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Letters to the Editor
Care for us customers
To the Editor:
I feel that the standard of help in many Island businesses has dropped to an inexcusable level. While the smaller, family businesses maintain their charm and quality service, some of the larger chains have overlooked the basic qualities that make a business appealing to customers.
My greatest disappointment regards customer service. It doesn't bother me that it can be difficult to find a clerk; after all, it is the off-season, and so help can be scarce. What bothers me is that upon finding a clerk, I also find rolling eyes and an attitude that makes me feel like a burden to help.
Businesses should take more care in the training of their employees to ensure that customers are at least decently cared for. Many people may not be used to good manners at home, but lacking them in a business setting takes away from the professionalism of the employees and reflects the quality of the business.
As we head into the holiday season with gifts in mind, banquets to prepare, checks to cash, and Nyquil in need, I think this is a perfect time for businesses to refresh their customer service. It is equally important for customers to mind their own manners and be patient and gracious with the help. It is a busy time of year, but things will run more smoothly for everyone if we remember to treat each other with courtesy and respect.
To all Island businesses, I wish you good luck and success this holiday season. Thank you for staying open for us.
Katie Feeks
Edgartown
Come on up
To the Editor:
As winter begins on the Vineyard, it seems that the Island life is not as easy as it can be, because of the high prices of gas and food and heating your house. That's why I moved to New Hampshire, because New Hampshire is surviving on the people that live there, like the people that live on the Vineyard during the winter. You can survive by helping each other on the Vineyard. Maybe take a break and visit the Mt. Washington valley. Much fun up here with so many happenings. Time to put another log on the fire. Thank you, MV Times.
Michael J. Flynn
Bartlett, N.H.
Nancy Whiting inspired readers
To the Editor:
I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Nancy Whiting, former librarian of the West Tisbury Library. She made it classy to love books, and generations of up-Islanders benefited from it.
She was already a senior citizen 35 years ago, when she was introducing us (the 25 or so students of West Tisbury Elementary School) to the wonders of reading. That was the library on Music Street (one room per floor), next door to the old West Tisbury School (which was all of three rooms). Nancy was the grown-ups' librarian downstairs; the children's section was upstairs, and countless kids passed countless hours in its sunny window seats, devouring books. Nancy presided over a world that made young people want to spend time around books.
I remember the pride of checking out a grown-up book downstairs with Nancy the first time. I don't remember the book itself, but I do remember being pleased that Nancy would see I was graduating to a wider world of reading.
My work requires me to spend a lot of time in libraries, especially big research ones, and they are wonderful places, but there is nothing like a hometown librarian to foster the love of reading and learning. Thank you, Nancy.
Nicole Galland
Tisbury
In Peter Luce's memory
To the Editor:
We wish publicly to thank those who in the memory of Peter Luce have sent generous contributions to the Martha's Vineyard Peace Council, earmarked for the peace scholarship fund.
The Peace Council is devoted to fostering nonviolence, justice, and peace in our hearts, within the Peace Council, in our Island community, in our nation, and throughout the world. It encourages people to pool their diverse experiences and ideas for the development and delivery of initiatives that put our shared commitment to peace into effective action.
The Peace Council was very important to our friend Peter, and especially the scholarships for graduating seniors, which he initiated and nurtured. He, with other members of the scholarship committee, devoted many hours each year to evaluating the creative and moving essays on peacemaking written by applicants, and to the difficult task of selecting the few recipients that our meager budget affords.
Our scholarships have hitherto been more symbolic than munificent, but we have good hopes for improvement. A modest bequest and a relatively substantial donation will be seed money for a small endowment, which we hope will grow over time. We would like to prepare a booklet of writings on peacemaking by Martha's Vineyard Regional High School seniors applying for the scholarships in the hope that donations for these at events sponsored by the Peace Council will help enhance that fund.
Your contributions, in loving memory of Peter Luce, are an important gesture to that end, and we greatly appreciate them.
Bruce Nevin
Treasurer
Martha's Vineyard Peace Council
Eastville beach needs your attention
To the Editor:
A group of concerned citizens, representing various organizations, have been meeting sporadically over the past few months to begin an effort to look at options for improving conditions at Eastville Point beach. This beach, neglected and underappreciated over the years, is a potential jewel for those of us who enjoy beaches, birds and wildlife, fishing and just plain walking; it is an unbelievably unique piece of land with views of Vineyard Haven Harbor and East Chop. From its beginning as a very natural and unassuming shoreline environment, this beach was established as a public place through the gift of a generous landowner as well as through some creative funding and efforts by conservation groups. The beach has unfortunately fallen into a state of nearly complete neglect and we are hopeful that the time is right to look at possible solutions to this situation.
We understand that the ultimate responsibility lies with the three current landowners - Dukes County and the towns of Oak Bluffs and Tisbury - but that does not mean they alone have to take on this effort. Our small group needs more volunteers so that we can form and develop a working committee. We have identified some funding options but need to make more progress on securing grants and other forms of funding to make site improvements. We need volunteers to help develop a management plan and bring ideas and energy to the group.
Our first priority is an information kiosk, and for that we are looking for donations of building materials and possibly labor. This effort could also benefit from donations to help us gain some momentum and make some progress on cleaning up this beach and completing some much-needed landscaping so that people can begin to appreciate what we are trying to preserve. If you are interested in participating, either with your time or your donations, contact the Eastville Point Beach Committee c/o Tristan Israel at 508-693-0196. Our next meeting is on Dec. 5, at noon, in the county offices at the Martha's Vineyard Airport. Please consider joining us in this worthwhile effort.
Melinda Loberg
Tristan Israel
David Nash
Tisbury
Cutting edge
To the Editor:
As usual, I am absolutely grateful for the Martha's Vineyard Times online. I just discovered the "As You See It" portion of the Newspaper, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I miss the Island terribly, and the photos and video snippets really made my day. I truly appreciate the professionalism of your entire staff and always like viewing Ralph Stewart's timely and talented photo arrays. Give my regards to everyone on the staff and again, thank you for being on the "cutting edge" with your internet technology.
Mike McLaughlin
Naples, Florida
Mystery solved
To the Editor:
Thank you mystery orange tape person for taking the time to track me down and return my lost Social Security card.
Joanne Scott
West Tisbury
Holiday cheer
To the Editor:
Holiday cheer visited Martha's Vineyard Community Services on Tuesday when students from the West Tisbury School arrived with teacher Marsha Curtis and parent Candy Webster to deliver 40 Thanksgiving baskets to be distributed to families in need.
Students Alyssa Adler, Sarah Alexander, Cooper Chapman, Samantha Chaves, Sam Entner, Emma Hallbilsback, Mary Ollen, Caitlyn Serpa, Chris Serpa, Justin Smith, Amalie Tinus, and Hannah Webster arrived bright and early to deliver baskets brimming with all of the traditional holiday favorites. It is always moving to see the students proudly stewarding the baskets to the different agency programs where they are distributed to Island families.
We share heartfelt appreciation with Marsha, Candy, organizer Robyn Maciel-Wingate and the students they inspired. We hope that they all take great pride in the fact that they made a big difference in the way 40 Island families will be enjoying Thanksgiving this year. Beyond the lovely meals provided, the knowledge that they care is sure to bring great warmth to the holiday for those they helped.
We also express our gratitude to our "mystery" donor - a kind gentleman who slipped in quietly again this year with a number of Reliable Market gift cards for distribution to families in need. We are very grateful to all who have reached out to help our neighbors as the holiday season begins.
Thank you.
Julia Burgess
Executive Director
Martha's Vineyard Community Services
Chappy ferry's future
To the Editor:
This is a copy of a letter to the Edgartown selectmen.
As a seasonal resident of 27 years contemplating the possible sale of the Chappy ferry, I would like to offer some thoughts on business and public policy aspects of such a transaction.
First, the primary assets of value would appear to be the ferry license and land lease from the town of Edgartown, five-year renewable I believe. Without either, there is no business to sell. It could be problematic for the town to effectively sanction private sale of the use of both, particularly where it involves exclusive transport over a public way. It would set a precedent and allow future sales of that licensed use for presumably greater and greater value. The burden of such future private purchase and sales would necessarily fall on the public users through ever-increasing fares to cover debt service and profitable returns on each escalated purchase price. Potential adverse impact on the town as a whole is discussed below.
If the town did agree to private sales, it would seem that the net proceeds of those transactions should accrue to the town as licensor, after reimbursement to the licensee for his tangible assets and equipment, in line with provisions of the current agreements. Over the years the town has sought to consolidate and capitalize on its harbor resources through mooring rentals and commercial license fees, for example, and has not promoted the "re-sale" of resources such as moorings to private parties. If it did, the proceeds would go to the town, of course, and not to a previous user (licensee) of the moorings.
On the issue of value, a $3 million asking price in a business sale implies an after-tax annual profit of as much as $300,000. Typically that includes an expectation for that same level of profits to continue long term, not merely five years. Indeed, limitation of a stream of $300,000 annual profits to just five years would reduce the capitalized value, and therefore the asking price, to a fraction of the $3 million. As it stands, the town has the right to reassign the license and reimburse the present licensee for a similar fraction of the $3 million now. Only if the license were extended to a far longer term is the higher seven-figure price supported. However, if the town ever had to take back "ownership" subsequent to such a multimillion-dollar sale, it could be forced to raise that substantially higher amount itself to do so. The financial consequence would be town-wide.
An option available to avoid these risks while ensuring community control of licensed ferry operations would be formation of a transportation authority, governed by a joint board of Edgartown and Chappaquiddick representatives. Financing could be achieved through municipal or transportation bonds with actual ferry operations managed by a subcontract operator, similar to the harbor transport services now. The VTA might also be a subcontract operations candidate as some have proposed. For good measure, the subcontract term could remain renewable at three to five years.
Finally, there is the question whether future ferry operations should be non-profit. Certainly no other town services are budgeted for profit, including fire, police, schools or most relevant here, the public ways. If ferry "profits" were permitted, at least they might return in some part to the town and Chappaquiddick. Those surplus funds could then be employed in infrastructure repairs or improvements to related local needs. The books and records of future ferry operations should clearly be open to the public in any event.
At a minimum now, any proposed sale of the ferry should include prior town review and public disclosure of projected fare increases necessary to support the purchase. Ultimately the townspeople of Edgartown deserve a thorough understanding, and perhaps a formal voice, given the implications on so many from both sides of the harbor.
Thank you for your consideration of these issues.
Stephen Wardwell
Chappaquiddick and Dover
Sandy, remember me?
To the Editor:
I love you, Sandy Grant, more than all the others. All is forgiven, I have changed my ways, I was only kidding, and, of course, I am wrong and you are right. Always.
When may I come home?
John O'Toole
Oak Bluffs
No one nicer
To the Editor:
What a delight to read about Sandy Grant's amazing stroke of luck with the $10 million lottery prize. I've worked alongside Sandy as a tour bus driver at Island Transport for the last decade and, day in and day out, she's always been a warm-hearted, optimistic person with a kind smile for everyone. I remember several years ago watching her run from a full day of bus driving to a night shift as a waitress and thinking how exhausting that must be. Despite the schedule, I never heard her utter a single word of complaint. The expression "couldn't happen to a nicer person" is tailor made for this story.
Julian Wise
Chilmark
