The Oak Bluffs health agent and principal assessor have both resigned from their positions.
Health agent Meegan Lancaster has been with the department since 2015. She confirmed her Feb. 22 resignation with The Times, but declined to comment further.
Her husband, principal assessor MacGregor Anderson was hired in 2019 after serving as assistant assessor.
Lancaster submitted her resignation in a Feb. 9 email to town administrator Deborah Potter and assistant town administrator Wendy Brough.
“Please accept this as my formal resignation from the Town of Oak Bluffs. My last day will be Tuesday, Feb. 22,” Lancaster wrote. “I appreciate the skills that I have gained and am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with my Board and coworkers.”
In a reply email, Brough said she would work on accommodations with Lancaster.
“I hear your concerns about being in the office and will work with you on any accommodations that will assist you in being able to be present at the office to facilitate your last 2 weeks,” Brough wrote.
Lancaster has been at the center of the town’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the board of health’s efforts to consider draft regulations having to do with per- and poly-fluoralykyl substances, more commonly referred to as PFAS. Under those draft regulations synthetic turf fields that contain PFAS would be banned.
Proponents of the synthetic turf field have targeted Lancaster on social media. In an email to The Times, Terry Donahue of MV@Play sent emails he said showed that Lancaster’s initial presentation on PFAS regulations was orchestrated by field opponents. The emails were corrupted and Donahue told The Times he would supply them. He hasn’t.
In Facebook posts, Anderson defended his wife against some attacks that took place there.
“She just wanted to provide info for her board to make a decision. I was there. It did matter to her. The fact was, she couldn’t find a scientist who said anything other than these were a serious threat,” he wrote in part.
Speaking to the Times by phone, Anderson said his Facebook comments were in response to other commenters. He added that he adopted the tone of other comments and his responses were intended as political satire.
“I don’t use Facebook that much. This is the one time I made a public comment. I worried for Meegan’s safety for the thrashing she was getting,” Anderson said.
Anderson said his comments on Facebook were not at all linked to his leaving his position in Oak Bluffs. He said he was leaving for another opportunity as principal assessor in West Tisbury.
“I’m leaving on very good terms,” Anderson said. “It was just a great opportunity in West Tisbury.”
“It’s certainly a lot of change,” select board chair Brian Packish said on a phone call with The Times. “We’ve been lucky to have Mac and Meegan for the last few years. They came on and excelled in their positions.”
Packish further praised Anderson for his knowledge and presentations as well as Lancaster’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the town has started to advertise for both positions.
Board of health member Jim Butterick told The Times it was a sad day for Oak Bluffs.
“Mac and Meegan were smart, competent, dedicated public employees,” he said.
George Brennan contributed to this report. — Ed.
Mac and Meegan excelled at their jobs begs the question, Why was the town unable to retain them? Did you try Brian Packish? You talk a lot but don’t appear to accomplish much except giving vague quotes from time to time.
Who are these pathetic people harassing a town employee on social media to the point where she felt threatened enough to resign? Shame on them. No matter what side of the issue you’re on, stop acting like petulant little bullies.
Mac Anderson is terrific to work with ! Mac is extremely responsive and thorough in all his communications.. He will be dearly missed .. thank you Mac and Meegan and best of luck in your next endeavor ..
What is going on with Oak Bluffs that they all want out?
Astonishing, the masters of FOI requests are relying on a private citizen for reporting materials. Just ask the town of OB for all materials delivered as part of the FOI previously made. I suppose that is too much work, but me thinks you might find very interesting reading if you take the time to read and connect the dots. Maybe there is smelly connections in there? Won’t fit your general narrative, but could get you some reporting awards.
People were mean? Mean? Meaning they pointed out the painfully obvious? Meegan got played. Unfortunately, she could not foresee the outcome of being spoon fed by by the Field Fund crowd. Such a shame. Total pawn. Thank you for your service. It’s a mean world.
And you have facts to support your words? If so name them rather than just being incendiary as well as inaccurate.
https://www.facebook.com/2130656860325672/posts/4779211282136870/?d=n
Read to the attached emails. Not my words. Actual communication. Are those inaccurate? This is why I believe what I do. I didn’t just make this up. It’s not mean. It’s just there. Draw your own conclusions. Maybe you will see it differently?
Just read it. It’s clear to me that Meegan was doing due diligence in notifying parties about meetings. The MVC staff did the same for ALL interested parties.
There are several posts on the feed you linked that are very disparaging on people against artificial turf. It’s biased…it states dedication to promoting the complex put planned and put forth be the superintendents office. Now I wonder if school officials are publicly denigrating duly elected people as well as town employees.
This is a big loss for Oak Bluffs. You will not easily find someone who brings to the table as much as she did. And a big loss for public health on Martha’s Vineyard. I will miss working with Meegan as the Oak Bluffs Health Agent.
A brand new town hall building is about to open and the town is losing two valuable employees. A sad way to open the new building.
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