The town of Tisbury is looking to celebrate its 350th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 19.
During a meeting Tuesday on Zoom, the board was updated on plans by the Vineyard Haven Cultural District and Vineyard Haven Business Association, which partnered with the town to organize Tisbury’s 350th birthday.
Sarah York and Nevette Previd, two of the organizers of the event, were present at the meeting.
Previd said a number of events are planned for the Tisbury 350th anniversary celebration. These include stories about Tisbury told in Owen Park, contradancing “under the stars” with the Flying Elbows, and music from local bands and dance at Owen Park. A free community barbeque is also planned, including hot dogs, hamburgers, and possibly a pig roast. Main Street will be closed down for the barbeque.
“It’ll be a big community celebration, and we’re really expecting 500-plus people,” said Previd. “It’s a full-on day of celebration, in conjunction with other events like First Fridays.”
Input from the public and public safety departments is still being gathered, according to Previd.
The organizers are trying to work with local businesses for the event, but the time frame is very limited. “Normally, we’d plan these things out a year out. Obviously, with COVID restrictions only lifting in the end of May, early June, we didn’t have a lot of time. So, we’re kind of, you know, really doing this on a short time crunch,” said York.
Memorabilia such as special coins and T shirts will also be sold during the event.
Town administrator Jay Grande said there is flexibility for Tisbury merchants who want to be a part of the event. He’d like permission to have a licensing agreement of some kind between merchants and the town in order to make these items more quickly. Select board chair Jeff Kristal said he would like to see the details on paper before making a decision.
York said the plan is to focus on a few businesses to produce these sales, rather than all merchants selling them, due to the time constraints. York said the memorabilia can also be used as a fundraiser for the Tisbury School with the licensing agreement.
Details are still being worked out.
In other business, Vineyard Power Cooperative representative Richard Andre gave a presentation about sustainable wind farms. Vineyard Power is a partner in the Vineyard Wind project that’s being built south of the Island. Vineyard Wind plans to have a facility located on Beach Road.
Andre said the projects would benefit the town’s electricity delivery. Additionally, Andre said, education will be provided by Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and ACE MV to train future employees of Vineyard Wind’s wind farms, bringing job opportunities to young Islanders. Bristol Community College from Fall River is also offering college-level courses with the same intent. Andre said the first cohort is expected to graduate by December, and will be set up with interviews. Andre also asked whether an advisory board can be formed for the projects, which Kristal said the town is in the process of working out.
Meanwhile, the select board approved Dan Seidman’s appointment as a member of the sewer advisory committee.
The select board also agreed to write letters of support. One letter is in support of the Coalition to Create a Martha’s Vineyard Housing Bank’s support of a transfer fee bill. Kristal said getting an Island-wide select board meeting for the creation of a housing bank is possible for the fall. The other letter about the American Rescue Plan Act funding, part of which the select board plans to use for improvement in Tisbury’s internet connection for students who may be studying virtually this upcoming school year, and remote workers.
Tisbury will be applying for the Oak Bluffs Regional Community Development Block Grant, which will be used for services such as housing rehabilitation and childcare programs. Tisbury does this annual program with Oak Bluffs.
Meanwhile, Mink Meadows Golf Club is looking to sell around two acres of land to an unnamed individual. Other town boards and committees will also be consulted for approval of this action. Allowance of a land sale by Mink Meadows also occurred in 2019, which brought Tisbury $13,000 in rollback taxes, according to Grande. Joe Fitzgerald, president of Mink Meadows Golf Club, said the price for this lot is higher than the 2019 lot. He expects the taxes paid to the town to be 10 percent higher.
Baylis Woods Homeowners Association is looking for the town to take over ownership of Tashmoo Avenue. Further consultation with the planning board is needed to make a decision, according to Grande.
A public hearing was held for the amendments of the Black Dog Tavern Co. for the beer and wine license for its State Road location, all-alcohol license for its Beach Street location, and a company structure change from a corporation to an LLC, which were approved by the select board.
“This is an exciting time to be in Tisbury,” said Kristal “We’ve got some great projects going on in Tisbury.”