Editorial
Decision time in West Tisbury
Posted March 29, 2007
The work of West Tisbury's space needs study committee demonstrates precisely why, to be done well, municipal decision making must embrace the manifold experience and skills available in great measure among voters. Each Island town has great reservoirs of talented voters, most of whom don't want elected or appointed jobs. But, they will answer the call, when asked to study a question and help voters make the right choice, especially the right choice among expensive alternatives.
We're reminded, in the good sense, of the committee the Tisbury selectmen established to study the question of allowing beer and wine sales in inns and restaurants in town. Their product was comprehensive, intelligent, cautiously framed and helpful to any voter who wants some good information on which to base a decision. Despairingly, we're also reminded, in the bad sense, of the way that same Tisbury board ignored the possible, sensible candidates for the Steamship Authority port council member in Tisbury and reappointed selectman Tom Pachico to the post. Ditto, the Dukes County commissioners who have, over decades, preferred to hobble the Martha's Vineyard Airport by insisting on appointing themselves to seats on the airport commission.
But, we digress. The point here is to applaud the work of the West Tisbury space needs committee and urge West Tisbury voters to act favorably on the committee's carefully considered recommendation to overhaul the existing town hall, rather than build a new town hall elsewhere in town. The committee proposes that the current town hall be renovated at an estimated cost of $4.9 million to $5.2 million, about $1 million more than building a new town hall would cost, by the committee's calculations. The committee recommends renovating all three floors and building an addition to house an elevator, second stairway and possible new entrance.
The committee will receive comment at a public forum next week. Then on April 10, at the annual town meeting, voters will be asked to put $150,000 into the project for planning and construction drawings for bidding. If everything goes smoothly, two years will be needed to make the plans and another two years for construction. It will be 2012 or thereabouts before the made over building can be occupied.
The lovely, though decrepit, former Dukes County Academy building must be rehabilitated. This is not a teardown. Indeed, it is central to the West Tisbury community, central to the town's sense of itself. It is absolutely where town government ought to continue to manage the town's affairs and welcome voters and taxpayers.
Without question, some voters may argue that more can be had for less elsewhere in town. Perhaps, but the architectural and social arrangement, including the current town hall, serves as the beating heart of West Tisbury. It is an asset whose value, while difficult to quantify, is inescapably central to the town and its people. It ought to be preserved.
