Housing policies are centerpiece in Chilmark selectmen's race

By Nelson Sigelman - April 20, 2006

Chilmark voters who go to the polls Wednesday will be asked to decide between two candidates in a race for one seat on the three-member Chilmark board of selectmen. Frank Fenner, incumbent and board chairman, faces a challenge by Steve Gallas, a member of the affordable housing committee and volunteer fire department.

This week, both candidates responded in writing to a series of questions E-mailed by The Times:

Please describe yourself and your involvement with the community.

Frank Fenner: In the past, I have been involved with a number of Chilmark and Island-wide groups. I have twice served on the town finance committee and once on the All Island finance committee. I have also sat on the Chilmark Community Center winter committee, the town affairs committee, the town association, the Martha's Vineyard Refuse District, the board of appeals, and served as selectman for one and one half terms.

As a selectmen, I also have served on various sub-committees. Island-wide, I have served on the MV Boys and Girls Club and the Dukes Conservation Committee. I am a trustee of the Dukes County Savings Bank and a member of the MV Agricultural Society.

Steve Gallas: I have been bouncing down Chilmark's dirt roads for over 16 years, lived at seven different Chilmark addresses; I've become adept at navigating the back roads and knowing the difference between a puddle and problem, when to give way and to always smile and wave a thank you. Chilmark has been good to me, supported my business, and provided me with a place to call home. It is a part of my character that no good deed should go unpunished, so I try to give back to the town. As a cemetery commissioner, I learned that people take comfort in knowing where they will spend their future; as a firefighter, I train to respond to emergencies calmly in an organized manner, to preserve life, property and environment; as a member of the housing committee, I studied the town's history, demographics, and worked on town by-laws, attended hundreds of meetings, spoke at town meeting, and in 2005, as part of the team that got Chilmark's first housing project passed at town meeting. And later that year at town meeting, I presented a state law to allow Chilmark firefighters to buy health insurance through the town, which was passed. I believe that with imagination, perseverance, and a good attitude, all things are possible.

Why are you running?

Mr. Fenner: I have a great love and respect for the town of Chilmark, and I look at this as an opportunity to give back to my community. I have a long heritage in Chilmark, and I respect the fact that some of my ancestors worked hard for this town and left me a wonderful place to live. I hope I can help to do the same for those who follow.

I have a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, the ability and desire to listen and make decisions that are in the majority's best interest, even though I realize they could be controversial, or not in my best interest. The overall community benefit must always come first.

I am financially conservative and realize the impact of financial decisions on the tax rate, and being a taxpayer I understand firsthand the effects of these decisions. I grew up on the Island, and I feel I have a good understanding of the schools and Island communities that comes through real life experiences.

My desire is to work as part of a team with the other selectmen to make real, positive progress on town issues and projects. I believe this should be apparent by all that has been accomplished over the last three years.

Being a selectman has been a real education. Prior to my first term, I thought that based of my success with four Island businesses, I would bring that same business sense to town projects and accomplish them quickly. I soon learned to my dismay that the political machine works more slowly. With time, you learn there is a positive side to the slower pace that helps prevent over-enthusiasm from disrupting town process. Change may be positive in most instances, but it needs to be a thought-out, structured process that benefits all. I believe this experience will help me to serve the town well in my next term as selectman.

Mr. Gallas: I believe that conviction without action is of no practical value. Also, frustration that after serving six years on the housing committee, and hundreds of meetings, zoning by-law changes, land use changes, ultimately concluding with the June 2005 special town meeting, which voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the Middle Line project, my opponent has only found obstacles and stalled the Middle Line project.

By contrast, my opponent saw only opportunities in recommending the Home Port purchase, even when presented with town property appraisals well below the asking price. As selectman, I would figure out how to keep the Middle Line project on track and on time, listen to and respect the town voters and tax money.

The town attorney recently gave advice regarding legal and procedural concerns in connection with the Middle Line Road affordable housing project, primarily the use of CPA funds. In your view, what are the next steps the town should take?

Mr. Fenner: First, I would like to say the headline in the April 13 issue of The Times, "Chilmark housing project falters," worried me, but after reading it, I thought the story did a good job of pointing out and explaining some of the issues and background.

In March, I was concerned that things were not moving along and called a joint meeting with the housing committee.

We need to get a written opinion regarding potential conflict of interest regarding John Abrams. He is a key person in the response to the request for proposals (RFP) and has the ability to really help build this project. We can not afford to get in the middle of a project and find out if it needs to be stopped just to clear up a legal matter that could have a detrimental effect on its cost.

I want to see this project proceed as much as anyone, but as a selectman I have a real responsibility to the taxpayers and potential future recipients of these units. These units must be built so they are affordable. We must know what effect CPA funds have on them and have a clear understanding of their restrictions.

This is not an easy issue, and one answer often brings up another question. As an example, the letter states that we should possibly use the funds for costs other than paying for the buildings. That, to me, leaves what I call infrastructure costs (roads, septic, wells, surveying, etc.), and I am concerned that use of the CPA funds in that manner may result in all of the buildings becoming subject to CPA requirements.

We should all be aware that we proposed using $982,000 of CPA funds, which equates to subsidizing each of the 12 units by over $81,000. We had hoped to have some units available to recipients above the 100 percent income level. This versatility could be beneficial in the long-term management of the units. I now believe that the fastest way to get this project moving is to evaluate all of our current information, get the housing committee and the selectmen to update any new concerns brought to light and get those questions and concerns answered, then proceed with a new RFP.

Mr. Gallas: The selectmen and the Middle Line subcommittee should accept the proposal from the Island Housing Trust for developing Middle Line road. The design is what the town passed overwhelmingly at the 2005 special town meeting in June. Towns all over the state have, and several towns on the Island including Edgartown, are using CPA funds. Like Chilmark's proposal, they use non-profit developers, CPA funding and often mix rentals and home ownership, for different income levels. Firefighters, EMTs, police, teachers and nurses need housing now. The longer we wait, the more expensive it will be.

Under the current Middle Line proposal, monthly rent for one person for a one-bedroom apartment ranges between $1,024 (income limit of $40,960) and $1,920 (income limit of $76,800). House sale prices range from $146,700 to $288,900, respectively. Are these really affordable? If not, would you describe a better way to provide affordable housing in Chilmark?

Mr. Fenner: No, I do not feel these are affordable rents. I have questioned many costs built into the construction of the project.

If this is really an affordable housing project, the rents need to be just that, and we need to build it properly so the costs allow that to occur. Many of these matters can hopefully be addressed in a new RFP. Affordable housing has no age requirements, and these units must be available for all age groups.

Mr. Gallas: Affordable, as defined as 30-percent of income, yes. Rental and home prices in Chilmark are determined by vacation home buyers and by vacationers who are able to spend several times more than a working family, making Martha's Vineyard's housing costs 80 percent higher than the state average.

Rental and mortgage assistance is also available to qualified applicants through the Dukes County Regional Housing office to families and individuals. Without projects like Middle Line, Chilmark may be forced to consider zoning areas of town for increased density or be faced with a Chapter 40B development.

Please respond to the charge that the selectmen are slowing efforts to develop affordable housing and the Middle Line Road project.

Mr. Fenner: The town voted this project, which charges the selectmen with the job of completing this project. We will do that, but we are also responsible to the town that it is done in the correct manner and is usable, in the end, for the purpose the town voted.

It needs to be done once and correctly. If it is not done properly, the town will probably suffer financially and may lose control of who may rent or own the completed units. This is no easy task, and we intend to do our best to understand and answer questions on issues as they appear. I am not about to go to a recipient that is living in one of these units and evict them, because I rushed the project by overlooking issues in the name of haste.

Please describe why you think that the selectmen are slowing efforts to develop affordable housing/Middle Line Road, and what you would do differently if elected.

Mr. Gallas: Let me qualify the question to read, "two of the selectmen." Perhaps they believe much like the present administration in Washington that it is not government's function to help working people; perhaps they see the CPA funds being used for other purposes in town.

I would make housing Chilmark's children a priority, work through the technical issues and say, Chilmark welcomes working families.

Please describe some other town issues you think are important and need to be addressed.

Mr. Fenner: Menemsha Harbor is a gem, and I want to do what we can to preserve its character and continue its fishing heritage. The fishing fleets have intense regulations, and there are less and less outlets where fishermen can sell their catch.

The pressure to profit from yachts has squeezed the fishing fleets out of many harbors. Menemsha is becoming a rarity in supporting the fishermen. We are working with businesses, state groups, etc. to help them continue their trade. We are also working hard to utilize and protect our harbor and ponds.

Capital planning needs to proceed so we can control major expenditures. Other issues include: A new or improved facility for our fire department and ambulance; a maintenance program for town properties; improving the town's infrastructure; youth and/or housing lots; and working with other towns.

Mr. Gallas: They include: coordinated long term planning between all town departments; housing for the elderly; increased public education in areas of health and safety; promoting town sponsored legislation that would provide property tax relief for town residents who wish their property to remain in their family forever; and making emergency medical service a priority to assure that anyone who needs to get to the hospital gets there in time.