Updated with link to broadcast
Local officials met at 5:30 pm Thursday on Martha’s Vineyard Community Television (MVTV) to provide updates on the current state of affairs on-Island, and efforts that are currently underway.
The broadcast was not live, but is now available on the MVTV website.
According to Jim Malkin, Chilmark selectman and Vineyard representative for the Steamship Authority, the broadcast is intended to inform the public on any new information that is available from each town, the medical community, the SSA, and other organizations.
Currently, the only officials who are confirmed to be a part of the broadcast are Malkin, Tisbury selectman Melinda Loberg, and Edgartown town administrator James Hagerty.
“We are trying to provide our Island residents and citizens with facts, and dispel any conjecture and misinformation that is available,” Malkin said.
Malkin also said he hopes to clarify for the public what is legally doable by the towns and Island organizations.
Although no other local entities have confirmed whether they would participate, Malkin said those entities have been notified of the broadcast and were invited to send information for a bullet point discussion.
“I would like to have this broadcast at least every other day, but the schedule is still being worked out one day at a time,” Malkin said.
Malkin said he hopes the Islandwide broadcast gives folks peace of mind, and at the same time informs them on the urgent situation at hand.
“There is a real sense of urgency and recognition of this serious emergency on the Island,” Malkin said. “This is the best example of all-Island cooperation and coordination I have ever seen.”
Hagerty said he hopes to update the Island on Edgartown’s continuity of operation plans, and clarify information about town meetings, elections, free and reduced lunch programs, and other important developments.
Although Hagerty is the point person for Edgartown, he said that if any new developments occur that relate to various departments, he might seek to include other officials in the broadcast.
“If something happens on the board of health side, we would want Matt Poole to be involved in that discussion, and likewise for other departments,” Hagerty said.
