Routine reappointments in West Tisbury

By Dan Cabot - June 1, 2006

At their meeting last week, the West Tisbury selectmen made routine appointments and reappointments, as is customary at this time of year. They also abolished a committee because no one could remember what it was supposed to do.

Major one-year reappointments included: Joan Jenkinson, animal control officer, and Allen Healy, assistant; Joyce Bowker as director of the council on aging, and Kathleen Brady as her assistant; Manuel Estrella III, fire chief and forest warden; Ernest Mendenhall as inspector of buildings and signs, and Jerry Weiner as his assistant; Richard T. Olsen, superintendent of streets, and Keith Olsen as his assistant; and Ronald Rappaport as town counsel.

Other one-year reappointments included Patricia Durfee as associate member of the conservation commission; selectman John Early to the Dukes County advisory board; Michael W. Young, caretaker of the town clock; Beth Toomey, truant officer; and Brian Athearn, veterans' graves officer.

One of tree warden Jeremiah Brown's titles is listed in the town report as "Dutch elm disease," which chairman Early commented is "pretty unflattering." Selectman Glenn Hearn moved instead that he be appointed as Dutch elm warden. Mr. Brown was also reappointed as insect control officer.

James Powell and Dan Prowten were reappointed as fence viewers for one year, but the third viewer, Mary Jo Joiner, has moved to Alaska. The selectmen will advertise for a third viewer, an important role but infrequently called upon.

In another defection, emergency management director Judith Sibert will be leaving the Island soon, and the selectmen will ask that she continue in the position in the meantime. She will be difficult to replace. Mr. Early asked that all the emergency management appointments be held for another meeting.

Three-year appointments included John Scanlon as West Tisbury's representative to the cable-TV advisory board; Marcia Cimi and Mark Mazer to the historic district commission; Jill Bouck and Ellen Weiss to the local historical commission; Nancy Cabot to the council on aging; and Bernice Kirby to the board of registrars.

The selectmen in West Tisbury have consistently appointed themselves cemetery commissioners in rotating three-year terms, and accordingly recently re-elected selectman Jeffrey "Skipper" Manter was named to a second term.

Tucker Hubbell was reappointed to a five-year term on the zoning board of appeals.

Not-so-routine business

Selectman Glenn Hearn moved that former selectman John Alley be reappointed cemetery superintendent, a post he has held for many years. Mr. Manter asked that the board first speak with Mr. Alley before making the appointment. "We've given him a couple of letters with stuff to do over the last nearly two years, and we need to talk about some of those tasks," he said. Mr. Hearn's motion was not seconded, and Mr. Alley was to be invited to meet with the selectmen last night. It is expected that the reappointment will be made then.

Reappointments to the Island-wide cultural council were not made, because that group's rules include term limits, and none of the West Tisbury councilors are again eligible. The selectmen will confer with council member Dan Waters about possible successors.

In more entertaining discussion, executive secretary Jennifer Rand asked that two listings be dropped from the town report.

The first was the school building committee. The report lists six members without any expiration date for their service. However, Ms. Rand asked that the selectmen abolish the committee because it is, as far as she could determine, no longer functioning. None of the selectmen could remember what that committee is now supposed to be doing. Mr. Manter wryly suggested that a letter be written to each member in appreciation for "whatever it is that you've done."

In a similar vein, the skate board park committee has completed its work and is no longer needed. Mr. Early, the representative to the committee, agreed with Ms. Rand that it be dropped from the annual report. Mr. Hearn and Mr. Manter suggested that Mr. Early write himself a letter of appreciation.