Blue Heron LLC, a real estate holding company connected to British architect Sir Norman Foster, has an open jobsite at 99 Pond View Lane in West Tisbury. No active construction work is going on there, according to West Tisbury building inspector Joe Tierney, so there is no violation of the ongoing moratorium. However, the building department did allow a delivery. That delivery came Thursday in the form of giant coniferous trees shaped like shaggy versions of Foster’s London skyscraper, The Gherkin. Flatbed trucks carrying the huge trees were offloaded at the site midday, a job run by Teles Landscaping, Tierney said. The trees came from Michigan, he said. “They called ahead,” Tierney said, “and asked for guidance.”
West Tisbury health agent Omar Johnson said he visited the delivery operation, which he said was prescheduled. Three people were working there, he said. Johnson said he told them that “they need to make that delivery and go home — that’s it,” he said.
A story about a delivery?
Slow news day?
Obviously not, if you’re paying attention. We’ve posted six new stories today. But the construction ban is such a contentious story on the Island that this delivery prompted calls to us and the town. We thought writing a short brief to let people know this delivery was allowed would be informative. Thanks for reading.
The privilege of being rich and famous… and getting to work for them.
Good job, George. Locals need to know who gets special dispensation. And you, Fangs – mind your place.
You getting some pickle shaped shrubbery’s delivered HC?
Naw, my customers just want their brush whacked.
So, the delivery of these trees has obviously been in the works for a while. Would the board of health think that such living organisms should just sit on a truck somewhere and die ? Why ?
Is there really any question that they should be delivered ?
In reality, there is no reason whatsoever that these trees should not be planted as soon as possible.
Is it more dangerous for a guy sitting in a backhoe digging a hole , and 2 guys 20 ft apart working the ropes, or going into a hardware store or a liquor store?
I advise the authorities who have imposed these restrictions to take a good ,hard and realistic look at the rationale behind them. I ask that they be careful to not get so caught up in their own ego’s as to not be able to assess the risk vs benefit equations.
And I ask, if it’s so freaking risky to have 3 people on a farm that arrived together to drop off some trees, why did Mr. Johnson feel the need to add a 4th person to the site? I see no need for him to be there except perhaps to justify his good fortune that he can continue to draw a pay check.
These 3 guys after all, came to the island ,did their job and left the island. Mr Johnson is staying here..
If it’s so awful that we can’t have 1 person on a job site, why did the head of the board of health choose to put himself , and by his logic, the rest of us at risk by showing up at a job site where there were not one, not two, but three of the dreaded “off island workers” ?
Think about that, Mr Johnson, as you contemplate a single worker going to a job site to earn money for their family and maintain their dignity.
You make the case well, Don.
I don’t really have a problem with the scenario you outline once they got here, but I do take issue with them driving here from Michigan in the first place. This was not an essential activity and it was not related to Covid-19. Those trees would have been just fine in Michigan for several more months. They were not supposed to leave Michigan or travel through all the other states with stay-at-home orders since their load had nothing to do with food or medical supplies. This was absolutely an illegal activity and should have been treated as such. When seasonal residents wonder why they might ignite some resentment, just look to Sir Norman Foster who clearly thinks he has the right to disregard protocol.
But… OhDeer can’t spray for ticks… Hmmmm.
I’d say the ole’ double standard applies pretty well here!