Red Cross "Guidelines for Effective Giving in Support of Disaster Relief" published on redcross.org.
Red Cross prepares for KatrinaÅfs aftermath
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, The MarthaÅfs Vineyard chapter of the American Red Cross will join other chapters in the Northeast to assist the disaster relief operations in the affected areas. Those preparations include making it possible for potential volunteers to assist in the emergency disaster response efforts that lie ahead, according to a press release.
ÅgWith an upsurge in calls from many Vineyarders who want to assist the Red Cross, we are offering training this weekend to anyone who can commit to a two-week deployment and who can meet the criteria of our volunteer recruitment system,Åh said Deborah Medders of the Martha's Vineyard Red Cross Chapter.
The all-day training is scheduled for Saturday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm at the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging. Spanish-speaking trained personnel are needed.
The Chapter has also initiated disaster relief fundraising activities. The best way to help, according to the Red Cross, is by making an online contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund at www.redcross.org. Donors can also help by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW [1-800- 435-7669] to donate or mail a donation to the MarthaÅfs Vineyard Chapter ARC, Post Office Box 1116, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. For more information or to sign up for Saturday training, call the MarthaÅfs Vineyard Chapter at 508-696-0092.
Three charged in heroin bust
Three Quincy men face several drug-related charges after police with the MarthaÅfs Vineyard drug taskforce executed a search warrant at their Vineyard Haven rental cottage last week and found heroin, ecstasy, and other drugs, police said.
Lt. Timothy Williamson of the Oak Bluffs police department, said that police had received credible information as part of an ongoing investigation that the three men were bringing drugs to the Island from the Boston area. At 6 pm on Thursday, August 25, officers from Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and the state police executed a search warrant at the cottage they were renting behind 317 State Road.
According to Lt. Williamson, inside the cottage, police found Eric Mannai, 23, from Quincy. Upon searching the property, police found four grams of heroin, 19 tablets of ecstasy, and 15 tablets of Suboxone, a prescription medication used to treatment opioid addiction. They also found a hypodermic needle, a small amount of marijuana, and a canister of pepper spray.
Mr. Mannai was arrested and charged with possession of a class A drug (heroin) with intent to distribute, possession of a class B drug (ecstasy), and illegal possession of a class E drug (Suboxone).
Lt. Williamson said that two other residents of the cottage, Patrick Delaney and Chris Wilson, both from Quincy, were not present during the search. On Friday, state police issued a summons to Mr. Delaney on charges including illegal possession of a hypodermic needle, and illegal possession of pepper spray. Lt. Williamson said Mr. Delaney did not have a firearms identification (FID) card for the pepper spray.
Mr. Wilson was summoned to court on charges including possession of a class D drug (marijuana), and illegal possession of ammunition. Lt. Williamson said that police found a 40-caliber round of ammunition in Mr. WilsonÅfs dresser. Mr. Wilson does not have an FID card, he said.
Photo by Ezra Blair |
Rolling car injures woman
A woman was taken to MarthaÅfs Vineyard Hospital yesterday afternoon at about 3:45 pm, after she was injured while chasing a minivan that had begun to roll down the parking lot adjacent to Crane Appliance on State Road in Vineyard Haven.
According to eyewitnesses, the woman had chased the minivan down the parking lot as it rolled away. They said that she had tried to get inside the van to stop it, but was knocked down just as the out-of-control vehicle became hung up on a guardrail at the top of a steep embankment.
Police, fire and emergency personnel responded to the scene. The womanÅfs name and other details surrounding the incident were not available as of press time yesterday.
Norton Point Beach reopens to vehicle traffic
Norton Point Beach, the county-owned, three-mile sand link between Chappaquiddick and Katama, reopened to off-road vehicle traffic Saturday. Yesterday, the Dukes County manager announced a reduction in beach permit costs.
Winn Davis, Dukes County manager, said he had reduced the cost of an oversand vehicle permit to $30 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, a fifty percent reduction, as a way to allow more people to enjoy the beach at less cost for the remainder of the season.
Earlier last week Sheriff Michael McCormack said he expected the beach might have to remain closed until after Labor Day weekend to protect a late-nesting colony of least terns and two pairs of piping plovers. It turned out not to be necessary.
But because the late nesting season deprived beach-goers of use of the beach for most of the summer Mr. McCormack said he planned to ask the county commissioners to drastically reduce the cost of a county beach permit for the remainder of the 2005 season, which would include the upcoming bass and bluefish derby.
The sheriffÅfs department was given responsibility for managing Norton Point following the departure of the county beach manager. As a result, sheriffÅfs department employees are now collecting sticker fees.
The 2005 fiscal year (FY) budget for the county recreation department, which is responsible for Norton Point Beach, State Beach, and Eastville Beach, was $120,252, reduced to $75,636 in the current 2006 fiscal year, which began on July 1.
The county collected $50,545 in sticker revenue in FY 2005. According to the FY 2006 budget, the county will earn $65,600 in revenue in FY 2006, an increase the county manager based on his belief that better marketing would result in a revenue increase.
State wildlife board to hold first-ever Island meeting
The IslandÅfs deer population will be the focus of discussion when the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife board meets for the first time formally on MarthaÅfs Vineyard, on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28, at the Katherine Cornell Theater in Vineyard Haven.
Wayne MacCallum, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) director, said that the boardÅfs regular business meeting would be followed by an informational session during which state officials would present information about the VineyardÅfs growing deer herd.
Mr. MacCallum said that DFW board meetings are formal affairs during which only agenda items are presented and there is no opportunity for dialog. He said the informational session provides an opportunity for dialog.
In recent years, an increase in the number of tick-borne illnesses has focused the attention of many non-hunters on the VineyardÅfs growing deer herd and its link in the tickÅfs life cycle. Recently an ad hoc citizens group called the tick task force has discussed ways to increase hunting opportunities.
Mr. MacCallum said the board would make no future regulatory changes without first receiving clear direction from the Island community.
The seven-member DFW board, all of whom are unpaid volunteers appointed by the governor, makes regulations, sets policy, and oversees personnel appointments.
George Darey of Lenox, board chairman for more than 25 years, is a retired teacher and respected conservationist. His achievements include the establishment of the Wildlands Conservation Stamp, a $5 assessment to the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, dedicated exclusively to the preservation of open space.
Health club owners raise YMCA leasing concerns with school committee
Owners of two fitness and health clubs met with the land-use subcommittee of the MarthaÅfs Vineyard Regional High School committee on Monday night to protest a leasing agreement with the YMCA to build its proposed community center and swimming pool on school-owned land.
Ken Martin, a co-owner of the Vineyard Tennis Center, Workout and Spa, argued that the non-profit YMCAÅfs proposed facility has ÅgmorphedÅh from what started out as an aquatic center to what he called a ÅgsupersizedÅh Y. He said although the YMCA does not promote itself as a health club, the new MarthaÅfs Vineyard facility will directly compete with existing for-profit businesses like his own. Mr. Martin provided the committee members with a handout comparing the services offered at a typical health club with those proposed for the MarthaÅfs Vineyard YMCA.
Also attending the meeting with Mr. Martin were his business partner, Connie McHugh, and Susan Goldstein, an owner of the Mansion House, Health Club and Spa. The three of them cited studies that showed health and fitness clubs sometimes suffer a 30 percent loss of business in competition with a YMCA. Not only would this result in a profit loss for their business, Mr. Martin said, but it also would affect their ability to pay benefits to their employees, such as health insurance.
ÅgSome call it unfair competition,Åh said Mr. Martin. ÅgI do. I pay taxes and I donÅft get my land for free.Åh
The land-use subcommittee agreed to lease the land to the Y in exchange for 356 hours of pool time guaranteed to the school at $150/hour. This equates to $53,400 in rent annually. Under the terms of the lease with the school district, groundbreaking on the new building must begin by 2006, with completion two years later.
Ms. Goldstein told the committee, ÅgYou have the opportunity to review this lease,Åh and urged them to examine exactly what services the Y would offer. ÅgI have always been in favor of a community pool and would love to see a youth center, along with all the other kidsÅf programs,Åh Ms. Goldstein said.
Pointing to declining kindergarten enrollment figures this fall, Mr. Martin questioned whether a drop in the number of families with children would negate the need for such a large YMCA facility in the future.
Roxanne Ackerman, a committee member, asked whether the business owners would be satisfied if the YMCA sought land elsewhere. Mr. Martin told her, ÅgThat would level the playing field.Åh
He recommended that the committee request the YMCA to release its complete feasibility study instead of the abbreviated version he has seen. He also asked the committee to consider conducting an independent feasibility study.
Last month, the YMCAÅfs leaders met informally with the MarthaÅfs Vineyard Commission (MVC) to begin preliminary discussions of their new facility as a development of regional impact. The MVC will schedule public hearings once architectural designs are available.
After listening to the health club ownersÅf arguments, Diane Wall, a school committee member, commented, ÅgAn Island-wide health community can only be positive.Åh
While David Rossi, another school committee member, told the business owners he could appreciate their efforts to protect their businesses, he added, ÅgIt is not your right to control the publicÅfs interests.Åh Mr. Rossi said he believed the YMCA project is needed and offers programs that are not already available on the Island.
The YMCA was not represented at the meeting because John Clese, executive director of the MarthaÅfs Vineyard YMCA, was out of town and unable to attend. However, Mr. Clese and some members of the press did show up last week on the date and time the meeting was originally scheduled, to find the doors locked and no cancellation notice posted.
League of Women Voters hosts noted journalist
Journalist and author Charlayne Hunter-Gault will speak on the subject, ÅgFrom the Jim Crow South to Apartheid South Africa to the African Renaissance,Åh at a fundraiser for the MarthaÅfs Vineyard League of Women Voters next Thursday, Sept. 8.
Ms. Hunter-Gault was one of two African Americans who broke the color barrier at the University of Georgia in 1961; the first black intern with the Louisville Times; and the first African-American on the staff at the New Yorker. She went on to work for the New York Times and also directed the minority journalism program at Columbia University before joining CNN. She now works independently with a focus on Africa.
The evening begins with a short reception at 7 pm in the Baylies Room of the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. Tickets are $15. For more information, call 508-696-9259.
Matt Mincone promoted to West Tisbury sergeant
At their regular meeting last week, the West Tisbury selectmen promoted 10-year veteran of the West Tisbury police force Matthew Mincone from corporal to sergeant.
Police chief Beth Toomey, who made the request to the selectmen, told The Times that Mr. Mincone Ågworks hard, finishes what he starts, has taken advantage of training opportunities, and has grown as a result of his training.Åh She went on to say, ÅgMatt is one of those officers who is right there next to me when I call - and sometimes even when I donÅft call.Åh She was referring to a time when she had just had surgery on her hand and there was a plane crash in town. Mr. Mincone, though off-duty, called in to help out, knowing that the chief was supposed to be resting at home.
Chief Toomey also praised her new sergeant as always motivated to produce for the public, and said that as a corporal, he has already been doing some of the kinds of work she asks her sergeants to do.
When she also described Mr. Mincone as Åggoal-oriented,Åh The Times asked if his goals might include her job. ÅgOf course,Åh she replied. ÅgMy chief did that for me, and IÅfm always preparing my people to grow and become chief, whether itÅfs here or somewhere else.Åh
The selectmenÅfs vote was 2 to 0, with enthusiastic praise for Mr. Mincone. Chairman of selectmen Jeffrey ÅgSkipperÅh Manter abstained from the vote. Mr. Manter, a sergeant on the police force, has to abstain from votes on police matters.
Coast Guard solicits public opinion on Lagoon Pond drawbridge
Vineyard residents discussed the function and design of the permanent replacement drawbridge for Lagoon Pond at a public planning session held August 25 at the Tisbury Senior Center.
A key issue is a pending decision from the Coast Guard on whether the current bridge must be left in the raised or lowered position in the event of failure, said the forumÅfs planners. Islanders who want to weigh in on the issue must submit letters stating their opinions to the Coast Guard by September 6.
The channel under the bridge is federally controlled, by the Army Corps of Engineers, according to Melinda Loberg, chair of the Lagoon Pond Drawbridge Committee (LPDC). ÅgAlthough Lagoon Pond is not a federally designated harbor of refuge, it is a local and well understood harbor of refuge,Åh she explained.
As such, should the bridge mechanism fail, Coast Guard regulations require that the lift remain in the raised position so that boaters can seek shelter during storms. The Coast Guard can override this regulation through the public process now being undertaken.
Public comment is encouraged regarding all aspects of the Coast GuardÅfs management of the bridge, including the number of daily openings, channel location, and whether it should be left in the raised or lowered position. Letters should be addressed to Gary Kassof, Bridge Program Manager, First Coast Guard District, 1 South St., Battery Park Bldg., NY, NY 10004-5073. The public also is invited to comment at the MarthaÅfs Vineyard CommissionÅfs web site under ÅgLagoon Pond Bridge.Åh
Last weekÅfs forum focused on the bridgeÅfs usage and design issues. The drawbridge committeeÅfs preliminary recommendations call for a permanent bridge to be 52 feet wide, including a road with two 12-foot lanes and 4-foot shoulders for mopeds, 6-foot sidewalks on both sides, and an 8-foot bike path on the Lagoon side.
The committee also recommended raising the height of the bridge, now 13 to 15 feet, by 4 feet to allow clearance for larger motorboats.
Several audience members, including Linda Sibley, chair of the MVC, and Kerry Scott, an Oak Bluffs selectman, expressed concerns about the appearance of the new permanent bridge.
ÅgI want the bridge to look good,Åh said Mrs. Sibley. ÅgThis is the entrance to the Island.Åh
Before a bridge design is chosen, Ms. Loberg said a consultant will conduct a height study sometime in the next several months. After choosing a concept, both a bridge designer and architect will draw up the plans, which then will undergo a complex permitting process.
ÅgThere is still plenty of time to weigh in on this,Åh said Tristan Israel, a Tisbury selectman and drawbridge committee member.
Last weekÅfs public planning session was co-hosted by The MVC and Tisbury Waterways, Inc. (TWI), a non-profit group advocating for clean marine waters.
Tree-cutting settlement has hefty charges
Under the terms of a recent settlement with the town of Aquinnah, a homeowner must pay the town $20,000 and a landscaping company will pay $15,000 more for pruning and topping trees without permission from the town.
According to the agreement, in July 2004, Mark Friedman hired Vineyard Gardens to prune and top approximately 125 trees on land abutting his property.
Neither the Friedmans nor Vineyard Gardens obtained permits for the work from the tree warden or the town planning board, as the townÅfs Ågpruning and toppingÅh bylaw requires. On August 18, 2004, the town filed applications for complaints in Edgartown District Court, seeking fines for the illegal cutting.
According to the agreement, ÅgIn order to avoid the expense of litigation, and other good and valuable consideration, the parties have mutually and voluntarily agreed to resolve any disputes that have arisen in connection with the cutting.Åh
Under the terms of the agreement, the Friedmans must pay a $15,000 fine and give the town an additional $5,000 to help restore the abutting parcels of land. The Friedmans must also execute a covenant in favor of the town, limiting their right to seek any special permit on their property for the next 18 months.
Vineyard Gardens was also slapped with a hefty fine. Under the terms of the settlement, Chuck Wiley, owner of Vineyard Gardens, agreed to pay $15,000 to the town. Vineyard Gardens must also conduct remedial work to help restore the land where the cutting took place.
In addition to the fine and the work, Vineyard Gardens agreed to send a letter to all landscaping companies within Dukes County notifying them of the pruning and topping bylaw.
Mr. Wiley could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Bunch of Grapes changes managers
The Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Main Street in Vineyard Haven announced several management changes this week.
Manager Robby Bick will depart on Sept. 3 for other business opportunities. At the same time, Ann Nelson, owner, will step down as bookseller although she will continue to be involved in the accounts payable department.
Jon Nelson Jr., Ms. NelsonÅfs son, will become chief executive officer, leading a team that includes Jack Wilson, manager and childrenÅfs book buyer, and Dialis Merrill, front and back list buyer.
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