The Tisbury selectmen’s meeting began with a swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed Tisbury police officers Ryan Natichioni and Jeremie Rogers Tuesday night. Town clerk Marion Mudge read the oath, and the two officers’ proud mothers, Kathy Rogers and Elisa Natichioni, pinned new badges on their sons.
Officer Rogers’s dad, Tisbury assistant fire chief James J. Rogers, and his grandmother Patricia Rogers also attended the ceremony.
The selectmen approved the appointment of the new permanent police officers on May 29, to take effect on July 1. Police Chief Dan Hanavan requested the appointments to fill vacancies in his department. He said the two special officers, who both grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, emerged as the top candidates during the department’s application and hiring process for the full-time positions.
Chief Hanavan said Mr. Natichioni has worked as a special police officer for two and a half years, and Mr. Rogers for two years, and both have proven themselves valuable to the department. Mr. Rogers holds a college degree in criminal justice and Mr. Natichioni a degree in criminology.
Outside town hall after the ceremony, Officer Natichioni asked Chief Hanavan if he could now sign off on radio calls with his new officer number instead of his special officer number.
“Not until July 1,” Chief Hanavan replied with a grin.
The selectmen’s meeting resumed with business that included the lengthy annual process of appointments to various town committees and departments.
They also heard various reports. Emergency services facility building committee chairman Joe Tierney said the project manager of Seaver Construction, the general contractor, and the town’s architect from HKT Architects would meet June 28 to review the punch list.
In an update on the town hall renovation project, town administrator John Bugbee said that paint stripping is done for now, and the good news is that most of the wooden planks in the sections completed did not require repair or replacement. Work on the project resumes in September.
In other business the selectmen approved an $8,000 reserve fund transfer request to cover a shortfall in the ambulance department’s part-time and seasonal payroll budget line item. They also accepted with gratitude a $350 donation for the Animal Control facility from Madi Adamov, in appreciation of her dog, Lucy.
