To the Editor:
The fishing community on the Vineyard needs to be aware that they are losing an outstanding fishing friend and supporter. Last Friday, August 6, The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) announced that Dave Babson, the young, able, and friendly superintendent of the Trustees of Reservations Chappaquiddick property had “resigned” effective immediately. We folks on the little island found this out Saturday at the scheduled Chappy Island Association meeting when neither Dave nor anyone else from TTOR showed to deliver the scheduled TTOR report.
In the absence of hard information, the rumor mill attributed a perceived premature road opening for fisherman access — which had the potential to cause harm to a protected shore bird but, in fact, caused no such harm — as justifiable cause for this presumably forced resignation.
Now, we love and need to protect our shore birds, however, this matter which should have been a teaching moment was deemed good enough reason to toss Dave under the bus. This resignation is bad news, as bad as it gets for Martha’s Vineyard fishermen.
There is good news however. It’s not too late to turn this around, but it requires speedy action on our part. This island community needs to circle the wagons around Dave Babson.
Accordingly, please email the Trustees at www.thetrustees.org and ask that they refuse to accept Dave Babson’s resignation. Please, please do it today. We need to keep this great guy on board for the mutual benefit of TTOR and the Vineyard.
Ed Trider
Chappy
