MVFF nurtures and protects community

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To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the vocal opposition to plans by Thomas Bena of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival to develop a parcel in West Tisbury into a community gathering space, including food and films as well as educational programs and lectures. There are good reasons to have zoning restrictions in place, as Mr. Bena knows well. And there are good reasons to have some exceptions. In this case, both sets of reasons boil down to this: nurturing and protecting community.

I see this theme of nurturing and protecting community as the central and continuing theme of Mr. Bena’s service to the Island community through the film festival, with its Hay Café and children’s programs, through his efforts to put in place reasonable limits on house size in Chilmark, and through this new project of developing a community gathering place. One of the remarkable things about Mr. Bena’s efforts is that they have proved so successful in bringing both year-round and summer residents together to engage in dialogue about important issues, and to have fun together, as a community.

Though change is threatening, no one is picketing the roundabout these days. And community goods often require some level of individual sacrifice. Still, I think Mr. Bena would be very open to hearing the will of the citizens of West Tisbury through a vote at town meeting clarifying zoning restrictions and/or offering concrete town support for an alternate venue for a year-round community gathering space (other options have already been explored). One benefit of this method rather than trial by online jury is that the votes of those who tend to be quiet count as much as those whose voices are loudest. And a number of folks have commented to me quietly that they hope Mr. Bena isn’t getting discouraged by the recent negative comments regarding this project to create a community gathering space. It seems to me that those of us who don’t have the initiative ourselves to create a space to fulfill this important role for the island community, in a geographically central location, ought to support those who do.

Jake Davis
Chilmark