The West Tisbury library announced a new town poet laureate, Tain Leonard Peck. The West Tisbury select board unanimously approved Peck’s appointment to the three-year position.
According to library director Alexandra Pratt, the poet laureate must be a West Tisbury resident and a published poet. Peck will be leading the library’s community poetry reading each year he is in the position. His primary role will also be “fostering the love of poetry in our town.”
“He’s very excited,” Pratt said.
The current poet laureate, Spencer Thurlow, will end his term at town meeting in April.
“Looking forward to town meeting and hearing the readings,” West Tisbury select board chair Skipper Manter said.
In other business, the library requested access to town counsel Ron Rappaport to review the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing (CLAMS) program contract for some minor changes. The board unanimously approved the request.
The board unanimously decided to have Manter, as the board chair, sign a position statement about a lawsuit the town is named in. The suit involves the selection process of the 57 Rustling Oaks property. According to West Tisbury town administrator Jennifer Rand, the town being named as a party is not appropriate, because the town neither owns the property nor was it in charge of the selection process.
Island Housing Trust executive director Philippe Jordi told the Times he is aware of the complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). The litigation was about the process of the affordable housing lottery. Jordi said while he cannot talk much about the pending litigation, “the lottery was administered in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner.”
“IHT has never unlawfully discriminated against anyone in the housing selection process, and for that reason, we are confident that the complaint will be dismissed,” Jordi told The Times.
Mr Jordi’s statement ( IHT has never unlawfully discriminated against anyone) is his opinion not necessarily a fact.