The Aquinnah select board unanimously approved Chilmark’s funding formula for the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS).
So far, two other towns have responded to the formula. Oak Bluffs was not in favor of the formula, while Edgartown supported it. All of the towns are scheduled to meet March 30 with the MVRHS school committee to discuss the project and how to fund it.
Aquinnah select board member Tom Murphy was the one who asked for this topic to be on the meeting agenda.
“It seems like a reasonable proposal. It was approved by Edgartown. I don’t believe Tisbury has taken a position either, because Oake Bluffs rejected that formula,” Murphy said. “I was hoping Oak Bluffs would come back with a compromise or an alternative. That hasn’t happened yet.”
Murphy said there is still a chance to get this formula passed if all of the select boards met prior to Sept. 1. He said Aquinnah is looking forward to passing this or finding a compromise that would satisfy Oak Bluffs and the rest of the towns.
“I think that would be appropriate to the town,” Aquinnah town administrator Jeffrey Madison said.
In other business, the board unanimously voted to sign the intermunicipal agreement for Chilmark School’s HVAC project.
Meanwhile, the board unanimously approved Chris Murphy, Susan Collins, and Paul Manning to the Aquinnah personnel committee.
A designer presentation will be held on Wednesday, March 23, to improve various buildings in town, such as town hall and comfort stations. The meeting will be on Zoom from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.
Meanwhile, the board unanimously agreed to put off two agenda items until Aquinnah select board member Juli Vanderhoop returned from vacation. One was the continued discussion of what to do with 9 Aquinnah Circle, which came under heavy debate during a February meeting, because Vanderhoop stated she wanted to be involved in this topic. The other was appointing Murphy as the Aquinnah representative to the Dukes County advisory board. However, Murphy had to recuse himself for this vote, so Vanderhoop’s vote is needed.
